US Studies Centre teams up with Harvard
[Wednesday, 28 October 2009]

The US Studies Centre will partner with Harvard University on three international conferences between 2010 and 2012. The Harvard University Committee on Australian Studies has committed US$120,000 to support the conferences that will be held in Australia.

The announcement follows on from the US Studies Centre-Harvard collaboration on the Centre's 2009 National Summit 'Sustainable Globalisation: Will it Survive the GFC?' Held in Sydney in June this year, the summit examined the impact of the first global recession since World War II with a particular focus on the role and response of the US. The conference featured over 50 experts, more than 200 delegates, as well as a public forum that attracted an audience of over 1000 people. Video and transcripts of the conference are available at the http://ussc.edu.au/national-summit

US Studies Centre chief executive Professor Geoffrey Garret said that the great success of the partnership so far boded well for the future. 'I am so pleased that Harvard University is willing to work with us in bringing together leaders from academia and other areas to work on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia, the US and the world'.
Professor Michael Hiscox, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs at Harvard's Department of Government added that 'Everyone at Harvard is impressed with the US Studies Centre's achievements and aspirations. We are confident that our partnership will benefit both institutions and our two countries.'

Next year's conference to be held in June 2010 on 'Inequality and Life Chances after the Financial Crisis' has already attracted a number of distinguished American participants including Provost of Columbia University Claude Steele, former Director of the United States Census Bureau Kenneth Prewitt and Jane Mansbridge, Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values, Harvard University.