The Ethel Tory Centre in the Baldessin Precinct Building will be officially opened by ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young on 12 May.
The opening will consist of representation by student language clubs and societies, music, and the official unveiling of a plaque commemorating the event.
The Ethel Tory Centre is a new teaching and learning space designed to promote student collaboration while enabling flexible teaching and learning modes.
The Centre consists of:
- A state-of-the-art video-conferencing facility
- 3 teaching and learning studios equipped with MAC laptops, wireless connections, movable table configurations and multiple display monitors.
- A Collaborative Learning Studio with technology-enhanced booths, individual workspaces and group-work tables.
- An internal and external break out area with ‘chill-out’ furniture and a small kitchenette and wireless internet enabled.
The Centre is named after the late Dr Ethel Tory who was a lecturer in French in the 1960s and 1970s at the Australian National University. Dr Tory was heavily involved in the teaching and pursuit of languages throughout her whole life.
Furthermore she was a lifelong supporter of the Alliance Francaise and in retirement, she ran courses on French Language and poetry for the Eurobodalla branch. She earned the accolade: “Elle a bien Mérité de l’Alliance” from the French Government to acknowledge what she had done to promote its country’s culture within university circles and beyond by making her a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiquse.
In 1995, the ANU formed The Ethel Tory Drama Endowment from donations from Ethel Tory during her lifetime. The EE Tory Endowment was established through a bequest to the ANU on Dr Tory’s death in 2003. The endowment is used to support academics and students in drama, language and student scholarship support for the study of languages internationally.
Attendance at the official opening is by invite only.
