UON 50th Anniversary Yearbook
From the Vice-Chancellor A milestone birthday is a time for celebration and reflection. It is an opportunity for friends to catch up and reminisce, a time to throw a great party (or two!), and the chance to host momentous events, which bring our community together. During 2015, as the University of Newcastle (UON) marked its 50th anniversary, our communities have been front and centre in our celebrations. A university for the region was established as the result of the community’s hard-fought campaign, and our jubilee year has been a remarkable time where, once again, our communities have come out in force. One of the highlights of the year was our graduation parade where thousands of people lined the streets to cheer on our newest alumni as they marched through Newcastle’s CBD. Also in 2015 our community dug deep raising more than $80,000 to sponsor our ‘champions’ who walked 50 kilometres for the 50th year on the Great Wall of China for disadvantaged students. The University’s inaugural Alumni Homecoming warmly welcomed graduates from near and far back to the campus to reconnect during a three-day festival.
These and many more remarkable moments are captured in this 50th anniversary yearbook. The following pages tell a story of a university and its remarkable community as we have grown from 1,700 students in 1965 to 40,000 today. We host a global network of 130,000 alumni, and are proud to be home to researchers and experts in the top 1 per cent in their field in the world in health, engineering, and science, the humanities and social sciences, and in the creative industries. I can’t recall a time where I have had the pleasure of cutting quite so many cakes as I have this year! More importantly, during 2015 I have been delighted to be able to spend time with many inspiring people from our alumni and donor communities in Australia and overseas. I would like to thank you most sincerely for your contribution to a remarkable year and, indeed, to the world-class institution we are today. Professor Caroline McMillen Vice-Chancellor and President
Celebrate 50 launch UON’s 50th anniversary celebrations kicked off in March with the official ‘Celebrating 50’ launches at Callaghan and Central Coast campuses. More than 600 staff, UON Council, partners and members of the community gathered at the launches.
UON Graduation Parade 400 graduands paraded through Newcastle’s CBD in April, led by the Australian Army Band, commemorating the 130,000 students who have graduated from UON throughout its 50 year history. Over 3,000 supporters lined the streets of Newcastle to witness the parade and cheer the graduates on.
50th Anniversary Appeal launch and Gifted: 50 exhibition Launched in June, UON’s 50th Anniversary Appeal saw a record number of donations made to benefit the Shaping Futures Scholarship endowment fund, which supports academically dedicated students who are facing significant hardship or challenges. The launch of the 50th Appeal also celebrated the opening of the University’s Gifted: 50 an exhibition of artworks and artefacts donated to the University over the past 50 years. This included the donation of a rare Joseph Dall’Aglio violin by the Sisters of Mercy Convent at Singleton.
Disruptive Innovation Works with Chris Buck Creator of Disney’s ‘Frozen’, Chris Buck, visited UON in April to share insights and advice from his stellar career in animation though a lecture and a masterclass attended by over 600 alumni, staff and students.
Living Cultures – The Corroboree The World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium Accreditation Visit was held at UON’s Wollotuka Institute in May. Over 200 community members attended the Living Culture Corroboree, which celebrated the significance of the living cultures within the local Aboriginal community.
Our Community, Your University exhibition This multimedia exhibition showcased the remarkable efforts of visionary leaders, notable graduates and generous community members in creating a world-class university. Over 40 lineal metres of archival images and footage revealed the University of Newcastle’s first 50 years, showcased over 250 outstanding alumni, and an interactive Futures Wall called on visitors to share their vision for the next 50. The exhibition spent time in Newcastle and the Central Coast and attracted more than 31,000 visitors.
Celebrate 50 Community Festival The whole family was invited to join UON’s 50th celebrations at the Community Festival held at the Newcastle Museum in June. More than 1,000 people turned out to enjoy the free entertainment, face painting, balloons, interactive workshops and demonstrations and of course, some birthday cake.
‘A Remarkable 50 Years’ Singapore book launch The University of Newcastle and the Australian High Commissioner hosted the launch of ‘A Remarkable 50 Years’ in Singapore in July, which was attended by over 100 staff, students and alumni. The book, produced by UON graduates in Singapore, documents the experiences of Singapore alumni as students of UON and is a record of the significant relationship between UON and Singapore.
Great China Walk A team of 16 graduates, staff, students and community supporters took on the challenge of walking ‘50kms for 50 years’ along the Great Wall of China, raising over $80,000 for the Shaping Futures Scholarship endowment fund for disadvantaged students.
50th Anniversary China Reception The reception, attended by 150 people in September, recognised UON’s achievements as a young, but high achieving institution and acknowledged China’s contribution to UON’s 50th anniversary milestone. Distinguished guests included Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Heads of School and Professors from over 20 partner universities, research institutions and international schools; representatives from the Australian Embassy, Australian Chamber of Commerce and the Confucius Institute Head Quarters in China.
Newcastle China Week Led by the Confucius Institute, Newcastle China Week in October showcased the growing cultural, social and economic relationship between China and the Hunter region, through a program of educational, cultural and business events.
School of Nursing and Midwifery 25th anniversary In October, the School of Nursing and Midwifery celebrated its 25th anniversary with the official opening of the History Walk, ceremony celebrations with keynote speaker Professor Roger Watson, and a dinner attended by staff, students and alumni at the Brennan Room. Dinner guests received a copy of the ‘Celebrating 25 Years’ book highlighting alumni, researchers, and community and foreign university collaborations over the past 25 years.
Singapore Alumni Donor Thank You UON thanked its most generous Singapore Alumni for their support of scholarship recipients at the Singapore Alumni Donor Thank You lunch in October. The event also launched the Dr Tan Chin Nam and Colleen Excellence Fund which has been established through a generous donation from Dr Tan Chin Nam.
Alumni Homecoming In October UON celebrated 50 years of late night study sessions, of forging lifelong friendships and of flying mortarboards with its Alumni Homecoming – three days of reunions, events and festivities. Highlights included the Homecoming Great Debate, the inspiring Alumni Awards and ‘Back to the Bar’, the first alumni reunion concert at Bar on the Hill headlined by ARIA Awards winners Regurgitator.
Alumni Awards More than 400 people gathered at UON’s Great Hall to celebrate the 2015 Alumni Awards, hosted by comedian and UON graduate John Doyle, aka ‘Rampaging Roy Slaven’. Now in its 40th year, the Awards showcased the outstanding achievements and contributions of UON graduates, celebrating this year’s 30 finalists and nine recipients.
Reception at Parliament House, Canberra UON hosted a 50th anniversary reception at Parliament House in Canberra, attended by Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham (Minister for Education and Training), Senator the Hon Kim Carr (Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Industry), Senator the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO (Cabinet Secretary) and Sharon Claydon (Federal Member for Newcastle). Forty UON academic and research staff travelled to Canberra to share UON’s story with 50 senators, members of Parliament and Canberra alumni.
Bequest Morning Tea A group of University supporters attended the inaugural UON Bequest Morning Tea in November at Callaghan campus which acknowledged the remarkable difference donations received through bequests have made on our UON community. Supporters were treated to a special performance by UON student Lucy Knagg on the rare Joseph Dall’Aglio violin gifted to UON by the Sisters of Mercy Convent at Singleton.