From the Vice-Chancellor

As the University of Melbourne prepares for its annual Open Day on Sunday August 15, it gives me great pleasure to invite prospective students, their families and friends, and members of the wider community to come and see for yourselves why the Melbourne campus experience is unique in Australia.

First and foremost, the University is one of the finest study destinations in the world.

The differentiating factor at Melbourne is the six New Generation undergraduate degrees, followed by one of three post-degree options: direct entry into employment; a graduate professional degree, or a research higher degree. Within this framework, students are encouraged to explore the breadth and depth of study opportunities across the University. The 2010 timetable features 3200 subjects with more than 25,000 individual classes.

Our curriculum structure, often called the Melbourne Model, is underpinned by the Melbourne experience, through which students can access unprecedented academic enrichment opportunities including research projects, internships, work experience and volunteering and overseas study. The aim is to produce graduates suited to the challenges of changing workplaces and able to engage with local and global communities.

However, Melbourne is not just an excellent study destination – few others have the depth and richness we do in terms of community. And it is a real community. For the University’s 50,000 students and staff, it’s a place where they study, work, eat, drink coffee, and enjoy a wide range of entertainment, cultural collections and libraries.

It is an intriguing mix of the old and new, of classic architecture and cutting-edge design – from the 150-year old Law Quadrangle to the five-star energy-rated Business and Economics building in Berkeley St.

Tradition, in the form of the University Boat Club - Australia’s oldest rowing club – sits alongside research technology of the future, in the shape of the new $100 million supercomputer, which will be used by all medical researchers in Victoria and will be linked into international networks.

There are 32 rich and diverse Cultural Collections, ranging from rare books to the Bionic Ear Archive, the Melbourne Theatre Company, Ian Potter Gallery and the anatomy and dental museums. There’s also student theatre, with the Union House Theatre planning more than 20 productions for the year, ranging from Shakespeare to comedy revues and contemporary dance.

There are 39 sporting, recreational or instructional clubs and the facilities at Melbourne University Sport (MUS) are considered among the best in Melbourne. There are markets, book co-ops, concerts and recitals, running, walking or cycling using the Bicycle Share scheme around Princes Park.

Union House is the heart and soul of student life at the University, whether they’re eating at one of the 20 cafes, attending meetings and activities of the many clubs and societies, booking a holiday through the campus travel agent, buying phone and computer equipment or visiting the hairdresser.

Those who are community-minded can take part in programs and activities via the LIVE Unit (Leadership, Involvement, Volunteer Experience), which engages closely with a range of local and international communities.

The University of Melbourne is all this and much, much more. The best way to find out how much more – to get a real sense of what this university, this community has to offer – is to attend Open Day. Talk to faculty staff about the curriculum and what the new undergraduate degrees actually mean. Ask existing students about their experiences. Walk around the University grounds and take in the atmosphere.

Come and see for yourself.

John Dewar
Acting Vice-Chancellor