New focus on European studies
The opening of a European Union Centre in Australia will provide new opportunities for postgraduate students at Macquarie University.
To be run in conjunction with La Trobe University, the Centre will be established with funds awarded by the European Commission to the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) network. The centre will be a 'national voice' for the European Union in Australia.
Macquarie will manage the research activities of the European Union Centre. Research conducted will compare Australian and European experiences in areas such as population flow, education, human rights, security, media and the environment.
PhD scholarships will be available through the Centre with students also able to study postgraduate courses on the European Union.
"The opening of the Centre is very exciting for us," says Head of the Department of European Languages, Dr Martina Möllering. "It will provide great opportunities for postgraduate students."
Research interests
Over recent years, the Department of European Languages has taken on a number of new research active staff who are keen to supervise postgraduate students. Staff research interests encompass cross cultural, intercultural and multicultural studies.
While some research work is directed at language, such as historical and linguistic description of languages, another current area of interest is the theory and history of European literature, and its evolution in the context of intercultural interactions. The impact of globalisation and migration processes on cultural productions such as literature, film and theatre in the European and Australian context is another emerging area of research.
"We are very interested in building up our higher degree research intake and having more PhD students in particular," says Möllering. "The way we are going about this is offering more units and introducing an integrated honours program. We are also adding a new component to the Humanities Postgraduate Certificate in Research Preparation. Students who have not written a thesis or completed an Honours degree will be able to undertake this course and come to do a PhD or Master of Philosophy in European Languages."
PhD students
At present the Department of European languages has two PhD students in German. Highlighting the change in study patterns in European Languages, the students are not focusing on the German language perse. One student is looking into data driven learning and how this can be implemented in second language teaching and learning. This study has seen her speak at a number of international conferences and she has already signed a book deal.
The department's second PhD student is looking at the creation of national identity through cinema, looking at Turkish-German films. "This student has an Honours degree in German and one in media studies so this combines her two interests which works well," says Möllering.
For further information on the Department of European Languages contact: martina.mollering@mq.edu.au or visit the European Languages website: www.eurolang.mq.edu.au/index.html