Dear staff,
It’s been brilliant to see our campuses spring back to life this week with the return of students for the start of Semester 2 classes. It was particularly busy in the Great Court yesterday for Market Day.
While it is great to see all of that activity returning, I’m also conscious that the start of this Semester is coinciding with the latest surge in COVID cases and at a time when the dominant strain of COVID is highly transmissible.
With this in mind, I am requesting that you wear a mask when at work, especially indoors or in other areas where you can’t physically distance.
The other important way that you can protect yourself and contribute to the safety of our community is by ensuring that your COVID vaccinations are up to date. Under the latest Australian Government recommendations an additional booster (or fourth dose) is now recommended for people over 50 years of age, and available for people aged 30 to 49.
Of course, we’re still operating under COVID-safe conditions. That means that you should also practice healthy hand hygiene, maintain 1.5 metres’ distance, and stay home if you feel at all unwell.
Achievements across the UQ community
I am really pleased to report that we performed strongly in the ShanghaiRankings Global Rankings of Academic Subjects 2022, with 17 academic subject areas at UQ ranked in the top 50 globally. Special congratulations to the many people who contributed to our outstanding top 10 results in three subject areas – Nursing, Biotechnology, and Hospitality & Tourism Management.
On Saturday, I attended a very inspiring event where the Down Syndrome Research Program (DSRP) presented the findings of their project, Stepping out in the world: the new adulthood for Gen Z’s with Down syndrome. Co-designed by two adults with Down syndrome, and employing another four as research assistants, the purpose of the research was to examine the quality of life of young adults with Down syndrome to better inform policy approaches. My sincere congratulations to the DSRP team, led by Associate Professor Rhonda Faragher (School of Education), which continues to run a globally significant longitudinal study of babies born with Down syndrome that dates back to the late 1970s.
We had another important celebration yesterday with the unveiling of Feeney Way, in front of the Forgan Smith Building at St Lucia. This iconic location has been named in honour of philanthropists Chuck and Helga Feeney, who donated more than $100 million to UQ between 1998 and 2009. I am delighted that we have been able to permanently recognise their very significant philanthropic legacy in this way.
I would like to congratulate the Advancement & Community Engagement team on the successful launch of the new UQ ChangeMakers Platform. With more than 3,500 people registering on the platform in the first two weeks, it is already helping us to deepen our engagement with our alumni community. As a staff member, you’re also invited to sign-up on the platform, where you will have opportunities to mentor and connect with UQ alum.
Alongside this online platform, the team has also been managing the soft opening of a new physical meeting place for our alumni community – The Atrium at UQ Brisbane City. With the official opening of UQ Brisbane City scheduled for late August, I’m sure the popularity of this spectacular new UQ venue will continue to grow.
There will be further reasons to celebrate across UQ next week, as we host the UQ NAIDOC Festival from 1 to 6 August, followed by UQ Open Day at St Lucia on Sunday 7 August. (The Open Day for UQ Gatton is scheduled for Sunday 21 August.)
Finally, all the very best to the eight UQ students, alumni and community members who will be competing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham over the next 12 days. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for early tomorrow morning, local time.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the week.
With best wishes
Debbie
