Monash University is committed to the survival of the Modern Greek program as
discussed in a meeting this week, with the main objective being to create a
Modern Greek program of the highest quality for tertiary level to offer students
prospective career pathways for research and teaching.
At the meeting,
representatives of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, met
with members of Monash University and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne
Education Office Vasileios Gkokas to discuss the future of the Modern Greek
language and culture program at the university. Present at the meeting on behalf
of Monash University were Professor Rae Frances, Dean of Arts, and Associate
Professor Rita Wilson, Head of the School of Languages, Culture and Linguistics.

All present agreed in the creation of a working group to ensure the needs of
the program are met. The working group will consist of Monash University staff,
the Greek Education Office, and representatives of both the Greek community and
students studying Greek. The purpose of the working group will be to foster good
will and build strong partnerships between all those involved, to ensure the
sustainability and viability of Greek language and culture at Monash
University.
Monash University gratefully acknowledged the financial
assistance made by various community groups and individuals and informed the
meeting that all funds were used to fund the wage of Mr Alexandros Giannadakis
for semester one. In return, the community also acknowledged Monash’s monetary
contribution to ensure the teaching of Greek would continue without disruption
to the students of the program.
The community was pleased to be informed
that the teaching of Greek has continued into semester two, ably assisted from a
teacher seconded from the Greek Education Office in Melbourne. The community
wholeheartedly supports Monash’s initiative to develop a pedagogically sound
cultural program which will – in due course – enable students to major in the
subject of Greek.
The Modern Greek language and culture program at Monash
University has been embroiled in issues of late and representatives of the
community were able to put forth any concerns and queries they had regarding to
the issues that have occurred of the teaching of Modern Greek at the university
in the past six months. The community reaffirmed its commitment to the program
and its willingness to support it in any possible way.