News Archive

We often talk about our University as being a ‘community' or a ‘family' and it certainly feels that way, especially when staff and students work together to ensure the success of events such as Open Day and the Parents' Welcome, or in response to emergencies such as the hail storm in March 2010.

Just as families may have members living overseas, our University has a big contingent of alumni who, though geographically far away from the campus, stay in touch with the University and with each other.

In the last week, representatives from UWA travelled to both London and New York for such reunions. And in August we visited Shanghai, followed by stops in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

At these events, we were pleased to be able to recount the University's recent achievements - such as our growing national and international reputation as evidenced by our laudable standing in both the Shanghai Jiao Tong World University Rankings and Australia's Good Universities Guide.

At these events, we commend our alumni in their role as ambassadors, representing one of the University's key strengths. They reflect our commitment to education, research and lifelong learning. Through their friendship and support they help to direct and encourage future generations to aspire to a UWA degree.

Other events at home - such as the Senate Community Dinner held earlier this month - remind us of the large and loyal family our University shares, whether as alumni, staff (some of whom are both) or friends from the broader community.

Through our many alumni who have taken on international leadership roles - such as the current Australian Ambassador to the United States Kim Beazley and the Australian Minister for Defence Stephen Smith - the State of Western Australia has developed strong relationships within government and civil communities throughout the globe.

For example, in London last week Professor Stephen Hopper, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and soon to be UWA 's inaugural Chair in Biodiversity, was invited to speak about food security at an international forum.

It was my pleasure to give the keynote address at this forum where I was proud to recount our University's growing role in ‘feeding the world', from our involvement in the Seeds of Life program in Timor Leste to our collaboration with international universities to find ways of adapting agriculture to climate change.

Alongside our staff, our alumni have contributed - over almost a century - to the development of our own State and to the wellbeing of people internationally. Their contributions continue in every field of human endeavour.

Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson

• UWA News 17 October 2011