As the Foundation enters its 10th year, and the Scholar population increases by eight each year, Scholars are increasingly meeting to discuss common issues and perspectives. Collaboration amongst the Scholars is one of the important benefits of the Scholarship.
The inaugural John Monash Scholars’ Forum was held on 2nd January 2011 in Melbourne. Over a third of all Scholars participated, either in person or via video-conference from around the world. The Forum, included a range of workshop discussion and social activities, and met its objectives of: building links and strengthening relationships across the Scholar population and allowing Scholars’ to exchange ideas on topics of common interest and research. It also provided Scholars with an opportunity to discuss a Scholars’ association, and to recommend to the Foundation on performance of the Scholarship program to date and how it could be enhanced in the future.
It was agreed that the Forum should be scheduled regularly to build the alumni network and to support new scholars and the work of the Foundation. The next major Forum will be held in Australia in January 2013.
The 2011 Forum was organized by Katherine Daniell (2005 Scholar, now in the ACT), David Clarke (2007, in Melbourne), Lara Olsen (2004, in Melbourne) and Andrerw Hudson (2005, in New York). Joe Gattas (2010, in Oxford) provided great support. The Boston Consulting Group provided a venue for the main meetings, and the Commonwealth Bank kindly sponsored the major dinner for Scholars.