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COFA launches a new online community

Article released: Friday, 21 April, 2006

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At the beginning of April, COFA launched its new ‘online Postgraduate Research Community’ [oPRC]. Already over 50 research students have enrolled into the oPRC where currently they have access to all the information about each School’s Research Week activities, galleries of students’ works in progress, and discussions forming in the online message boards.

The online Postgraduate Research Community aims to be an important aspect of the PG student experience at COFA, enabling doctoral and masters students to actively engage with a peer-community of researchers at all times during the course of their degree. It provides a vital source of information exchange, with discussions on all aspects of postgraduate study, from administrative issues, to individual research topics and guest seminar presentations. Most importantly, it allows students to forge networks within and across schools, and in many instances, to connect with a larger international network.

COFA's postgraduate cohort is distinguished by its breadth and diversity, covering a range of disciplines in design, fine arts, media arts, art & design history and theory, and art/design education. Many Doctoral and Masters students spend periods interstate and overseas, undertaking fieldwork and residencies in an international research arena. In this dynamic and expansive environment, the oPRC is a vital means for establishing and maintaining relationship to the Faculty and to fellow researchers. All PG research students are encouraged to utilise the oPRC for the development and promotion of their research, and to ensure that their experience at COFA is a rewarding and collegial one.

The oPRC has been initiated by Professor Jill Bennett and is facilitated by COFA’s own Omnium research group, powered by one of their latest online interfaces – Omnium Community™

oPRC Convenors:

Associate Professor Jill Bennett – Director, Postgraduate Studies at COFA
Rick Bennett – Director, The Omnium Project research group

PG research students still wishing to enrol in the oPRC.
Email: rick@omnium.edu.au

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