Dear colleagues
Last week I had the great privilege of launching the UNSW Indigenous Strategy 2026–2028, our Indigenous Workforce Plan 2025–2028, and our first Indigenous Research Plan 2026–2029. These plans sit at the heart of delivering Progress for All. They belong to the whole University, and they reflect our ambition for Indigenous knowledges, education, research, engagement and leadership to help shape UNSW and our future. They are also the product of an enormous amount of thoughtful, sustained work by those who developed the plans, and by generations of colleagues whose leadership and commitment have laid the foundations for this ongoing work.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the launch, and particularly to the many people across UNSW who have helped turn this commitment into a genuinely whole-of-University endeavour. I have been enormously encouraged by the way our faculties, Indigenous leaders, academic and professional staff, Nura Gili and colleagues across the University are embedding this work into education, research, workforce development and student success. The plans give us a strong architecture for the years ahead, but their real value will be measured in what we do with them: whether our students flourish, whether we grow Indigenous researchers and leaders, whether our workforce continues to strengthen, and whether Indigenous knowledges become ever more deeply embedded in the intellectual and cultural life of UNSW.
A special thank you to our student MCs, Michelle Laurie and Jemimah Williams (pictured above), who brought such warmth and energy to the event. More importantly, they put a personal face on what we mean when we talk about Indigenous student excellence. Their confidence, generosity and sense of possibility were inspiring, and a powerful reminder that this work is ultimately about creating the conditions where students can belong, thrive, lead and build futures that extend far beyond their time at UNSW. Read more on the UNSW Newsroom.
Peter Farrell Cup 2026
Peter Farrell Cup 2026 winners.
It was a privilege to again be a judge at the Peter Farrell Cup (PFC), UNSW’s student pitch competition. I always look forward to this event, having not missed one since returning to UNSW. I am continually impressed by the depth of entrepreneurial talent across the University.
This year’s competition was no exception. The 2026 finalists presented creative solutions to a wide range of challenges, from ACL reconstruction and affordable prosthetics, to protecting lives in flood-ravaged rural Australia, to voice translation in crisis zones and more inclusive communication for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Congratulations to all the competitors and winners and thank you to the team at UNSW Founders and everyone who supported this year’s Peter Farrell Cup.
Professor Martin Bean appointed Interim Dean of LLL
I am pleased to share that Professor Martin Bean will act as Interim Dean of Lifelong Learning, commencing in the role on Monday 9 November 2026.
Martin is a highly regarded leader in global higher education, bringing extensive experience from his previous roles as Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University in the UK and senior executive positions with Microsoft.
Since joining UNSW as a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow one day a week, Martin has worked closely with Nick and colleagues across UNSW to help shape the University’s approach to lifelong learning, online education and future-focused educational opportunities. He has graciously agreed to increase his time commitment to UNSW during this period and will provide experienced leadership, support and continuity as this important area of strategic growth continues to develop.
Sydneysider of the Year
Congratulations to beloved Chancellor Emeritus and UNSW legend David Gonski AC who was awarded Sydneysider of the Year at the Sydney Awards. David’s contributions to Australia across education, industry, business, the arts and philanthropy continue to have extraordinary impact. The whole community of UNSW joins with Sydney in celebrating one more moment of well-deserved recognition for a great Australian who continues to inspire the University that he nurtured and guided. UNSW also takes pride in Engineering student Sharath Mahendran who won the People’s Choice Award for his contribution to civic issues and planning debates through his Building Beautifully YouTube channel. Congratulations Sharath.
Celebrating 10 years of Torch at UNSW
Yingyu Li, Project Manager, Greater China Strategic Industry Partnerships (China-based)/UNSW Centre for Transformational Environmental Technologies (CTET); A/Prof. Yuan Wang, Head, Greater China Strategic Industry Partnerships/UNSW Torch Innovation Precinct; Professor Lisa Zamberlan, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International); Professor Attila Brungs AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of UNSW; Scientia Professor David Waite, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chairman, UNSW CTET, Director, UNSW (Wuxi) Technology Commercialisation Centre (TCC); Professor Stephen Rodda, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation); Professor Bronwyn Fox AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise); Ji Wanran, Consul for Science and Technology, Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney; Jin Jianmin, Consul for Science and Technology (Counsellor rank), Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney; Chen Jie, Director, Bureau of Commerce of Yixing City; Hang Haidong, Director, Science and Technology Bureau, Yixing Environmental Science & Technology Industrial Park (ES&TP); Ma Xiaofeng, Director, Emergency Management and Ecology and Environment Bureau, ES&TP; Wu Yaojun, General Manager, Yixing Environmental Industry Investment Co., Ltd.
