Goal 14:
Life Below Water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.
- Fresh-Water Ecosystems (Community Outreach)
- Sustainable Fisheries (Community Outreach)
- Overfishing (Community Outreach)
- Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation of the Oceans
- Sustainable Food from Aquatic Ecosystems
- Maintain Ecosystems and Their Biodiversity
- Technologies Towards Aquatic Ecosystem Damage Prevention
- Water Discharge Guidelines and Standards
- Action Plan to Reducing Plastic Waste
- Reducing Marine Pollution
- Minimising Alteration of Aquatic Ecosystems
- Monitoring the Health of Aquatic Ecosystems
- Programmes Towards Good Aquatic Stewardship Practices
- Collaboration for Shared Aquatic Ecosystems
- Watershed Management Strategy
Research Centres
Pacific Initiative
The University of Newcastle is working with Pacific partners to deliver collaborative solutions to environmental, social and economic challenges, and to build equitable prosperity, social cohesion and healthy communities guided by our Pacific Research Roadmap.
Read more
Pacific Initiative
The University of Newcastle is working with Pacific partners to deliver collaborative solutions to environmental, social and economic challenges, and to build equitable prosperity, social cohesion and healthy communities guided by our Pacific Research Roadmap.
Read more
Stories
2024
Conservative governments protect more land while socialists and nationalists threaten more species
The dire state of biodiversity across the globe suggests not all governments are willing to act decisively to protect nature. Why is that the case, and is a country’s political ideology a factor?
Read more
New video shows sharks making an easy meal of spiky sea urchins, shedding light on an undersea mystery
Long-spined sea urchins have emerged as an environmental issue off Australia’s far south coast. They devour kelp and invertebrates, leaving barren habitats in their wake. Lobsters are widely accepted as sea urchins’ key predator, but new research has delivered an unexpected result.
Read more
Partnering to solve the Pacific plastics plight
Microplastics are notoriously hard to detect but their impact is significant. How deep is the problem in the Pacific Ocean? Scientists from Australia and Samoa teamed up to find out.
Read more
2023
2022
News
2025
Building Partnerships and Biodiversity in the Cook Islands
Associate Professor Troy Gaston and Dr Alex Callen from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences last month travelled to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands as part of the Enhancing Nature’s Unique Areas: Catchment Audit Activities project.
Read more
Building Partnerships and Biodiversity in the Cook Islands
Associate Professor Troy Gaston and Dr Alex Callen from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences last month travelled to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands as part of the Enhancing Nature’s Unique Areas: Catchment Audit Activities project.
Read more
Future leaders solving current problems
From protecting threatened species and educating the next generation about marine conservation, to fostering inclusive spaces for neurodivergent students, the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program is empowering our future leaders to take action for a better world.
Read more
Long-spined sea urchin surprisingly not on the menu for large fish
New research has uncovered a crucial clue to understand the spread of ‘barrens’ in the Great Southern Reef, which are threatening the reef ecosystem.
Read more
2024
Mahalo* from CIFAL Honolulu
Our University and CIFAL Newcastle recently hosted ambassadors from CIFAL Honolulu at Chaminade University of Honolulu. CIFAL enables universities to partner with the United Nations through training and research, using the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read more
University partners with the Cook Islands National Environment Service to strengthen environmental research
Earlier this month, the University of Newcastle formalised a new partnership with the Cook Islands National Environment Service (NES) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Read more
2023
2021
Degrees
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Apply to study a degree in education (primary) and graduate with diverse, employable skills that optimise your future career success.
Read more
Bachelor of Education (Primary) (from 2026)
Apply to study a degree in education (primary) and graduate with diverse, employable skills that optimise your future career success.
Read more
Master of Teaching (Primary)
The Master of Teaching (Primary) is a two year program, producing outstanding graduates ready to enter a rewarding career as a primary teacher.
Read more
More
A collaborative effort to conserve Australia’s most threatened frogs
The University of Newcastle and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) have joined forces to protect threatened amphibians across NSW.
Read more
A collaborative effort to conserve Australia’s most threatened frogs
The University of Newcastle and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) have joined forces to protect threatened amphibians across NSW.
Read more
A Global Survey to Explore SDG Prioritisation Among Young People
CIFAL Newcastle is developing a survey to explore university students’ prioritisation and perceptions of the SDGs. It will also explore students characteristics to determine how these may impact prioritisation of SDGs, including gender, discipline of study or location.
Read more
A return to Indigenous-led solutions may be our only hope to reverse plastics pollution
Read more
A return to Indigenous-led solutions may be our only hope to reverse plastics pollution
Read more
Conservation research saving Australia's frogs
University of Newcastle researchers have spent nearly three decades developing innovative solutions and world-first discoveries aimed at saving Australia’s threatened frog species.
Read more
New research shows global abundance of small microplastics is grossly underestimated
For the first time, researchers have examined small microplastics around the marine surface waters of the Whitsunday Islands region of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia, to ask how small is our big microplastic problem?
Read more
New research shows global abundance of small microplastics is grossly underestimated
For the first time, researchers have examined small microplastics around the marine surface waters of the Whitsunday Islands region of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia, to ask how small is our big microplastic problem?
