Monash Warwick Alliance extended for another five years

The Alliance between the University of Warwick and Monash University, in Melbourne, Australia, is set to continue for another five years after a new agreement was signed between the two.

The agreement means research and education collaboration will continue, as well as study abroad opportunities for students.

The Monash Warwick Alliance was established in 2012, and has since then been highly commended, recently winning the ‘International Education Award’ at the 2016 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards.

Both Warwick and Monash will spend £3 million per year on the Alliance between 2017-2021, the next five- year period agreed to.

There are 9 different universities based in Melbourne, Australia, of which Monash is the second best ranked in the city. It came 74th in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) 2017 rankings, whilst Warwick came 82nd.

The University of Melbourne, which came 33rd in the THE rankings and is frequently considered the best university in Australia, has a UK partnership with the University of Manchester.

Over 50 members of staff currently hold positions at both Monash and Warwick, and over 600 academics have been in some way involved in Alliance led projects and research.

90 Warwick students are currently studying at Monash on a year abroad, with 70 Monash students at Warwick.

Chris Bhatti, a third-year Sociology students is one of those currently at Monash. She said: “It will be brilliant to have it extended, as from my experience the Alliance made it more comfortable for me to settle in a new country and university. The Alliance also made it easier for me to seek help, and helps Warwick attain global acknowledgment.”

Chris did, however, raise the need for more financial support for students spending a year at Monash, with Melbourne known to have a high cost of living.

Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor at the University at Warwick, commented: “The Monash Warwick Alliance has already forged strong ties between our two universities, allowing dynamic collaborative research between two continents, and fostering global student mobility.

“I am delighted that we are renewing our partnership, and look forward to the new opportunities that the next five years will bring.”