Our Strategic Plan
For more than sixty years, we have upheld a distinctive and enduring commitment to serving our regions while expanding our reach as a globally connected institution. Looking Ahead 2030 is a commitment to shaping a future that reflects the ambitions of our students and staff, and the priorities of our communities.
Our vision for 2030 1:45
Our values will come to life through transformational initiatives that give back to our communities. We will set the standard for what it means to be a university of and for our regions, delivering world-class education and research.
The Hon Patricia Forsythe AM
Chancellor
Professor Alex Zelinsky AO
Vice-Chancellor and President
Our vision
To be a world-leading university for our regions.
Our purpose
To deliver an outstanding student experience, preparing graduates for life in an increasingly interconnected society.
To serve our regions by taking research that matters to the world and bringing our global expertise home.
Our values
Our values are more than words. They are the compass that guides our decisions, shapes our culture, and inspires our impact. They reflect who we are, what we stand for, and how we work together to serve our communities and the world.
What sets us apart
For more than 60 years we have championed access to education for all. We ensure that everyone's talent and potential is nurtured regardless of their background. Our Open Foundation program is Australia's longest running enabling pathway and we are nationally recognised for our commitment to equity.
Our programs build real world experience, preparing our students for life, not just for jobs. They embed resilience and community mindedness, ensuring our graduates are equipped to thrive. This is supported through our strong connections with local communities and industry partnership.
We are a national leader in Indigenous education, engagement, and employment. This is supported through strong community ties and the Wollotuka Institute. Our long and proud history as an innovator in this space underpins our commitment to Indigenous student success and employment opportunities. We proactively embed a culturally safe and responsive environment.
We stand out for our deep commitment to the Hunter and Central Coast. We ensure students and researchers drive regional growth through partnerships, innovation, and education.
Our purposeful engagement across Asia and the Pacific brings international collaboration home. We help to create opportunities, enrich learning and support development. This reflects our commitment to shared progress across borders.
We embed sustainability in all that we do. It is integrated as a core value, driving innovation, community action, and climate resilience. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Indigenous commitment
We stand on the unbroken foundation of more than 60,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Our University is stronger, richer, and more responsive because we embrace and learn from the histories, knowledge systems, and enduring cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This commitment guides our work through reciprocity, respect, and genuine partnerships with Indigenous communities, both locally and beyond.
Our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, families, and communities is central to our strategic direction. We are responsive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our regions and achieving priorities set by them. We will be guided by the Wollotuka Institute Cultural Standards, expressed through our inter-institutional relationships. We are further guided by the Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
From our regions to the world
We are deeply embedded within Newcastle, the Hunter, and the Central Coast, as well as the communities we serve. Our commitment to place is central to our identity as the university of and for our regions.
We have a strong and growing presence across regional and rural locations, including Tamworth, Taree, Moree, Upper Hunter, Armidale, Port Macquarie, Inverell, and Coffs Harbour. We are extending access to education and health training where it’s needed most.
Our Asia and Pacific engagement focuses on strategic collaborations to address shared challenges. Initiatives span environmental sustainability, public health, inclusive education, and economic development. This helps create meaningful opportunities to codevelop solutions that foster resilience and prosperity.
Our communities are not only defined by where we have a physical presence. They are where our students come from and are where many return home. They are where the industries we collaborate with are based and where the benefits of our innovation are felt by communities. They are where our staff live, build their careers, and help shape our shared future.
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.