I just wanted to reiterate something I mentioned a couple of years ago.
In the universities, Semester One in North America usually starts end August.
Down Under, where the seasons are of course reversed, we are fully into Semester Two by the end of July or early August.
Teaching commitments therefore makes attendance at the 31 August - 2nd September 2005 IBG/RGS conference impossible for most of us in these two hemispheres.
This has been one of the major implications of changing the date from January. I have heard the new format is enjoyable and well attended (but more expensive, especially if in London in Aug/Sept against staying in university buildings anywhere in the country in January!), but alas I and my compatriots would need to be on a leave of absence to ever attend.
By contrast, early January is a time when I think almost no-one worldwide is teaching - all are on winter or summer break, depending which side of the Equator you are on. [And yes I know the weather is dreadful in the UK in January!]
Is this view shared?
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Dr. Simon Batterbury, lecturer, SAGES, University of Melbourne
221 Bouverie Street, Melbourne Vic 3010, Australia
tel 61-03-8344 9319/8344 9382 fax 61-03 9349 4218 [log in to unmask]
www.geography.unimelb.edu.au www.simonbatterbury.net
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