News Archive

The University of Western Australia can proudly claim a century of outstanding intellectual achievement and distinguished service to communities locally, nationally and internationally.

In looking forward to our second century of achievement, we should aim not just to replicate past success, but also to set new goals which will ensure that the University remains relevant and valued in the changing circumstances of the 21st century.

I am delighted that our University has succeeded in achieving our ambitious goal of being counted among the world's top 100 research universities before we celebrate our centenary next year.

Ours is only one of five universities in Australia to join the ranks of the world's top 100 universities according to the world's foremost indicator, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities.

And this outstanding result - up 14 places from our rank of 110 last year - is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and commitment of all our staff.

The ranking will give us even more cause to celebrate during 2013. Few universities can boast of being counted among the world's best 100 within 100 years.

We now need to focus on the larger agenda of becoming recognised as a top 50 university by 2050 - a goal that relates not just to our research, but equally to our educational programs and activities and to our broader social and community impact, particularly within Western Australia.

The paper I have released , UWA Futures , is intended to promote discussion and debate within the University about what our goals should be, and how we should endeavour to achieve them. We will need to build on past achievements, but also be alert to new opportunities and changing expectations both within and beyond the University community.

The higher education sector in Australia and around the world is likely to look very different in 10 years' time. Regulatory, commercial and technological innovation, changing student expectations and behaviours, increased global interconnectivity in teaching and research, and an increasing emphasis on the relevance of universities to the broader society, will all bring pressure to bear on what we do and how we do it.

The paper represents my personal views on these issues. It is not a policy document, but rather a stepping-stone towards a new medium-term strategy for the University which will be adopted in our centenary year.

I am sure there are many other ways, large and small, in which we can build on our current strengths and position the University for success in the future.

There is a discussion paper on our website and a discussion forum for your ideas. You can also send comments directly to me by email. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas during the discussion about our future.

Paul Johnson

Vice-Chancellor