FOCUS ON: Anianet

ALPSP members may be interested in a new service which seeks to connect Chinese scholars with their western counterparts.

Fellow ALPSP member Anianet (http://www.anianet.com/) is a professional network for Chinese researchers, professors, and other academic professionals interested in forging better connections with the west by creating free professional profiles on the Anianet network. These English-language profiles outline a member's research interests, institutional affiliation, publishing history, teaching experience, awards, collaboration histories, and other details of his/her professional accomplishments. The profiles are enhanced by including pictures, CVs, links to presentations, and so forth. In this manner, Chinese scholars can make themselves better known to western editors, reviewers, meeting organizers, and others who are beginning to use the network as a means to better understand who is doing what in the Chinese academic space.

The service provides a unique way to connect the Chinese scholars to the international research community, serving tailored feeds of western content from thousands of sources – news, announcements, abstracts, grant opportunities, etc. – tied to a member's specific subject area. In this manner, a Chinese organic chemist, behavioral ecologist, or macroeconomist can effectively keep abreast of international developments in his or her field. It looks like it could become an important tool in developing long-term relationships with Chinese researchers and research institutions and assist in the recruiting of Chinese Editors, Editorial Board members and authors.

Anianet officially launched in late July and already more than 1,600 Chinese scholars - in fields ranging from architectural design to zoology - have created Anianet profiles.

ALPSP Annual General Meeting

The ALPSP Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 10th of September 2009 at 12pm at The Oxford Belfry, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2JW, UK (online map).

This will coincide with the ALPSP International Conference which is being held at that venue from the 9th–11th of September. Attendance at the AGM is open to all ALPSP members, both Full and Associate, and does not require you to attend the conference as a delegate However, if you are not registered for the conference we would be grateful if you could let Lesley Ogg know you are coming so that she can advise the Conference Centre and they can provide an entry badge.

Content Nation - prize draw at the ALPSP International Conference

Further to the blog entry on John Blossom, you can win a copy of John's excellent book, Content Nation, at the 2009 ALPSP International Conference.

We'll be giving five copies of the book away at the Conference dinner courtesy of the publisher of Content Nation, John Wiley and Sons.

If you're not fortunate enough to win a copy, the book will also be available to order at a special discounted rate at the Conference.

Draw entry rules apply.

ALPSP Council - nominations

Primary contacts at member organizations should now have received notification from Nick Evans of this year’s vacancies to ALPSP Council. If you wish to nominate someone (with their permission and agreement of course!) then please contact Nick Evans.