It was a pleasure to mark Torch’s 10th anniversary at UNSW with colleagues and partners last Tuesday. Following our celebrations in Beijing earlier this year, the Sydney event provided another opportunity to reflect on a decade of shared achievement and collaboration.
Over the past 10 years, Torch has demonstrated what can be achieved when universities, industry and government work together across borders. The partnership has connected UNSW’s research expertise with real-world industry challenges, supported hundreds of collaborative projects and helped deliver meaningful outcomes at commercial scale which benefit lives. Torch has supported companies that now operate across Australia and China, helping strengthen the connections between our two countries, but also delivering clean drinking water at scale, providing waste and waste water treatment for communities and driving renewables. Together, we are contributing to solutions for some of the world’s most pressing challenges – from sustainable energy and environmental protection to food security and improved health outcomes.
UNSW Canteen officially opened
The UNSW Canteen was officially launched last Monday. The Canteen began as a pop-up at the Roundhouse, shaped by what students told us they needed. In Term 2 alone, 8787 meals were served from the pop-up canteen. Freshly prepared meals will be available every day, with a changing menu. Meals for students will be subsidised by UNSW and cost just $5. Staff meals will cost $10. I suspect that the Canteen is going to become one of the most popular places on campus!
I’m grateful to Arc for working with us to co-design and deliver the Canteen, and especially for ensuring student feedback remains at the heart of its operation. This initiative builds on the significant support already provided through the Food Hub. This year, the Food Hub has provided the equivalent of more than 100,000 meals. New 24-hour access lockers were installed in June, and already more than 660 grocery parcels have been collected.
These figures represent thousands of students receiving something fundamental – access to a healthy meal. They are a powerful reminder that food security is central to student wellbeing and success, and that our partnership with Arc is helping make a meaningful difference in students’ everyday lives.
UNSW Cardiac Vascular and Metabolic Medicine Symposium
I was pleased to welcome medical students, researchers, clinicians and partners from across Australia to the 2026 Cardiac Vascular and Metabolic Medicine Theme Symposium recently.
The symposium showcased innovative research across the full translation pipeline and created valuable opportunities for collaboration and connection. This is particularly important for early- and mid-career researchers, who benefit from the chance to engage with leaders and potential partners they may not otherwise encounter. Cardiovascular disease is Australia’s leading cause of death, responsible for around one in four deaths nationally. The symposium highlighted the vital importance of bringing expertise together to accelerate discoveries, improve health outcomes and save lives.
There’s more to read Inside UNSW…
- UNSW academics have been awarded $64.8 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for 12 different solar projects. The projects include improving silicon solar modules so they last longer, improving the efficiency of solar cells, developing materials to improve the cost and efficiency of solar panels and better monitoring of solar farms. Congratulations to all involved.
- Professor Christopher Goodnow has once again been honoured with a prestigious international award, the 2027 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, for his outstanding work in autoimmune disease and his ongoing contribution to medicine and research.
- October is National Safe Work Month. At UNSW, we’re focusing on enhancing risk awareness to support safer work practices and the long-term wellbeing of our community.
- The University Press publishes thought-provoking books that explore critical issues shaping our world and operates the UNSW Bookshop, a vibrant hub for books, culture and literary events on campus. Find out more in this edition of Inside UNSW.
- The UNSW Centre for Ideas is celebrating 10 years of One Big Idea showcasing UNSW academics, researchers and PhD students and their world changing ideas. Read more in Inside UNSW.
- In this edition’s staff profile, we meet Professor Lucas Lixinski and learn more about the interests that shape his work and life, from international law and global partnerships to cello and ballroom dancing.
- Find out more about how Professor Vinayak Dixit is using AI to for teaching, modelling future transport systems and helping UNSW startups grow globally, in this edition’s AI Insider.
Best regards
Attila
Professor Attila Brungs
Vice-Chancellor & President
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