Read more
Pacific initiatives
Read more
Protecting coral reefs and extreme weather on earth and in space: $4.8m in ARC funding
Our environment and how we protect it will be a key focus for innovative researchers from the University of Newcastle, who were successful in the latest round of funding in from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Projects Scheme.
Read more
Protecting coral reefs and extreme weather on earth and in space: $4.8m in ARC funding
Our environment and how we protect it will be a key focus for innovative researchers from the University of Newcastle, who were successful in the latest round of funding in from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Projects Scheme.
Read more
Scientists unearth stingrays’ heavy lifting role in estuaries
A new study led by University of Newcastle PhD student Molly Grew has uncovered the significant role stingrays play in shaping estuaries, revealing threatened stingrays in Brisbane Water may move more than 21,000 tonnes of sand per year.
Read more
Shipping exposure impacts marine parks and marine giants
Shipping exposure within marine parks is likely causing long-term effects to Australian marine ecosystems and its marine life, researchers have discovered.
Read more
Shipping exposure impacts marine parks and marine giants
Shipping exposure within marine parks is likely causing long-term effects to Australian marine ecosystems and its marine life, researchers have discovered.
Read more
Strengthening Partnerships for Resilience in the Pacific Islands Region
Representatives from the University of Newcastle attended the 31st Meeting of our partner organisation, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The purpose of the visit was to enhance strategic engagement, foster collaboration,.
Read more
Strengthening Partnerships for Resilience in the Pacific Islands Region
Representatives from the University of Newcastle attended the 31st Meeting of our partner organisation, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The purpose of the visit was to enhance strategic engagement, foster collaboration,.
Read more
Supporting environmental sustainability in Samoa
Read more
The future of plastic pollution in the Pacific
The fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will begin on Monday, February 28, however negotiations are already underway in the drafting of an international treaty to curb plastic pollution
Read more
The future of plastic pollution in the Pacific
The fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will begin on Monday, February 28, however negotiations are already underway in the drafting of an international treaty to curb plastic pollution
Read more
The University of Newcastle and University of Waikato Seed Fund initiative
The University of Newcastle and Waikato University launched a seed fund initiative in 2023 to encourage research collaboration and many projects align with SDG goals.
Read more
The University of Newcastle and University of Waikato Seed Fund initiative
The University of Newcastle and Waikato University launched a seed fund initiative in 2023 to encourage research collaboration and many projects align with SDG goals.
Read more
The University of Waikato partnership
The University of Newcastle and University of Waikato have partnered to create new avenues for collaboration to increase research capabilities and engage with teaching, learning, health and professional knowledge exchange.
Read more
Threatened coral puts entire coastal ecosystems at risk
Huge declines of soft coral habitats off the NSW coast are a major cause for concern, putting entire food webs at risk, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Newcastle.
Read more
Threatened coral puts entire coastal ecosystems at risk
Huge declines of soft coral habitats off the NSW coast are a major cause for concern, putting entire food webs at risk, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Newcastle.
Read more
University Of Newcastle Associates with the Village of Moata's to save the Mangroves
A recent significant progress occurred in Moana’s Living Lab initiative where the University of Newcastle and the village entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2022. This partnership aims to facilitate research and tourism centered around the Samoan Mangrove Ecosystem.
Read more
University Of Newcastle Associates with the Village of Moata's to save the Mangroves
A recent significant progress occurred in Moana’s Living Lab initiative where the University of Newcastle and the village entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2022. This partnership aims to facilitate research and tourism centered around the Samoan Mangrove Ecosystem.
Read more
University Of Newcastle backs the 35th NSW Environmental Education Conference as Proud Sponsor
The University of Newcastle takes a proactive role as a sponsor for the 35th NSW Environmental conference contributing to the advancement of environmental awareness and education. The University’s Central Coast campus was excited to recently host the NSW Environmental Education Conference 2022.
Read more
University Of Newcastle backs the 35th NSW Environmental Education Conference as Proud Sponsor
The University of Newcastle takes a proactive role as a sponsor for the 35th NSW Environmental conference contributing to the advancement of environmental awareness and education. The University’s Central Coast campus was excited to recently host the NSW Environmental Education Conference 2022.
Read more
University of Newcastle secures top spot for global impact
The University of Newcastle’s commitment to sustainability and climate action has been recognised as world-class, as the results of the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings are released today.
Read more
Wantok Pasifika: Celebrating real impact in our region
The University of Newcastle’s Pacific students were in the spotlight at this year’s Wantok Pasifika event as they demonstrated how their work is having real world impact in Pacific communities.
Read more
Wantok Pasifika: Celebrating real impact in our region
The University of Newcastle’s Pacific students were in the spotlight at this year’s Wantok Pasifika event as they demonstrated how their work is having real world impact in Pacific communities.
Read more
Whole School Initiatives to Increase School Action on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Demonstration Project
Our proposed research will robustly evaluate the effectiveness of a school-wide intervention in increasing school-related actions on sustainable development.
Read more
View more Sustainable Development Goal stories
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.