3rd SAAA CONFERENCE 2019, 22 NOVEMBER, SYDNEY

‘Slovenian Australian research collaboration’

CONFERENCE REPORT IN PDF (abstracts, bios)

Full program is available here.

On Friday, the 22nd of November, the 3rd SAAA Conference 2019: ‘Slovenian Australian research collaboration’ took place at CCANESA, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the University of Sydney.

For the first time, an annual event of the Slovenian Australian Academic Association (SAAA) was co-organised in collaboration with the Association of Slovenes Educated Abroad (VTIS) as well as with the longstanding partner the Slovenian Australian Chamber of Commerce (SACC).

The conference was opened by Ms Tanya Plibersek MP, Shadow Minister for Education and Training, Federal Member for Sydney. Opening addresses were also given by His Excellency Mr Peter Jožef Česnik, Minister for Slovenians Abroad, Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad, His Excellency Mr Jurij Rifelj, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Australia, and Mr Mark Stariha, Honorary Vice-Consul, Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia in New South Wales.

The Conference brought together 24 participants, the majority from all Slovenian Australian communities from Sydney and New South Wales, interstate, and from New Zealand. Attendees had the opportunity listening to 15 speakers (3 of them through video from Slovenia) including two keynotes Professor John Hajek FAHA, Professor of Italian Studies, Director, RUMACCC, University of Melbourne, SAAA Vice-President, who talked about ‘Understanding the Demography of Slovenes and Slovene in Australia today’ and Professor Sara Dolnicar, Tourism, UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, with her keynote titled ‘Making the tourism industry more environmentally friendly’.

The Slovenian Australian research collaborations conference included morning Annual General Meeting for SAAA members, afternoon sessions and a conference dinner. In the afternoon, participants heard from academics about their work in Australia and New Zealand, how they collaborate with Slovenia and where lay the challenges and opportunities. Non-government and government organisations were also presented.

The attendance was in particular open to academics, researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and all organisations who are interested to learn the current knowledge exchange between Slovenia and Australia upon their respective regions.

The 4th SAAA Conference 2020 will take place on the 20th of November at the University of Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand.

Organisational committee: Mateya Slobodnik, Dr Kaja Antlej, Vesna Makovšek, Professor John Hajek, Professor Glenda Sluga, Katja Heath, Dr Ursa Komac, Dr Matevž (Matt) Rašković, Dr Jurij Karlovsek, Andrew Bratina, Manca Ogrizek

Photos by: Anna Tait

Sponsor: Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad 

Supported by: Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Canberra