Dr Helen M. HilHonorary FellowCollege of Arts, Victoria UniversityAnd Advisor, Ministry of Education, Dili1980s and 1990s Timorese Stdents start !omin" to Vi!toria Uni#ersit$ Victoria University as a dual sector university (TAFE and Higher Education) attractedTimorese refugees as they could do preparatory work in the TAFE and then articulate to degree studies!alustiano Freitas (pictured) "ustino #uterres #il!antos Tim $ayFernando $ay all studied at VU%&n '(() !alustiano organised a conference among *iaspora Timorese +&ts time to $ead the ,ay-T%e &e"innin"s o' VU in#o(#ement&n '(() the University-s .entre for Asia/0acific !tudies 1egan to co/host seminars on development issues in East Timor such as health sustaina1le development education and agriculture with the Australia/East Timor Association% At one of these seminars in *ecem1er '(() "ose 2amos Horta &nternational representative of the Concelho Nacional Resistencia Timorense (.32T) suggested that VU co/host an international seminar on !trategic *evelopment 0lanning for East Timor with the .32T%A)ri( 1999 - VU %osts t%e 'irst !on'eren!e on De#e(o)ment in TimorThe conference on +!trategic *evelopment 0lanning forEast Timor- took place with funding from Foreign Affairs 4inister Ale5ander *owner% &t was co/ordinated 1y VU 4asters student "o6o .an7io Freitas as part of the research for his thesis together with Emilia 0ires of the East Timor *evelopment Agency% *r Helen Hill represented VU on the 0lanning .ommittee and 0rofessor 8ee 0oo 8ong of the .entre for Asia/0acific !tudies gave administrative support% &t was the first ever .onference held at VU-s new .onference .entre in the .ity .ampus. O!to*er 1999+ Vi!toria Uni#ersit$ East Timor ,or-in" .ro) 'onded at t%e VU ta*(e at t%e Dinner to ,e(!ome /anana .sm0o on %is 'irst #isit to Me(*orne1 VU hadseveral staff who had 1een active in support of Timor/$este-s self/determination including "eannie 2ea "ulie !tephens Helen Hill 2ussell ,right 4ichael Hamel/#reenthe late 2ay !imonsen and .ouncil mem1ers "ean 4c$ean and 0eter 4c4ullin%Vice .hancellor "arlath2onayne was very supportive %Ma$ 2000 - /anana .sm0o o)ens t%e O''i!e 'or t%e Emer"en!$ o' t%e CNRT 3Nationa( Con!i( o' Timorese Resistan!e4 5 at VU6s Cit$ 7(inders Cam)s 5 A*e( .terres 8as t%e re)resentati#e 9e(en 9i(( Leads a VU De(e"ation too*ser#e East Timor6s 7irst :ar(iamentar$ e(e!tions on A"st ;0t%2001 T%e de(e"ation in!(ded ne?e#i! @ eo"% as a VU sta'' mem*er (o!ated at t%e Di(i Institte o' Te!%no(o"$Annie 8eogh spends and