Dear colleagues,

I hope that your holiday break was enjoyable, and that you have returned to work refreshed and ready to begin the new year. As the world of higher education continues to evolve quickly, this year promises to be full of opportunity and challenge. Increasingly, we find that universities need to be clear about their aspirations and what they plan to deliver to their stakeholders and society at large. Society urges us to do our very best to earn their trust as we prepare well-educated citizens for an unpredictable world and tackle the real problems of today and tomorrow.

Our purpose to serve and engage is increasingly emboldened as we launch into a new academic year. Already we have seen changes in the University’s Executive and senior leadership. Though the departures announced are losses to our community, they are also opportunities to grow and redouble our commitment to excellence. With the array of talent and commitment to these ideals pervading the Macquarie community, I look forward to our work together as 2016 rolls out.

On my webpage, I have outlined my very detailed thoughts and intentions for each area of the strategic priorities, and I encourage you to take some time to read through the work we will undertake together over the coming months. I also encourage you, at the start of the year, to revisit Our University: A Framing of Futures and consider how you can build its objectives into your projects and activities throughout 2016.

As we launch into a new year, I welcome you back and thank you in advance for your dedication to this remarkable institution. The ascent of Macquarie University to greater recognition and eminence is real and on track. The commitment to our ideals of service and engagement, combined with dedication to excellence in all we do – not to settle for what is doable but only what is best – will sustain our continued progress.

Let us continue the work we have begun.

Professor S Bruce Dowton
Vice-Chancellor