UNE’s staff accomplished many things over 2025, but most of those achievements were made quietly as part of business-as-usual. The following list is not exhaustive, but it shows the range and scale of accomplishment at UNE across the year.

• Growth Team in FSE working across UBE to advise, support, and process new courses and establish new markets.
• Secured 10 new medical places in the national allocation to support the push for more GPs.
• Enrolled 280 students into the Master of Nursing Practice commencing in Trimester 3, with successful accreditation outcomes and strong demand.
• Established a partnership with BUPA Health for supported places in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing courses.
• Successfully tendered to NSW Higher Education Training Institute (HETI) for places in the Graduate Certificate in Aged Care Nursing.
• Developed an MOU with ASIRI Health (Sri Lanka) to offer post‑qualification entry to nursing courses and a one‑year top‑up degree.
• Completed new Nursing Simulation Laboratories in Sydney and Armidale.
• Successfully trialled the “Hey Jen” avatar in pharmacy and nursing units to enhance digital delivery.
• Secured approximately $8 million in MRFF and NHMRC grants with faculty staff as lead and/or co‑investigators.
• Commencing student numbers finished 16.5% higher than 2024 and 6.5% above budget.
• Achieved a 7% increase in Trimester 1 applications with improved conversion rates across all trimesters.
• Secured a 1.7% improvement in student success rates across T1 and T2 for both commencing and continuing students.
• Introduced the HEPPP Student Bursary Scheme for intensive schools, achieving an 85% reduction in early withdrawals for recipients.
• Generated $5.5m revenue from new courses in 2025 (forecast to grow to $33.9m by 2029).
• Driven 125 enrolments via the OUA Lead Referral program and new enrolments through the Augustine Academy partnership.
• Distributed “Pathways to UNE” brochures to every student in the NSW Catholic Schools system.
• Retained a 5‑Star Rating for “Overall Experience” in The Good Universities Guide for 20 consecutive years.
• Awarded the highest possible DIAMOND badge for institutional digital learning practices and a GOLD badge average for 105 units (ASCILITE TELAS).
• Developed two immersive virtual field trip prototypes using 360°, drone and 3D videography.
• Implemented the new Assessment Architecture and increased School Education Committee meetings.
• Implemented the institutional Peer Review of Teaching process and tripled the number of staff supported in the AHE Fellowship program.
• Achieved a 50% increase in student feedback sessions via Studiosity Writing Feedback+.
• The Digital Education team maintained a strong, positive team culture, engaging with challenges and opportunities with good humour and genuine mutual support.
• As AD T&L for M&H, staff (academic and professional) recognised for ongoing dedication, passion and commitment to units and courses.
• Creation and successful pilot of Thrive Research Labs for staff, boosting research efficacy and outputs.
• Growth in Faculty of Medicine & Health enrolments, with new course successes including the Master of Nursing Practice.
• Professional and Clinical Psychology programs achieved exceptional growth as full fee‑paying offerings.
• Strong PhD enrolment and completion rates, with strong grant applications and successes.
• When UTAS cut back modern and ancient languages, UNE supported UTAS students to finish their studies; UTAS staff later reported they were overwhelmed by the support and care UNE staff showed and were highly impressed by UNE’s dedication to students.
• With a lean team of ~1 FTE and support from the Growth Team in FSE, UNE SRI delivered significant impact in partnerships, youth innovation and founder support.
• Murdi Paaki partnership established with a signed Statement of Intent for Youth Empowerment and Aboriginal Economic Workforce strategies.
• First Nations engagement strengthened through Yinarr Yarnz (first First Nations sponsorship – free NOVA office space for 6 months) and Murawin (Aboriginal‑owned consultancy) as a permanent NOVA tenant.
• UNE × Stanford Global Exchange confirmed to return in 2026, reinstating a prestigious international partnership.
• Origin × GXLab internship led to UNE student Ella Crowley securing a job offer for 2026.
• Youth Innovation 2025 engaged ~200 students across 11 schools, with 3 teams progressing health/agriculture solutions and scaling to further NSW regions in 2026.
• Entrepreneur in Residence program piloted (AgTech and HealthTech focus), continuing in 2026 with an additional EIR planned.
• Internship program restarted with a 6‑month UNE geology intern placement.
• Tamworth founder community re‑engaged through monthly peer support meetups.
• 23 events delivered or partnered across the region.
• EMERGE (research‑to‑venture program) restarted in June and identified 3 commercialisation opportunities.
