Inspiring people
With our dedication to excellence and equity, our focus on engagement, and our commitment to sustainability, we will build on the passion, commitment and expertise of our people to focus on collaboration, innovation and agility.
Our staff will be empowered and developed as outstanding thought leaders in a high-performing institution guiding students on their journey to becoming life-ready graduates, local ambassadors, and global citizens.
Staff member Leah Armstrong with cultural mentor, Aunty Laurel Williams
Priorities
Strategic priorities
Excellence in our people
In a high-performing institution, our leaders will be inspirational and future-focused. They will drive innovation, engagement and organisational adaptability, supporting staff to be creative, flexible and resourceful. Together we will be responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities for competitive advantage.
Our culture
Guided by our values, we will enhance opportunities for collaboration, inclusion and multidisciplinary education and research. We will find more and better ways for people to share their talents across our University with leadership and mentoring at all levels, including with students. Our workforce will prioritise understanding student needs in order to enhance the student experience and will be leaders in multidisciplinary research that is end-user inspired.
In a safe and healthy workplace
We are committed to developing a culture that strives for continuous improvement in health, safety and wellbeing that embodies strong leadership commitment, high levels of staff and student engagement, and is integrated into – not separate to – business decisions and processes.
The Wellbeing, Health and Safety Strategy 2020 – 2025 supports our journey to a mature safety culture. In adopting a beyond-zero approach to safety management we will be an exemplar in our safety standards, prevention of harm and promotion of wellbeing.
Initiatives
Key initiatives
A high-performing institution
We are an institution dedicated to high performance at all levels of the organisation. Working with our academic and professional staff, we will review and reshape the Academic Performance Expectations Framework (PEF), Performance Expectations for professional staff, and our workload models to reflect our values and strategic priorities. We will reward collaborative behaviour and build a positive engagement and impact mindset.
We will establish a holistic change framework and program targeted at leaders, change champions and staff to build in-house capability supporting change in a timely and adaptable way.
Building leadership and capability
Recognising the talent within our institution, we will create opportunities for our staff to be our students, and our students to be our staff. Our staff will be offered access to our University's courses, enabling them not only to benefit from professional development but also gain first-hand insight into the student experience. We will prioritise engagement with high-performing students, bringing them into our organisation as the next generation of academic and professional talent.
Outstanding talent
We will ensure our Employee Value and Student Experience propositions are aligned with best practice to attract, retain and nurture exceptional staff and students.
A values-based culture
We will build a culture grounded in our values of excellence, equity, engagement and sustainability, bringing a range of perspectives, disciplines and expertise to our community. Fostering leadership practices that maximise equity, diversity and inclusion, cultivating a collaborative mindset and celebrating achievements will be essential to shaping our values-based culture.
Healthy and safe workplace culture
We will adopt a beyond-zero approach to our safety management to ensure that our University is a place where our staff and students feel safe, valued and empowered.
We will build a shared mentality of care and personal commitment by providing our people with the opportunity to enhance their physical and psychological wellbeing at work.
Progress
Creating a better tomorrow, together
Across the University, our community is united by a desire to make the world a better place. The Staff Donor Collective is one area creating ripples of positive change through regular payroll donations.
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AAUN Senior Members Visit to the University of Newcastle
Senior members of the Australia Africa Universities Network (AAUN) secretariat (Emeritus Professor John Hearn and Associate Professor Grace Liu Flanagan) visited the University of Newcastle on 30th November to deepen relations with the University’s senior administrators.
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Hundreds of female students empowered to kick learning goals
Still buzzing from seeing their newfound heroes, the Matildas, achieve amazing World Cup success, a group of 200 female students hit the field at Industree Stadium, Gosford to participate in Maths with Mariners.
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2023 Australia Day Honours in celebration of our remarkable community
The University of Newcastle is proud to celebrate the accomplishments and impact of its diverse community who have been recognised in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.
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NUW Alliance to launch six cities region vision
The NUW Alliance - a grouping of four leading Australian universities, The University of Newcastle, the University of Wollongong, UNSW Sydney and Western Sydney University – launches its Six Cities Region Vision featuring 3 pillars of focus – Sustainability, Infrastructure and Women.
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Why rankings are more than just a number
The University prides itself on providing world-class education to the region and we aim to create life-ready graduates. Rankings can sometimes feel like just another number however, their meaning lies much deeper.
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Goals
Our
2025
goals
Excellence
Our reputation will make us the university of choice for prospective staff and students.
Equity
We will be among the first Australian universities to achieve Silver Athena SWAN accreditation, reflecting our leadership in diversity and inclusion supporting staff and student success.
Engagement
We will be a leading university in the sector for staff engagement.
Sustainability
We will be an exemplar in meeting or exceeding international work health and safety standards.
Inspiring people
We will build on the passion, commitment and expertise of our people to focus on collaboration, innovation and agility.
In focus
New ways of collaboration
Government and business have recognised that Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) skills are increasingly vital in helping enterprises to innovate, to create jobs and growth, and importantly, to improve our quality of life.
Our vision is to embed new ways of learning, teaching and research that span the STEMM disciplines, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure to enable the collision of ideas. This will allow us to continue to produce research with real-world impact, create future-facing graduates, and forge closer connections with industry. In 2023 we will open our $207m STEMM facility to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Traditional Custodians
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal Nation, Darkinjung Nation, Biripai Nation, Worimi Nation, Wonnarua Nation and Eora Nation. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.