From the Vice-Chancellor

This edition of Voice explores what it means to live in the information age. The strength of the University’s computer science and information technology research and teaching is only one aspect of what the information age means at the University – the rise of online learning has fundamentally changed the way in which we deliver all programs.

Melbourne has embraced the possibilities of new learning technologies because it improves the quality and depth of learning. Upgraded learning environments, and advanced online collaboration and learning management systems, give students more options than ever before to choose where, when and how they access lectures and course materials, and network with teachers and fellow students.

While such technological advancements enrich each student’s experience, however, they are merely channels for what truly sets Melbourne apart from its national and international counterparts: world-class staff and students.

Our staff, each experts in their field, are passionate about sharing their knowledge with the peer groups which our students join when they choose to study at Melbourne.

This year, applications for undergraduate places through Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) continue to increase, reflecting the interest of applicants in our curriculum and our staff. The University’s Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees again drew the largest number of applicants in Victoria.

Applications are particularly strong for the new Chancellor’s Scholars’ Program, which assures the highest-achieving school-leavers a place in the postgraduate program of their choice.

This program is part of a broader suite of revised selection guarantees introduced this year to provide confidence to undergraduate students interested in progressing to professional entry graduate degrees.

We are also delighted applications for our special entry and access scholarships scheme, Access Melbourne, continue to rise. Overall, application numbers increased by 22 per cent on last year, in part due to a change in the application process by VTAC which makes it much simpler for applicants to apply. We are particularly pleased by a 45 per cent increase in applicants under the disadvantaged financial background category.

The students we welcome to study here are diverse: they come from varied cultural and socio-economic backgrounds locally, from interstate and overseas. At the University they choose one of six dramatically different undergraduate degrees and then either enter the workforce or continue studying in one of more than 300 postgraduate programs.

The University of Melbourne works hard as an institution to give as many students as possible the chance to study here, because the unique experience gained from the challenge of working with the best and brightest peers and teachers inspires all our students to explore their options, to try new things and to strive for new heights.

We look forward to welcoming this group of students to the University in 2012.

Glyn Davis
Vice-Chancellor