• Reimagining Regional Prosperity (May) attracted 100+ cross‑sector attendees.
• IMPACT 2025 launched with strong community and industry turnout.
• Tiered Founder Membership structure introduced with positive uptake.
• NOVA Community Membership soft‑launched.
• Optiweigh sold 1,500 units, entered the US market, and won the Global AgTech Breakthrough Award (Herd Management Systems).
• SierraTek won Business NSW New England North West Business of the Year plus Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in International Business.
• Walls Honey won Excellence in Microbusiness (Tamworth); founder Katelyn was a NSW finalist for the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.
• FarmLab (now GXLab) expanded through acquisition of Ziltek, strengthening environmental data and hardware capabilities.
• Womn‑Kind founder Ruby was appointed ANZ Youth Representative to the UN.
• Far Out Science event was record‑breaking, with approximately 900 students from 41 schools participating.
• New Operations & Community Manager appointed for SRI, with AI‑enabled workflows implemented.
• UNE SRI noted in Parliament.
• UNE Life – Sport restructure delivered, with a comprehensive strategy for the first time in years.
• UNE Life – Events restructure completed.
• Student Experience team presented at the SEN Conference on engaging online students, with an overwhelming response and recognition that UNE is streaks ahead in this area.
• Achieved Healthy Campus Gold status – one of only three universities in Australia to do so.
• Security function at UNE Life is becoming recognised as the premier provider of security services in the region.
• Installed new lights and fencing at the cricket/AFL oval.
• Residential Colleges received 142 more applications than at the same time last year.
• Established the Academic Director Colleges role to improve retention through proactive support, personalised interventions, and fostering belonging and academic achievement.
• Integrated Atrium to enable College Heads to collaborate more closely with academic and professional staff for holistic student support; StarRez integration planned for early 2026.
• Provided First Year Accommodation Credit to 168 first‑year students, reducing financial stress and enabling a greater focus on studies.
• Approved and funded a 24/7 Custodian Model for implementation in February 2026, enhancing pastoral support, providing immediate after‑hours assistance, and reducing Head of College burnout.
• Rolled out mandatory online Sex and Consent Training across all colleges, strengthening understanding of consent and respectful relationships.
• Upgraded CCTV coverage around Wright Village (including carpark and residential flats) and commenced a Bellevue Campus carpark pilot, creating a safer living environment.
• Implemented contactless check‑in across colleges using Cardax, enabling 24/7 arrival flexibility and improved convenience, especially during Intensives and late arrivals.
• Achieved high uptake in Acumen Convenor Training across the residential system, strengthening leadership capability and student‑facing support.
• Established the Colleges Governance Steering Committee (College Culture Review recommendation), with Terms of Reference approved by the VC and inaugural meeting held in August 2025, ensuring student voice and safety remain central to decision‑making.
• Progressed the College Culture Work Plan, including enhanced governance frameworks, an updated risk register and revised committee Terms of Reference.
• Implemented a residential system‑wide incident management system to support better oversight, data‑driven decision‑making and peer review for high‑risk events, with additional Safe Communities oversight.
• Began reform of student clubs and societies, requiring formal registration, compliance training and enhanced accountability, and implementing prohibition of alcohol‑related sponsorship and BYO from 2026.
• Strengthened cross‑directorate collaboration with Safe Communities, Student Grievance Unit, UNE Life and Estates, creating integrated, student‑centred support pathways.
• Yarm Gwanga hosted numerous ECEC students (Cert III, Diploma, ECT) from TAFE, UNE, Charles Sturt and Wollongong for professional placements.
• Three Yarm Gwanga staff commenced Early Childhood Teaching studies through UNE.
• Regular meetings with a UNE Early Childhood academic provided feedback to inform course content and delivery.
• Successfully completed the year‑long Mini Minstrels music program with NECOM Armidale, expanding to include a baby class.
• Ran Legacy Visits and Ken Thompson Lodge Visits, fostering intergenerational connections, with programs set to recommence in 2026.
• Completed a year‑long partnership with AERO on the Learning Trajectories project, integrating research into practice.
• Partnering with the UNE School of Education to develop a 2026 “Bush Programs” research project exploring natural learning.
• Working as co‑researchers in the Intergenerational Playgroup Research Project with Professor Margaret Sims and team.
• Delivered diverse excursions to Thalgara, Dumaresq Dam, town library, town pool, and regular on‑campus trips.
