Lunchtime Forums

U3A/COTA Tuesday Lunchtime Forums

Forums focus on local events, politics, science, the environment & international events, and run for an hour followed by Q&A.

Sessions will be held in alternating Face-to-Face and Zoom formats on Tuesdays from May to November commencing at 12:45pm.

Pre-registration is required for both formats - see details below for how to register for individual sessions.

Face-to-Face Sessions in Main Hall, Hughes Community Centre.

Held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month
Limit of 80 attendees
Entrance fee: $2 per session to be paid by cash or credit card; does not include refreshments

There is a hearing loop in the hall – people with hearing aids should adjust them to the 'T' position.

Zoom Online Sessions

Held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month
Limit of 100 attendees

For further details contact Alex Gosman at

Date	Forum details
10 August	Every attempt to reform Russia's political system has ended up with power in the hands of one man. Is Russia destined to be an authoritarian state? Presenter: Kyle Wilson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, College of Arts & Social Sciences, ANU Kyle is a very popular speaker on Russia and worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1981 to 2004. This included four years in Moscow and five in Beijing. From 2004 to 2013 he was the Senior Analyst for Russia and Central Asia at the Office of National Assessments.
24 August	The Reef – from Cook to Climate Change (and UNESCO reports) Presenter: Professor Iain McCalman OA. Professor McCalman is a highly respected and award winning Professor of History and the Humanities who has taught at ANU and University of Sydney. Iain was a co-Director of the Sydney Environment Institute. His book, The Reef - A Passionate History, from Captain Cook to Climate Change, was published in 2013. Iain has appeared in a number of documentaries on the reef.

Date

Forum details

10 August

Every attempt to reform Russia's political system has ended up with power in the hands of one man. Is Russia destined to be an authoritarian state?

Presenter: Kyle Wilson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, College of Arts & Social Sciences, ANU
Kyle is a very popular speaker on Russia and worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1981 to 2004. This included four years in Moscow and five in Beijing.

From 2004 to 2013 he was the Senior Analyst for Russia and Central Asia at the Office of National Assessments.

24 August

The Reef – from Cook to Climate Change (and UNESCO reports)

Presenter: Professor Iain McCalman OA.
Professor McCalman is a highly respected and award winning Professor of History and the Humanities who has taught at ANU and University of Sydney. Iain was a co-Director of the Sydney Environment Institute.

His book, The Reef - A Passionate History, from Captain Cook to Climate Change, was published in 2013. Iain has appeared in a number of documentaries on the reef.