Frequently Asked Questions

In short, it depends! ‘Non-MSLS graduates’ (for the purposes of this conference) fall into 2 categories:

• Pending MSLS graduates, based in Karlskrona for the 08-09 academic year: these students will not be invited to attend in Australia however they will be able to participate in certain interactive web sessions. This is to ensure unity within the incumbent student group and to keep them focussed during their thesis period.
• All others: since the MSLS alumni speaks its own unique ‘language’ and the retreat component of the gathering (Dinner Plain) is oriented specifically to this group, there can be no other participants other than significant traveling companions (such as partners or children), invited guests or TNS people allowed on these days. However, the program is conceived such that we should and will interract with many external groups and individuals on the journey from Sydney to Melbourne and there will be opportunity for friends and others to participate in these sessions along the way!

We hope that by giving as much advance notice as possible, there will be adequate opportunity for people to start saving to attend this gathering, or else to form an approach to their employer for assistance. In addition, we are seeking event sponsorship and a small percentage of the conference fee from those who are able to pay the full amount will be put towards a scholarship fund - a limited number of bursaries will be made available to help allay the costs of attendance. Obviously, we will prioritise applications based on merit, not the order of their submission.Inevitably, there will only be limited funds available to assist but please rest assured that we will work hard to accommodate where we can and we will endeavour to keep the participation costs as low as possible once you have arrived in Australia. We kindly ask you to think hard and be responsible about submitting an application for assistance, doing so only if you really need it and have exhausted all other avenues of funding. Please check back regularly for details on available scholarships.

Australia was selected as a location for this gathering for a number of reasons:

• the initiative for organising this conference has come from alumni who are Australian, or else who have an interest in supporting the event there
• this gathering has to be held somewhere - if held in Australia this time (which may be an expensive and/or long way to come for some), it will be held somewhere different next time (when the ’shoe will be on the other foot’)!
• we believe it is important to expand the experience and reach of the program beyond Karlskrona & Sweden (much as we love it)
• as so many alumni are North American and have regular opportunity to connect with each other simply due to proximity, we wanted to bring you guys out here so we can be part of that exchange too
• whilst Australia’s new Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, has ratified Kyoto (yay!) we’d like to benefit from the work the rest of you are doing in your home countries - we still have a long way to go!
• we want to show off this great country but also show you first-hand how climate change and sustainability is experienced ‘on the ground’
• we think it is interesting to get a southern hemisphere perspective - the climatic patterns, landscape and night sky are completely different to the north ; )
• the weather is great in Australia in February
• we have an amazing indigenous culture - the oldest in the world, in fact..and arguably the ones who have managed to sustain themselves the longest!!