• Hosted highly successful “Teddy Bear Clinics” with UNE School of Health and UNEPS paediatric students, to be repeated next year.
• Undertook CELA training and established a Yarm Gwanga Safety Committee that includes children’s voices.
• Demonstrated strong commitment to culturally safe practices through partnerships with Oorala Aboriginal Centre, Nēwara Aboriginal Corporation, and participation in the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework program.
• Began actively exploring AI integration into operations and programming.
• ERS staff responded remarkably to TEQSA’s “assured learning tasks” requirement, revising over 100 assessment tasks and successfully updating 68 units for T1 2026 in just a few months, all on top of already full workloads.
• Achieved remarkable research outcomes in 2025, including grant income success, DECRA success, high‑impact publications and expanded research engagement and reach.
• Initiated multiple SABL teaching and learning projects to tackle retention, student engagement and AI embeddedness (via the SABL Champions Network), contributing to student success.
• Collaborated with other UNE portfolios on new models, and expanded external engagement including joint PhD models, international articulations, new partnerships, and new markets/segments.
• Drove course growth in areas such as Neuroscience, Exercise and Sports Science and Law.
• Secured international and national accreditation successes, strengthening quality assurance and branding.
• SABL Executive and staff contributed to improved staff wellbeing, engagement and psychosocial safety, exemplifying UNE values – Be Bold, Be Kind, Be Accountable, Be Connected.
• Embedded the Privacy function within Legal Services, working collaboratively across UNE to improve privacy fitness.
• Reached 80% implementation of Ezescan for automated TRIM filing, substantially reducing manual filing and freeing the Executive Officer to take on administrative email triaging and allocation previously done by the Deputy Director, Legal Services.
• Legal Services and Privacy team trained and using Madgwick in everyday work.
• Developed AI contract review tools in Madgwick to reduce initial contract review timeframes.
• Developed AI contract data extraction tools in Madgwick to support paralegal data extraction for reporting, reducing resourcing requirements.
• Delegated low‑risk contract approvals on UNE templates to paralegals, freeing lawyers for higher‑level strategic work.
• In consultation with Procurement, progressed a proposal to increase the Purchase Order threshold to $100k for designated categories, with a revised PO checklist and terms.
• Utilised AI in the Secretariat to generate Chair reports, draft minutes and populate registers.
• Adopted AI search in Marketing to respond more effectively to agent enquiries.
• Achieved vast improvements in staff wellbeing, health and psychosocial hazard reduction, supported by standing Safety Moments and Reflection on Values and Behaviours at Faculty Executive Committee.
• Observed reductions in KeepSafe reporting, improved staff survey results, decreased psychosocial hazard compensation payments, and strong positive anecdotal feedback on wellbeing.
• Staff engagement improved significantly, with agile, kind and solution‑focused responses to challenges in implementing the academic workload model.
• Achieved record‑high staff engagement with retention initiatives (especially Atrium) and record‑high student engagement with units.
• Increased HDR recruitment and higher levels of interdisciplinary research planning and activity.
• Martin Gibbs nominated as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
• Secured a $527,703 ARC Discovery Grant (Gibbs, David Roberts, Richard Tuffin) on Norfolk Island.
• Secured a $903,456 ARC Linkage Grant (Hamish Maxwell‑Stewart, Jenny Wise, Lisa Hackett) for “A Tale of Two Cities: Long run social and economic mobility in Australia”, alongside numerous smaller grants and tenders.
• Completed major Wi‑Fi refresh, Teams Telephony migration and Windows 11 rollout to 2,000 PCs with minimal disruption.
• Blocked 95 million malicious emails and processed 261 million logs per day into the SOC.
• Implemented Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA) for students to secure accounts.
• Fully migrated une.edu.au to the cloud and launched a new, accessible homepage.
• Delivered a comprehensive 2026 Budget consultation process, improving financial ownership and accountability across the University.
• Led the Self‑Assurance Maturity Plan to ensure ongoing TEQSA alignment and governance agility.
• Successfully inducted and installed the new Chancellor in a ceremony with 500 guests.
• Farewelled Deputy Chancellor Jan McClelland AM after 25 years of service.
• Held Alumni Strategy Workshops in Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney.
• Achieved over 9 million organic social media views and gained 17,014 new followers.
• Launched the inaugural Staff Awards to recognise “Unsung Heroes” and “Trailblazers”.
• Launched the McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program.