Academics under the debating spotlight

22 October 2001

Does embracing the region's economic development goals necessarily involve selling out on the core values of a leading university?

This will be the subject of debate at the University of Wollongong this Saturday 27 October 2001, when two celebrity debaters come head to head at the Annual Academic Senate Debate.

Professor Ian Lowe, AO, Emeritus Professor from the Griffith University and New Scientist writer will be taking the positive side of the topic. Taking the negative side will be Dr Carolyn Allport, President of the National Tertiary Education Union.

Ian Lowe AO was named Australian Humanist of the Year in 1988 and delivered the 1991 Boyer Lectures for the ABC. Last year he received the Queensland Premier's Millennium Award for Excellence in Science and the Prime Minster's Environmental Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to science and technology.

Dr Carolyn Allport has held an academic position in the university sector since 1974. Elected the first President of the National Tertiary Education Union in 1994, and re-elected in 1998, she represents the Union's 25,000 academic and general staff members in matters relating to tertiary education funding, policy and industrial relations issues. Carolyn was a member of the Higher Education Council (1995-1999). Carolyn plays a leading role in the Education International's Higher Education Caucus and is a member of the ACTU Executive.

This year the Academic Senate Debate is being held to closely link to two significant occasions - the University's 50th Anniversary celebrations and the Annual NSW Local Government Conference being held in Wollongong.

The debate will be held from 5:15pm to 7:15pm in Lecture Theatre 67.107, McKinnon Building (Bld 67), University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong. It will be followed by a cocktail reception hosted by UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gerard Sutton. Tickets to the event are limited. To book your seat please RSVP by 4pm this Thursday 25 October to Glenys Day on 4221 3943.