This month we’re exploring a diverse range of topics.
We mark three major anniversaries: the 60th year of the Reid Library — including the prospect of a Creator-in-Residence and a fascinating rare book on witchcraft — the centenary of the Park Avenue Building, and 25 years of the Dental School’s partnership with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia.
We then highlight alumni support in action, from a student’s Work Integrated Learning experience, to the success of our mid-winter food appeal with the Guild, which has eased the pressures of rising living costs for many students.
Continuing our celebration of legacies, we explore more of the remarkable individuals honoured through UWA’s named lecture theatres and proudly share the recent achievements of three of our Alumni Councillors. In Council matters we update you on our Spring General Meeting on September 18, so you can hear about the challenges and opportunities created by the current perception of UWA in the community, and the Vice Chancellor's frank and candid response to a range of questions ranging from the ferry proposal to the financial state of universities.
Local News includes updates about the new student accommodation now under construction, and a great volunteering opportunity at UWA.
There is a lot to report on the higher education front. Important announcements from the Federal Minister for Education, critical recommendations from the Interim Report on the Quality of Governance at Australian Higher Education providers, and a stimulating article on the shelf life of degrees, offering some explanation for the rapid growth and take up of micro-credentials for professional development since their introduction at UWA in 2021. There is also advance notice of a collaboration between UWA’s AI Think Tank and Oxford University for an online seminar on GenAI and Academia.
And lastly, there are alumni offers and discounts. |
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Image: Students on the terrace and the veranda wall of Reid Library, 1972. |
| Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Reid Library |
In this issue we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Reid Library, remembering the role the library played in so many of our lives. Many of us will remember searching the old card catalogue and wandering through the tall book stacks, searching for that elusive book. For more, read Reid Library’s Memory Book, celebrating 60 years of fabulous student memories and available here.
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Convocation and UWA Library are collaborating to bring to life a new Creative-in-Residence program to spotlight Reid Library’s library spaces and collections. In today’s world, the role of libraries continues to evolve. Both libraries and museums are transforming the way people engage with history — making encounters with their collections more personal, tangible and memorable. |
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Image: Witches meet with devils,
from Compendium Maleficarum, Milan, 1608, Wikimedia Commons. |
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We’re regularly highlighting a feature of Reid Library to give you a sense of what might spark a creator’s imagination and lead to an exhibition, performance, lecture or digital installation for us all to see and experience in the library.
This month, we’re exploring the infamous historical text on witchcraft, the Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches) from the Special Collection’s rare books. |
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The UWA Historical Society plays a vital role in preserving and celebrating UWA’s rich history. Convocation regularly partners with the society and together we ensure that every milestone is remembered — bringing to light significant anniversaries that connect generations of our University community. On 31st October 2025, we marked the 100th anniversary of the official opening of the Park Avenue Building. |
| Image: The Park Avenue Building, UWA's first permanent building on the Crawley campus. |
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| UWA’s Dental School marks an impressive partnership |
As it marks a 25-year partnership with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia (OHCWA), the UWA Dental School continues to demonstrate the impressive practical impact a university can have when education, service, and research come together to align with community need. |
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Your wonderful support of the Guild’s Food Drive was very much appreciated. As Nikhita Talluri, our Guild President, and her team wrote "The Food Drive in collaboration with Alumni Council was a fantastic initiative and we are deeply grateful for it".
It was followed up by UWA’s Coffee for a Cause on International Coffee Day (October 1) when $2 from each cup of coffee purchased on campus that day went to supporting The Guild’s Food Pantry, helping students across our campuses. If you weren’t on campus then, you can make a direct contribution via our Giving Page. |
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UWA’s Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program opens doors to a variety of experiences for students, and will soon open its next intake round for summer and Semester 1, 2026. Yash Vasta and his supervisor share their insiders' perspective on what drives the program's success. If any alumni are interested in hosting a student for an internship, please contact wil@uwa.edu.au. |
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Image: Yash Vasta receiving a certificate from Police Commissioner Col Blanch APM. | |
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There are many named lecture theatres at UWA, most named after a prominent academic from the discipline where the lecture theatre is located. Our last issue of Convocation Connecting featured an article about the donation of a portrait of Professor Fred Alexander, displayed in the Arts lecture room that bears his name. Now, thanks to Senator Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger AC, we read about Professor Larry Blakers whose portrait hangs in the Blakers Lecture Room. |
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Celebrating Alumni Councillors |
We are very proud to celebrate the achievements of our Alumni Councillors.
Dr Raj Kurup has been awarded the 2025 Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year by Engineers Australia. This award is the highest honour for civil engineers in Australia and recognises contributions to leadership, innovation and service to the profession and the community. Raj was awarded a UWA Chancellor’s Medal in 2024 which recognised his role in assisting UWA by providing internships for our engineering students at his company, Environmental Engineers International, which has already helped 80 students.
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Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis is a finalist in the 2025 Greek International Women Awards.
Her citation reads ‘In the field of ‘Education and Psychology, Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis of Western Australia stands out as a lifelong educator, academic, and advocate for Greek language teaching’. |
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Professor Emerita Billie Giles-Corti has recently been appointed Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities (GOHSC). The Nobel Sustainability Trust has just honoured the GOHSC by selecting it as the recipient of The Sustainability Award 2025 in the category Outstanding Research and Development for Smart & Sustainable City Solutions.
