UD participants praise the Salzburg Seminar

11:07 a.m., Nov. 8, 2005--Excitement and enthusiasm were the hallmarks of presentations Oct. 27 by five faculty members who had attended this year’s Salzburg Seminar in Austria. The seminar provides a series of intensive weeklong sessions for mid-career professionals, led by knowledgeable faculty, that explore timely international and academic issues.

Fellows from UD have attended the seminars for more than 25 years, and two places are reserved for them annually. Arno Loessner, associate professor in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, is the coordinator for the Salzburg Seminar at the University.

The sessions are more than a conference or professional meeting, according to Amy Johnson, assistant professor of nursing, they are an “immersion.”

“You meet people from all over the world who share your interests. You may not all agree on everything, but the discussions are lively, and the exchange of ideas is exciting. You learn so much,” she said.

Johnson and Gabriella Hermon, associate professor of linguistics, attended the session on early childhood development, improving the linkages between research and practice. Although the two teach in adjoining buildings at UD (McDowell Hall and Willard Hall Education Building), they never met on campus. Hermon’s interest is early language development, and Johnson’s focus is brain development in premature babies.

There were 62 persons in the seminar group, representing 39 countries, with the largest delegations coming from the United States and South Africa. Some of the sessions involved the United Nations and UNCEF and their work with children.

“It was an eye opener,” Hermon said. “AIDS has orphaned an increasing number of young children in some developing countries, and many communities are distrustful of orphanages. Early brain development sets the stage for future development, and we looked for holistic approaches to help children and families,” Hermon said.

“For every 100 children born, 95 are born in developing countries,” Johnson said. “We focused on what children need from birth to 3 years old, and what research, policies and strategies would be effective. One issue we talked about is early intervention with fathers--educating and working more closely with them.”

Titus Awakuse, assistant professor of food and resource economics at UD, is a seasoned Salzburg fellow, as this was his second session. In 2004 Awakuse attended a session on trade, economic development and poverty in developing countries, and this year he was invited back to attend a Freeman Foundation Symposium on East Asia and the United States and chaired a session, “The Economic Growth of China and Its Effect on the Region and on the United States.”

“Through the Salzburg Seminar, I have met many people whose interests I share and, as a result of my participation, was invited to a United Nations meeting on food issues in Rome,” Awakuse said.

Sean Cox, associate director of International Programs and Special Sessions, has been involved in the Salzburg Seminars selection process at UD but had never previously attended one himself. He attended a session on European integration and said it was “fantastic.” The session focused on the inclusion of Turkey in the European Union, he said, and was “useful academically and professionally.”

Sandra Millard, assistant director for library public services, attended “Beyond E-Government: Government for the Third Millennium.” The session brought together 60 people from different parts of the world, who discussed the effect of delivering government services via the web. Countries, such as Great Britain, shared their expertise with new democracies from the developing nations on developing web sites, she said.

“At the sessions, I discussed UDLib/SEARCH, which provides access to online magazines and other materials to public high school and middle schools, and is a partnership between the state, University and library, as an example of delivering services via the web,” Millard said.

Remarks by Provost Dan Rich concluded the program. He was a Salzburg Fellow in 1984 and was invited back for a Freeman Foundation Symposium in 1999.

“Participating in the Salzburg Seminar has become a valued UD tradition that has contributed to internationalizing the outlook of many faculty,” Rich said.

He encouraged faculty members and professionals to apply and to reapply if they are not accepted the first time. “There is nothing quite like it, and the Salzburg seminar provides an inversion of roles for faculty,” he said, adding that faculty and professionals gain a more global perspective, which they, in turn, can share with students.

For more information about the Salzburg Seminar, visit [www.international.udel.edu/projects/Salzburg]. The deadline for applications at the Center for International Studies is 4:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 21.

Article by Sue Moncure

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