Student researchers from around the world will showcase their potential at a unique conference to be held in Australia in September.
The 2006 Universitas 21 Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) will be held for the first time in Australia at The University of Queensland from September 25-29. Universitas 21 is an international network of leading, research-intensive universities.
UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, AC, said the URC would provide a unique avenue for undergraduate and honours students to share the breadth and depth of their research projects with a responsive audience of peers, staff, mentors and the wider academic community.
“This is a first for Australia and the Southern Hemisphere and UQ is delighted to be hosting such an important event catering specifically for undergraduate students and their teachers,” he said.
“The URC is distinguished by the diversity of research topics and disciplines represented.
“The 2006 conference will also include a teaching and learning workshop for accompanying academic staff. We anticipate keen interest in this workshop because UQ is an acknowledged global pace-setter in university teaching. ”
UQ is Australia’s leading University when it comes to teaching and learning. It has won more Australian Awards for University Teaching than any other university.
The teaching and learning workshop on the opening day of the conference will enable university teachers to engage with Universitas 21 colleagues on topical undergraduate learning, teaching and research issues and to establish further professional networks.
The highlight of the conference will be a visit to UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station where students will present their research and tour the marine science facilities.
“One of the great strengths of the URC is the diversity of disciplines represented and the cross-fertilisation of ideas that takes place,” Professor Hay said.
Universitas 21 consists of 18 universities from 10 countries and each university is able to nominate up to three students to attend the five-day conference and present their research.
The 2005 conference was held at the University of Virginia in the US in April.
Media: For more information, contact Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