For more information about the work of the GOHSC see https://www.healthysustainablecities.org/ |
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Call for nominations: UWA Convocation 2026 Annual Elections |
Nominations for the following positions opened on Monday 3 November 2025 and close at 12noon on Friday 28 November 2025, as advertised in the West Australian. - Warden of Convocation (1-year term)
- Three elected members of the Alumni Council of Convocation (3-year term)
The current office holders of these positions complete their terms in March 2026 and all but one are eligible for re-election. In accordance with recent changes to the UWA Statute, the number of positions for elected members of the Alumni Council will reduce from 18 to 14 after this election.
Nomination forms are available at uwa.au/convocation-elections or by contacting the Convocation Officer Juanita Perez on +61 8 6488 1336 or email Convocation@uwa.edu.au, including your postal and email address.
Candidates may include a biography and statement, not exceeding 250 words in total, stating why they are standing for office, what they will bring to the role and what they hope to achieve. They may also include a passport size (head and shoulders) photograph with their nomination form.
In accordance with clause 45(1) of the UWA Statute, Convocation approves an electronic voting process and postal voting process for elections.
Update your email and postal address at alumni.uwa.edu.au/update before 28 November 2025 to be eligible to vote – All UWA graduates and those admitted to be members of Convocation are entitled to vote and/or nominate for positions in these elections. For further information, visit convocation.uwa.edu.au
Nominations received after 12noon Friday 28 November 2025 will be invalid. |
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Minutes of the meeting held on 18 September can be found here and photos in this album. |
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UWA brand refresh
Haylee Felton, UWA’s Chief Marketing Officer, explained how the University regularly reviewed how it was perceived by the broader community (UWA’s brand) to ensure education and research remained relevant to the needs and expectations of future students and contributed to WA’s evolving workforce and future economic, environmental and social success. The review had identified a real opportunity for better awareness and understanding of contemporary curriculum offerings, industry partnerships and the significant impacts of UWA research in many areas that are critical for the future of Western Australia, such as clean energy transition, health and biotechnology and environmental sustainability.
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Fireside Chat with the Vice Chancellor
In our stimulating and insightful chat, Professor Amit Chakma gave frank answers to a wide range of questions, including university mergers and India branch campus developments. |
| Image: Vice Chancellor, Professor Amit Chakma’s Fireside Chat with Warden Emeritus Professor Jenny Gregory AM.
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You can now find a summary of each of our bi-monthly meetings online. We’ll be delighted to receive your feedback. Each new minute summary is also being posted on the Convocation LinkedIn page. |
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A new chapter in student living |
Illustrations by: Plus Studio® |
UWA is expanding its student accommodation with a new major development at the Nedlands site. The 14-storey building will deliver 847 beds across 671 apartments. Designed to support a vibrant student experience, the residence will include communal study areas, recreational spaces, landscaped outdoor zones, and a ground-floor café. The project reflects UWA’s long-term vision for a connected, inclusive and sustainable campus. Construction began in September 2025, with the first students set to move in by Semester 1, 2028.
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In our July issue of Convocation Connecting, we notified readers that the UWA Historical Society was looking for volunteers to undertake a UWA WWI historical project. They were thrilled with the response. Thank you! Now we have another terrific opportunity with UWA’s Centre for Western Australian History for those interested in history. |
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Ferry Terminal at Matilda Bay |
Development applications for the new ferry terminals have been submitted, and community consultation has recently closed. Click read more for a summary of the key issues. |
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Recent news from the Federal Minister for Education |
Read on for recent news about the international student cap, mandatory national higher education code to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, additional places for medical students, and HECS debts to be reduced by 20 per cent. |
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Final Report and Principles - Expert Council on University Governance
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Following the report's release on 18 October 2025, the Minister for Education, Jason Clare, said: "If you don’t think there are challenges in university governance, you’ve been living under a rock. These are important reforms that help make sure our universities meet the standards their students, staff and whole communities expect." |
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The shelf-life of degrees |
Summarised from an article in Future Campus, 15 Sept 2025:
Questions are being raised about the shelf-life of degrees – how long a qualification provides useful knowledge before it is judged to be out of date and the importance of degrees that equipped graduates for the future. This partly accounts for the rapid growth and take up of micro-credentials for professional development since their introduction at UWA in 2021.
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Join in UWA's Gen AI Think Tank and Oxford's AI Competency Centre in the launch of a new series exploring the opportunities and challenges of generative AI in higher education. Featuring keynote presentations by: -
Kelly Webb-Davis (Oxford University AI Competency Centre), Reframing AI in Academic Practice
- Associate Professor Celeste Rodriguez Louro (Deputy Chair, UWA GenAI Think Tank), Beyond the Calculator Analogy: Why GenAI Demands Critical Engagement
Date: Thursday 4 December Time: 8-10am Oxford / 4-6pm Perth
Venue: Online via Zoom |
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Alumni offers and discounts |
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As a member of Convocation, you are eligible for free access to the UWA Library, discounts to UWA Publishing, now in its 90th year, and The University of WA Club, now in its 20th year.
University Library access
As a UWA graduate, you can become an Alumni member of the University Library and access newspapers, journals, e-books and primary resources from your home. |
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UWA Publishing discount
Don’t forget UWAP offers all Convocation members a 20 per cent discount on all full price books. The discount code is CONVOCATION20. Check out their great range of books available. University Club This year, The University Club of Western Australia is celebrating its 20th anniversary – a milestone truly worth celebrating! If you haven’t already, now’s the perfect time to consider joining the Club and becoming part of this vibrant community.
Breakfast by the Bay: Child Health Begins Before Childbirth
Join us at the University Club on Tuesday, 3 December for an engaging panel on Telethon-funded child health research. Health professionals, researchers, parents and advocates are all welcome to discover how groundbreaking UWA research is transforming health across generations and creating brighter futures for children in our community. |
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CRICOS Provider Code: 00126G
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