Research School of Humanities & the Arts Restructure

The ANU College of Arts and Social Science announced on 25 September that it will establish a new School through a merger of the School of Language Studies and the School of Cultural Inquiry, it will expand the School of Art to strengthen Art History and Art Theory, and create a Centre of Heritage and Museum Studies within the School of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Professor Howard Morphy, then Director of the Research School of Humanities and the Arts, said that the changes, which will be achieved through a merger and restructure of current schools, were aimed at creating two lively and intellectually engaged schools that are well-placed to take leading roles in the research and teaching of Arts and Humanities nationally and internationally.

Professor Morphy said the changes would also make the University’s great strengths in cultural heritage and museum studies more visible.

The new structure will come into place on 1 January and will not involve any redundancies, budget cuts or changes to existing degree or graduate programs, including PhD supervision. The changes come after some 16 months of consultation and discussion within the College.

“These changes are aimed at keeping arts and humanities at ANU at the top of the field by fostering greater collaboration and innovation across disciplines,” Professor Morphy said.

“The new combined School is aimed at creating critical mass and building on existing synergies.

“The ANU School of Art will become one of the biggest in Australia, with substantial strength in Art History and Theory as well as Art Practice.

“Bringing Art History and Art Theory together within the same School will enable these closely related disciplines to have a critical mass in key areas of research and teaching adding further to the University’s international reputation in these fields.”