UNE officially welcomes new students to Armidale

Published 16 February 2023

UNE expects to welcome some 500 new students to the residential college system, a significant return to numbers following the disruption caused by COVID-19 lockdowns.

O-Week is the first week in the UNE Orientation program and is designed to ease the transition into university life for first-year residential college and ‘townie’ students. The week is filled with information sessions, networking opportunities and fun activities.

New online students have already completed a digital orientation, setting them up for their online studies in 2023.

Interim Director of UNE’s Residential College system, Ms Ilona Mair said she is pleased to see life return to the colleges after the summer break.

“The residential team at UNE is excited to welcome back students to College and to Armidale for the new academic year,” she said.

“Student leaders have already completed various training sessions to help them support our new students in both their academic and non-academic lives, including social support and mental health first aid.

“O-Week will include plenty of activities for both our college students, and those who are living out of college in Armidale, to help them get to know our beautiful region and our campus,” said Ms Mair.

New St Albert’s College resident Emily Taylor is excited about commencing her studies in Rural Science, and to form new friendships and connections with like-minded students.

“I am excited and eager to start my first trimester at UNE, to begin studying my chosen course and to start furthering my knowledge and learning into a field which I am truly passionate about,” Emily said.

“I chose to study at UNE for a couple of reasons. I feel that UNE is the premier university within Australia to study a Rural Science degree, and that there is an extra level of industry acceptance for those that have obtained degrees from UNE.

“I have been told by many ex-UNE students that their fondest memories are those made during O-Week, this makes me feel excited to become part of the UNE and college community,” she said.

Across the Armidale Campus, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre is proud to welcome 170 indigenous students, joining UNE from as far afield as Tasmania. They will be a mix of online and on-campus students.