At a time when funding for Classics in schools and universities in the western world, including Australia and the United Kingdom, is being scaled back, the prognosis for the study of Latin, Greek, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History is not clear.

The free public lecture The study of Classics in UK schools and universities – boom or bust?, to take place at the University of Melbourne tomorrow, will outline the current state of Classical education in the UK and highlight areas of both growth and decline.

Can, and should Classics survive?

Giving her view on this current issue and presenting a report from the front line will be Dr Arlene Holmes-Henderson, a Churchill Fellow from the UK.

A Classicist with degrees from Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge universities, Dr Holmes-Henderson has been closely involved with Classical education policy and practice in both Scotland and England. She is currently conducting research into language education and critical literacy in New Zealand and Australia, sponsored by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in London.

This free public lecture is sponsored by the Classical Association of Victoria and The University of Melbourne’s School of Historical and Philosophical Studies (SHAPS). Bookings are required.

The lecture will take place on Thursday, 20 February, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm, at Theatre B, Old Arts Building, The University of Melbourne, Parkville. For more information, contact K.O. Chong-Gossard at koc@unimelb.edu.au or call (03) 8344 4078. To register visit http://alumni.online.unimelb.edu.au/classicsinuk