Learning & Teaching, Media Release

Political heavyweights to deliver uni lectures

Two former Australian political heavyweights - Alexander Downer [1] and Natasha Stott Despoja [2] - will jointly deliver a Winter School [3] course on contemporary Australian politics at the University of Adelaide this year.

Australia's longest-serving Foreign Affairs Minister and the former Leader of the Australian Democrats [4] both have strong connections with the University's School of History and Politics [5].

In a first for the University, Mr Downer and Ms Stott Despoja will join forces to give students a unique, first-hand perspective on the factors that shape policy initiatives in Australia.

Enrolments are now open for the intensive 36-hour course, titled "The Practice of Australian Politics [6]", which will comprise lectures and seminars offered over a three-week period from June 28.

The course is open to everyone, including domestic and international students, people not currently studying at university and those from other institutions.

Mr Downer was appointed a Visiting Professor at the University of Adelaide after his retirement from politics in 2008. He is the current United Nations' special envoy to Cyprus and also runs a lobbying firm with former political rival and ex-Labor Senator, Nick Bolkus [7].

In 1995, at the age of 25, Ms Stott Despoja was the youngest female politician in Australia's history to be elected to the Federal Parliament. She was Leader of the Australian Democrats from 2001-2002 and retired from the Senate in 2008, four months after becoming a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide.

Ms Stott Despoja is a 1991 Bachelor of Arts [8] graduate from the University of Adelaide and a former President of the Students' Association.

The political course also forms part of a packaged Study Abroad [9] program for Northern Hemisphere students and has been heavily promoted in that part of the world.

For more information about the course, including fees, visit: www.adelaide.edu.au/summerandwinterschool/winter2010/ [10] or call (08) 8303 5208.

A wide range of other courses are offered as part of the University's 2010 Winter School, including lectures and seminars in architecture, engineering, humanities, health, economics, law and science.

www.adelaide.edu.au/summerandwinterschool/winter2010/ [11]

Alexander Downer. Photo by Jennie Groom.

Natasha Stott Despoja. Photo by Brett Hartwig, courtesy of The Australian.