Dear colleagues
UNSW proudly stands among the world’s leading universities thanks to the extraordinary people who make up our UNSW community. Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of hosting the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, an annual celebration of excellence across our University. This year saw a record-breaking 750 nominations – nearly 300 more than last year – which speaks to the spirit of our community lifting each other up. The People’s Choice Award category truly captured that spirit, with an incredible 9249 votes cast.
The diversity of our winners, their areas of expertise and their accomplishments are a powerful reflection of the breadth and depth of talent at UNSW. Please join me in congratulating this year’s award nominees and recipients – colleagues who embody UNSW’s Values in Action and Leadership Signatures and whose efforts help drive our success.
Photo top: 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards recipients. Front row: Thomas Ruf; with UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs; Majid Malekpour; Kate Michie; and Mary Hervir. Back Row: Matthew Perry, Peta MacGillivray; Ruth Thomas; four team members from the EdTech Team: Vimal Rijal; Ali Nawaz; Anoop Malekudiyil; Adrian Godoy; and Anirudha Saha collecting the award on behalf of Jane Zhou (in photo). Find out more about this year’s VC Awards recipients.
Australian Human Rights Commission study on racism at universities
On the weekend an email was sent to all students and staff on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), inviting participation in its national ‘Racism@Uni’ survey. The survey is part of the commission’s study into the prevalence and impact of racism at universities. Its findings will inform AHRC recommendations to the government and university sector to foster safe, respectful, inclusive university environments for students and staff.
On behalf of the AHRC, Australia’s universities are inviting students and staff to take part in the survey. It is voluntary, anonymous and confidential.
I take this opportunity to emphasise once again that racism has absolutely no place at our University. UNSW is committed to building a safe and inclusive community that actively encourages and supports the rich perspectives that cultural, linguistic and religious diversity bring to teaching, learning and research. We must foster a culture that tackles and prevents racism, celebrates diversity and ensures everyone in our community feels safe, valued and respected. Our commitment to the Be a Better Human initiative and our various Cultural Inclusion initiatives are part of fostering this culture.
This AHRC survey provides a great opportunity to review, accelerate and improve our approach to tackling racism at UNSW. Later this year when the survey results are finalised and shared, we will have another opportunity to expand our approach to tackling racism with learnings from the survey and best practice sharing across the sector. Professor Sarah Maddison is heading a task force on this on behalf of the University Leadership Team.
Our collective dedication to creating an environment free from discrimination, hate and prejudice is a continuous responsibility that each of us must uphold every day. Every member of our expansive and diverse community at UNSW is responsible for contributing to a culture of respect, inclusion and speaking up.
Remember that if you want to speak up about something you have experienced that doesn’t feel right, you can report it via the SpeakUp portal.
Liverpool’s startup spirit shines at Pitch Night South West
Above: Emerging entrepreneurs pitch their ideas at Pitch Night South West in Liverpool.
What a night! Building on UNSW’s 35‑year presence in the Liverpool region, the second Pitch Night South West was held last Thursday, following the incredible success of the inaugural event last year. As a judge once again, I was deeply impressed by the creativity, determination and community-driven passion of the early-stage founders who pitched. What's more, every single pitch had identified a pressing societal issue and presented an innovative and entrepreneurial solution. Ideas ranged from harnessing the benefits of AI for improving accessibility of medication to improving diagnostics through to tackling waste by giving solar panels a second life and building manufacturing capability in local communities. First prize went to HELP NOW: a multilingual emergency app for people requiring an interpreter when ringing triple-0.
Pitch Night South West forms part of the Liverpool Innovation Entrepreneurship Program led by UNSW Founders, designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs from South West Sydney take their innovative ideas to the next level. I left the evening feeling genuinely energised by the ingenuity and collaborative spirit of this next generation of innovators. Read more on the UNSW Newsroom.
