UNSW3+ - It's a date!

If you haven’t already, mark your calendar for 18 February 2019. That’s the start of Term 1 next year and the date UNSW’s progressive new UNSW3+ academic calendar will be in full operation.

This is not the first time in its history UNSW has adapted its academic calendar. The most recent change was in 2008. However, the extent of the UNSW3+ changes (from two semesters to three 10-week teaching terms plus an optional five-week Summer Term) and the long-lasting impact on UNSW’s strategic direction, make this much more than a new way to arrange the teaching year.

Following the first phase of implementation in 2017, the UNSW3+ team continues to work closely with students, staff and other key stakeholders to ensure everyone across the UNSW community is prepared for this exciting change.

Important work is being carried out on the IT elements of the project to ensure a smooth technological change to the new calendar. One of the most substantial of these changes is the move to an annual enrolment system and the IT team is ensuring the new processes are implemented and communicated. More specific details about the new annual enrolment process will be shared with key groups in the coming months.

Among some of the benefits, the new calendar will spread student workloads more evenly across the year. This is because students will study up to three rather than four courses per session with a normal load of eight courses still being standard. To highlight this message, you will notice some signage around campus in the coming weeks showcasing the key features of UNSW3+. A group of 20 UNSW3+ Student champions have also been appointed to help their peers navigate the changes.

UNSW3+ Portfolio Lead Shane Griffin said, “It is important that current students and staff are aware of the detail around these changes and understand any action they now need to take. 2017 was a year for informing everyone about the impending changes, while the focus this year is about ensuring processes are in places, courses are ready and students are prepared.”

Adding to this, UNSW3+ Transition Manager Rebecca Kimber said, “Over the past three months the Business Transition team have worked with subject matter experts in Faculties and Schools to map their key administrative processes to UNSW3+ key dates and identify transitional activities. We are now consulting with various groups within the University to develop and communicate an implementation plan.”

Updates will be provided throughout the year, however, we encourage you to visit the New Academic Calendar website for more information and to help ensure you are ready to transition to the UNSW3+ calendar next year.