UQ has teamed up with Moscow State University (MSU), overcoming not only language barriers but crossing oceans through web videoconferencing.
The collaboration involved UQ Professor of Applied Language Studies Roly Sussex presenting a lecture via the web to the Australian Studies Group at MSU.
Technicians at both universities successfully synchronized the PowerPoint presentation on “Profiles of Australian English,” which included audio snippets of Australian speakers such as Alexander Downer and Darren Lockyer.
“I could see the Moscow audience and they me, but their reactions were about three to four seconds behind: it made it a bit unnerving,” Professor Sussex said.
Professor Sussex said one of his former colleagues from the Russian department at the University of Melbourne was visiting Moscow at the time and was seated in the front row, which made for a nice personal connection.
Professor Ter-Minasova of MSU delivered a reciprocal lecture on “Anglicisms in modern Russian,” a fortnight later.
It is hoped a regular exchange of lectures, expertise and information will continue between both universities.
A group of students from the Australian Studies Group will visit UQ in the New Year, from January-February.
Professor Sussex’s successful talkback show on 612 4QR is now being uploaded to the web.
The radio personality does three interactive language talkback programs every week across Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
The Queensland program streams throughout the world and is available at: http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2008/10/did-you-miss-ro.html
“Local ABC programs are not podcasted, unlike a lot of Radio National programs,” Professor Sussex said.
“We sometimes get callers from overseas, people who listen to the streaming version, and this new facility will mean that people can listen if they miss the program.”
Media: Eliza Plant at UQ Communications (07 3365 2619)