UNSW startups and spinouts showcased
Earlier this month, I was pleased to join Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise Professor Bronwyn Fox in hosting a showcase of 50 UNSW spinouts and research-based startups across fields spanning climate and clean energy, health, quantum, digital and security. As I just said – What a night! Again! The room was filled with ingenious prototypes, start-ups, incredible people and an infectious UNSW energy.
UNSW is committed to connecting research, founders and industry to strengthen Australia’s innovation ecosystem and accelerate the translation of deep tech research into real-world impact. Translating pioneering research into positive, tangible outcomes remains at the heart of our mission of Progress for All. I wish the Treasurer’s productivity committee could have been there as evenings like this demonstrate how Australian productivity really can be supercharged to the benefit of all.
A highlight of the event was the launch of Barker Street Ventures – Australia’s first university-backed digital investment platform. The initiative provides alumni and UNSW supporters with early access to invest in a curated portfolio of high-potential startups. Our University has a thriving innovation ecosystem, and the launch of Barker Street Ventures will further empower UNSW spinouts to scale faster and reach breakthroughs sooner. Read more on the UNSW Newsroom.
World-first Manos Institute for Cognitive Economics launched
Through the generosity of entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Manos’s $2.5 million donation, UNSW has launched the world-first Manos Institute for Cognitive Economics, led by Director Scientia Professor Richard Holden.
Cognitive economics looks at how people think and why they make certain choices with money. By investigating how human reasoning influences financial and other decision-making, the Manos Institute is going to help people make better economic choices – with incredible potential for societal impact.
This institute is going to take a pioneering shift as Australia’s first ‘economics lab’, similar to labs in the physical sciences. Furthermore, this is the world’s first lab dedicated to economic theory. It’s going to translate research into real applications – with benefits for economic policy, understanding market behaviour and developing more effective strategies for business.
UNSW is privileged to have colleagues at the leading edge of their disciplines who are applying their knowledge and research to change people’s lives. We are also immensely fortunate and grateful for the support of visionaries like Bill Manos. I eagerly anticipate news of the Manos Institute’s impact as it hits its stride.
International Nuclear Futures Conference
UNSW’s credentials in the responsible development and application of nuclear science and technology came to the fore in the recent conference Nuclear Futures: Shaping Dialogue in a Changing World. The conference was co-presented by the UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre (UNIC) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). I was delighted to welcome NEA Director General, William D. Magwood IV, and more than 200 early-career researchers, industry leaders, academics and agency officials from around the world to UNSW for the event.
In my address, I reinforced that it is the responsibility of us all to ensure the development and application of nuclear science and technology are well regulated, safe and solve societal challenges in areas as broad as health, the environment, food security and energy.
A focal point of discussions was how to develop future leaders in nuclear science and technology – a professional workforce with the skills and knowledge to meet the growing demands of the sector. As UNIC Director Associate Professor Edward Obbard said, demand for skilled nuclear professionals is at an all-time high. It was therefore timely that the conference coincided with the launch of Australia’s first comprehensive university degree in nuclear engineering – UNSW’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Nuclear Engineering).
It is our mission to foster collaborations with key stakeholders, to drive innovation, and to create a strong talent pipeline by nurturing future expertise and leaders in this field, with responsibility and safety always top of mind.
There’s more to read Inside UNSW…
- I’m pleased to share UNSW’s Poverty and Inequality Partnership with the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has been extended for another two years. The partnership helps inform policy to tackle poverty and inequality more effectively.
- In this edition’s staff profile we meet Professor Daniel Robinson, from the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, who champions ethical biotrade by collaborating with Indigenous communities to protect traditional knowledge and advocate for fair access and benefit‑sharing.
- In this edition’s AI Insider, find out how UNSW Nexus Scholars are using GenAI tools to streamline assessment rubric design.
- Keep an eye out for the next Insight Staff Engagement Survey launching on Wednesday 3 September. The survey is an opportunity to share your experience of working at UNSW.
Best regards
Attila
Professor Attila Brungs
Vice-Chancellor & President
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