UQ will be closed from 5pm on Tuesday 24 December and will reopen on Monday 5 January. You can find more information about opening times for PF Assist, security, ITS, UQ Library, and on-campus retailers on the holiday operating hours webpage. UQ Update will resume in the new year on Monday 19 January. Have a happy and safe holiday season!
Photos from the 2025 UQ Thanks You events are now available for you to view and download. These end-of-year events celebrated everything we achieved together in 2025. To access the photos from the Dutton Park, St Lucia, Gatton and Herston events, first log in to UQ’s Digital Asset Manager (DAM), then click the button below. If you are off campus, please connect to your VPN before logging in.
UQ has 2 finalists in this year’s Shaping Australia Awards, and People’s Choice voting is now open. Professor Ben Hankamer and his team at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience are pioneering technology that uses sunlight to capture CO2 in algae and produce sustainable products. Professor H. Peter Soyer and the UQ-based Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis team are fast-tracking melanoma diagnosis and setting a new global benchmark for patient outcomes. The Shaping Australia Awards celebrate the important work underway at universities nationally.
During December, University of Queensland Press (UQP) is offering 30% off all books on their website. To use the discount, ensure you are signed out of your UQP membership account, then use the coupon code UQSALE when you add a book to your cart. UQP publishes a wide selection of award-winning fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and poetry.
On Tuesday 27 January 2026, UQ’s current Adobe Digital Asset Manager (DAM) will be replaced. The new UQ DAM, hosted on HIVO, will provide a better way of working and introduce new features, such as sophisticated search, in-platform templates, consent management, interactive brand guidelines, and more. All staff will be able to access the new DAM by logging in with their UQ username and password.
Applications are open for the 2026 UQ Refugee and Humanitarian Scholarship, which offers students from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds the opportunity to pursue higher education in any discipline at UQ. The scholarship supports students like Taha (pictured), who is studying physiotherapy and dreams of a career in medicine. Please encourage eligible students to apply before Sunday 18 January 2026.
Submissions are invited to the review of the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, which will be conducted by the Academic Board from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 February 2026. The terms of reference for the review are available on the Academic Board website. Submissions should be sent to the review coordinator by emailing uqreviews@uq.edu.au by Monday 19 January 2026.
UQ’s December graduation ceremonies will be held at Gatton on Thursday 11 December and St Lucia from Friday 12 December to Saturday 20 December. During this time, road closures will be in place at both Gatton and St Lucia to keep graduands and their guests safe. We will be welcoming many friends and family members to campus for the first time – please make them feel welcome.
UQ’s inaugural campus culture speaker series, Dialogues Across Difference, is now available as a podcast. Narrated by Professor Heather Zwicker, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Campus Culture and Leadership), the series brings together diverse voices from across UQ to create an inclusive and meaningful conversation. Topics covered include why it’s so hard to talk about big issues, the impact of online misinformation and disinformation, and how we can learn to disagree more respectfully.
As travel and online shopping increase during the festive season, there are more opportunities for cyber criminals to scam unsuspecting consumers. Watch out for travel deals from fake websites posing as hotels and airlines, parcel delivery texts and emails posing as Australia Post or other delivery companies, and offers that seem too good to be true. Be aware of common scams and take precautions to avoid disappointment during the holidays. Learn more on the Stay Cyber Safe webpage.
From February 2026, the University will introduce new ways to pay for parking. These changes will make parking easier and more flexible and will increase availability for those who drive to UQ campuses. The changes include more flexible and simpler staff permit options; a new parking app, PayStay (replacing CelloPark); and updated parking rates for staff, students and visitors.
Managers and supervisors are invited to complete a short new series of online microlearning modules about Annual Performance and Development (APD). The series is designed to help managers and supervisors provide meaningful feedback and support crafting high-quality goals. They focus on having meaningful, ongoing conversations that support staff growth and performance. The 4 modules take about 20 minutes each and can be completed at any time.
After Wednesday 31 December, there will be some changes to UQ’s open access publishing agreements that may affect read and publishing access for some journals. The Library will continue to support the UQ community in accessing journal content and identifying appropriate high-quality publishing outlets for research.
UQ has been awarded a SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity) Athena Swan Cygnet Award for transgender and gender-diverse inclusion. The award reflects years of work to remove structural barriers, improve visibility and understanding of gender diversity, and embed inclusion in policy and practice. This is UQ’s second Cygnet Award and is part of our pathway to Silver Institutional Award accreditation.
From Tuesday 16 December, the UniTask Travel Request Form for domestic and international travel will change. The upgrades to the form will improve user experience and simplify the travel request process. If you need to submit a non-urgent travel request, the University Travel team recommends that you wait to submit your request until after the new form becomes available.
Applications are now open for a series of professional development courses run by UQ’s Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI). These courses – including Teaching Foundations, Curriculum Design at UQ, and Teaching in Practice – are designed for teaching staff and teaching support staff at all career stages. You will be supported to build essential teaching skills, create supportive learning environments, and enhance student engagement. Apply now to commence study during Summer Semester or Semester 1, 2026.
UQ staff can now book a free measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine through UQ Health Care St Lucia. Measles cases are increasing in Queensland, and by keeping up to date with your vaccinations, you can protect yourself and vulnerable members of the community from this highly contagious disease. Check your vaccination records, and if you have not received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, consider booking an appointment to receive a free vaccine at UQ Health Care, your own general practitioner, or some pharmacies.
Academic staff and research support staff are encouraged to complete an online module to enhance their knowledge of conducting research responsibly and with integrity. The module covers UQ’s research governance framework and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. You will also learn about the broad principles and practices of responsible research conduct.
The Annual Performance and Development (APD) process for 2025/26 has begun, and all continuing and fixed-term academic and professional staff have received their APD form in Workday. You can find links to helpful resources, guides, and an FAQs document on the APD website. Staff training, including the online APD Foundations course, is also available.
The UQ Ally Network is a cohort of well-informed staff who create a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for people of diverse sexes, genders and sexualities at UQ and in the broader community. All UQ staff, regardless of identity, are invited to join the network by completing a UQ Ally Workshop. In-person workshops are being hosted at St Lucia, Gatton, Dutton Park and Long Pocket throughout the second half of 2025, and enrolments are open now via Workday.
As part of UQ's commitment to fostering a safe, positive and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ people, we provide a range of resources – including training, guides, templates and support services – to support both staff and students. These resources are designed to help ensure everyone can work and study free from discrimination, harassment and bullying.
Looking for a new furry friend? The UQ VETS Pets for Life Adoption Program, based at Gatton, has cats available for adoption. Cats of all ages, sizes, colours and attitudes are searching for a new loving home – including 1.5-year-old Sting (pictured), who loves people and wants to be your new best friend. Book an appointment to meet a cat by calling 5460 1868 or emailing svs-csc@uq.edu.au.
Volunteer for a UQ research study
Get involved in UQ research by volunteering for a wide range of studies. Your participation may be vital to solving medical mysteries or answering important research questions.