News Archive

After years of planning and consultations we are nearing implementation of the biggest reform of our curriculum since UWA first opened its doors to students in 2013.

In coming weeks the undergraduate 2012 Course Guide will be sent to final year high school students throughout Western Australia outlining the options they will have under New Courses 2012.

This guide is the next step in a process that has taken many hours of work from our academic and professional staff across all faculties and schools.

The dedication and invaluable input from staff will ensure our commencing students next year will be equipped to succeed in an increasingly global and competitive environment.

The courses will provide our students with a world-class education with more opportunities for study overseas, community engagement and research and more practical experience including benefits from our extensive industry partnerships.

As many of you will be aware, the restructure came about when, having determined that it was our ambition to be counted among the world's top 50 universities by 2050 and within the top 100 by our centenary, we undertook a detailed examination of the educational attributes of the most prestigious tertiary institutions globally.

That review, completed in 2008, was carried out by a team of experts in several fields whose title was ‘the Achieving International Excellence Future aspirations and acknowledgment of our proud history Working Party'. The review was compiled as a ‘conversation starter' and members of the University community were invited to take part in the conversation.

The world's most highly-ranked universities aspire to be leaders in research and to achieve excellence in scholarship and teaching. They publicly recognise their responsibility to society locally, nationally and globally. Many universities also acknowledge their responsibility for advancing social and economic mobility and opportunity for students of all backgrounds.

From next year, our New Courses 2012 will enable us to join the world's best tertiary institutions - such as Harvard, Cambridge and Yale Universities - in delivering a broad-based education from the highest standard of teachers and researchers.

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As we look forward, so must we remember and honour our past.

The restoration of Winthrop Hall's windows, damaged in last year's hail storm, is complete. More than 80 glass panels were installed to eight windows. The seven colours in the new glass continue the colour scheme developed in 1926 by the hall's architect, Conrad Sayce. The restoration project and the interest it generated in the wider community was a reminder of the central place Winthrop Hall occupies in the hearts and minds of Western Australians.

Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson

• UWA News 2 May 2011