The ‘Connections’ Junior College Multi-Disciplinary Conference: Research, Practice and Collaboration which took place recently showcased a variety of research initiatives covering issues ranging from post-humanism, history, literature, marketing, management, aesthetics, cultural mediation, pedagogical strategies, architecture, biology, physics, mathematics, technology, psychology, LGBTIQ issues, politics, human rights and migration.
Attended by over 100 participants and addressed by a number of high profile local and international speakers, the conference lived up to its name by building bridges between different academic disciplines and research strategies. In line with its overarching objective, it offered scope for “constructing and deconstructing the appreciation of inter-disciplinary and connections/disconnections that may exist between intersecting areas of study”.
The conference was very well received by both academic contributors and participants and laid the ground work for future collaboration between scholars from different academic institutions and disciplines. Opening with a number of prolific keynote speakers, including Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino, Dr David Roden, Prof. Emmanuel Sinagra and Prof. Laurence Viennot, the three-day conference was organised through a series of parallel themed workshops covering a total of 45 paper contributions.
The conference also hosted the official opening of a ceramic exhibition by Joseph Agius, which in line with the aim of the conference, delved on existential issues and the artist’s connections and disconnections with politics, morality, and religion.
The Principal of the College, Mr Paul Xuereb and the members of the Conference Committee thanked all academics who passionately shared their highly insightful work, all attendees who enthusiastically participated in the workshops, the sponsors of the conference, namely; Junior College, the Ministry for Finance and Agenda Bookshop and all who contributed to the success of the conference. The detailed proceedings of the conference will form part of the Junior College Symposia publication for the current year.
The Junior College Conference Committee is made up of Dr Karl Chircop (Chairperson), Dr Christine Borg Farrugia, Dr Joan Borg Marks, M. Clifton Lewis, Dr Mary Grace Vella and Mr Niki Young