About UNE
The University of New England (UNE) is the smart choice for students of the future. UNE combines the highest academic standards and industry-valued qualifications with flexible modes of learning.
(The Gordon Window, at the right, is a feature of Booloominbah. View the window detail and learn about its history.)
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A reputation for excellence
The University of New England was the first Australian university established outside a capital city. With a history extending back to the 1920s, UNE has a well-earned reputation as one of Australia's great teaching, training and research universities.
Its graduates consistently rate their experience at UNE highly, a reflection of the University's commitment to student support. More than 75,000 people now hold UNE qualifications, with many in senior positions in Australia and overseas. UNE has built up its academic profile to the point where it now has more than 500 PhD candidates, an important sign of the University's academic vigour and rigour.
Support for students
Each year, the University offers students more than $2.5 million in scholarships, prizes, and bursaries and more than $18 million for staff and students involved in research. Through the University's broad network of international partnerships, many UNE students have opportunities to travel overseas without having to defer their studies.
Studying from a distance
Since 1955, teaching off-campus students by distance education has been an important part of the University's activities. UNE is now Australia 's longest continuous provider of distance education and with more than 15,000 external students, is still one of Australia 's major providers of awards to off-campus students. Increasingly, the flexibility offered by external study is proving a significant attraction to those pursuing a tertiary education.
Learning online
With more than 12,500 of its 17,000 students studying via the Internet, UNE is at the forefront of online learning. UNE students, who have access to 600 subjects online, are finding that Internet learning is a whole new experience that offers greater flexibility for study and a new way of working and communicating with supervisors and fellow students. All students at UNE are provided with internet access and email accounts.
Learning on campus
The majority of first-year, on-campus students choose to live in on campus residences, within easy walking distance of lectures and tutorials. In addition to providing food and lodgings, the colleges offer organised social activities as well as academic and pastoral support networks. The University prides itself that students from more than 50 nations study on-campus, providing a cosmopolitan atmosphere. The campus is well equipped with its own child-care, medical facilities, a post office, credit union, shops and restaurant, as well as the full range of sporting facilities. A regular bus service links the campus to town.
Research excellence
UNE is internationally recognised as one of the great teaching and research universities. The university undertakes fundamental and applied research in many disciplines. Its scholars and scientists have established international reputations through their contributions in areas such as rural science, agricultural economics, educational administration, linguistics and archaeology. Collaborative research with other institutions includes projects with the CSIRO and the high profile Cooperative Research Centres. Through its research UNE assists in the economic, social and cultural advancement of Australia and in the advanced training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Community Engagement
At local, national and international levels, the community benefits from the University of New England’s provision of higher educational opportunities. In addition, the community receives, from its relationship with UNE, strong support and leadership in regional, state and international development, diverse intellectual and cultural perspectives, improvements in school education, development of the professions, industry and commerce, recognition of and solutions to social, health and welfare issues and access to the University's resources.
Further, the University itself gains by building community partnerships which enhance its reputation and support its development.
There are many examples of interaction between UNE and the community.
Key areas of community engagement include:
- The sharing of knowledge between the University and its communities.
- Contributing to the sustainable development the New England region.
- Strengthening incentives and resources for educational growth and development.
- Taking an active role in enriching the cultural fabric and social life of the University and its communities.
- Collaborative research and development programs with local, national and international industry.
A substantive list of community engagement activities incorporate:
Achieving Regional and Global Impact
As Australia’s first university based outside a capital city, the University of New England has a long tradition of serving the local region, regions elsewhere in Australia and the world.
For over half a century UNE has not only provided the broad range of high-quality offerings expected from any university, but has also built significant strength and expertise through attention to a range of regional issues. Now, the UNE is capitalizing on that expertise by focusing on “regionality” at local, national and international levels.
Placing priority on regional needs, issues and interactions allows the University to provide increasing levels of leadership at local, national and international levels through effective contributions to regional areas in collaboration with communities, business and government.
In the New England and North West region the University is committed to pursuing two-way information exchanges between itself and the community it serves. At a national level its expertise is already recognised as leading the way in many issues affecting regional Australia. UNE is also reaching out globally by contributing career-ready graduates and a prominent, robust Australian and international portfolio of research, education, business and community activity.
At a local level the University collaborates with a number of community bodies, including the Primary Industry Centre for Science Education, TAFE NSW’s New England Institute, the New England Regional Art Museum, the New England Conservatorium of Music and Musica Viva.
The University is also engaging directly with schools in the New England North West region through projects such as Science in the Bush, the Siemens Science Experience, Mission Possible, the Science and Engineering Challenge and several programs for HSC students.
These examples all evidence the real-world impact that is a core part of the UNE vision. UNE’s stated mission of “Achieving Regional and Global Impact” accurately reflects our current activity and future goals.
UNE is currently making a real impact internationally through our participation in a number of projects in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Canada, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and the USA. Of course, such projects continue to broaden our knowledge base and expertise as well as making ‘real world’ impacts on the ground.