On July 1, the Australia-New Zealand Studies Center at Penn State will be administratively relocated, becoming part of an Asia Pacific Center under the auspices of the University Office of International Programs. Established in 1982, the Australia-New Zealand Studies Center is a unit of the University's Intercollege Research Programs. Under the terms of the reorganization, the Intercollege Research Programs will transfer responsibility for the existing center's facilities to Beverly Lindsay, dean of the Office of International Programs.
In its 16 years of existence, the Australia-New Zealand Studies Center has contributed to Penn State's efforts to enhance faculty and student involvement with international affairs.
Interdisciplinary since its inception, the center has sponsored 21 conferences and 10 symposia on a variety of topics from technology transfer to social policy. It also has been involved in countless cultural and artistic offerings, and has hosted scores of visiting fellows.
The Asia Pacific Center will become the first component of a new Institute for International Education and Policy Research to be established by the Office of International Programs. Intended to provide a focal point for the broad range of Penn State's engagement with the Pacific Basin, the Asia Pacific Center will capitalize on the groundwork laid by the Australia-New Zealand Studies Center. A 1994-96 task force report identified more than 100 faculty with research interests in the Asia Pacific region.
For more information about the Asia Pacific Center, contact John M. Keller by e-mail at jmk13@psu.edu, or Patricia A. Corbett at pac9@psu.edu; or call (814) 863-1603.