Staff updates

News, events and updates from and for UQ staff.

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Nominations for the 2025 UQ Awards for Excellence are now open. These annual awards are a great opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of your colleagues and give them a chance to take home a monetary prize.
Don’t miss the UQ Alumni Book Fair this weekend. From Friday 2 to Monday 5 May, browse books, magazines, records and other pre-loved goodies, with prices as low as $1. Hundreds of works will also go under the hammer at the Rare Book Auction, including a first-edition copy of The Handmaid's Tale, signed by Margaret Atwood. On Saturday 3 May, come along to a full day of activities featuring free talks, tours and kid-friendly pop-ups.
The UQ Digital Asset Management platform (UQ DAM) provides a single source of truth and a central location for UQ assets including logos, photos, templates and guidelines. Since launching the UQ DAM in 2020, there have been significant improvements in technology, providing enhanced user experiences to support brand management and compliance. As part of a required procurement process, UQ Marketing and Communication is seeking feedback from staff across the University about your current experience with the UQ DAM and what improvements could be made.
Did you know UQ has mandatory suppliers for some of our goods and services? Our ‘where to buy’ guide has information about commonly purchased goods and services, like software, printing, custom services and photography. View the guide and learn more about purchasing for UQ on our procurement webpage. You can also subscribe to the UQ Finance newsletter to stay informed about procurement and other financial updates.
To help protect staff, UQ and the broader community, all staff will now need to complete Cyber Security Essentials training annually instead of every 3 years. This training can be completed in Workday. If you have previously taken the training and will now need to recomplete it, you will receive an email reminder and a Workday notification. For the latest cyber security news from UQ, you can subscribe to the Cyber Security Update newsletter.
UQ has recently published its 2024 Donor Impact Report. With the help of 4,164 donors – including 664 staff – from 28 countries, UQ raised an outstanding $77.33 million for teaching, learning and research initiatives in 2024. In the report, read inspirational stories and see how the UQ community is making a difference.
EOIs for the 2025 UQ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning are open until 12pm on Tuesday 6 May. Individuals and teams are encouraged to apply for these awards, which recognise and celebrate excellent teaching. Visit the awards website or email teaching.awards@uq.edu.au for support.
There’s still time to apply for the Study for Staff program for Semester 2, 2025. This program offers staff a significant fee subsidy on a select range of UQ graduate certificates to help support your growth and career development. Applications close Friday 23 May for all programs except for the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, which closed Thursday 24 April.
Be part of history and compete in the 40th anniversary of the Great Court Race. Nominations for all races, including the Mixed Staff Relay, are now open. Heats will take place on Tuesday 6 May, with the finals being held on Wednesday 21 May. Nominations close on Thursday 1 May – gather a team of 4 keen colleagues and race to take home the trophy.
On Monday 12 May in the Great Court at St Lucia, the UQ Ally Network is hosting its annual IDAHOBIT Great Rainbow Bake Off to raise funds for the LGBTQIA+ Bursary. This bursary is offered yearly to a UQ student who is a part of the LGBTQIA+ and queer community and is experiencing financial hardship. Register your cake or baked treats for a chance to win a prize.
Patina at Alumni Court is hosting a day of dining to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 May. Visit St Lucia campus to enjoy a family table-style lunch menu for $110 per person, or a morning or afternoon Sparking High Tea for $80 per person.
Applications are now open for the UQ Professional Services Staff Fellowship Program at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The program provides professional development opportunities and a chance for colleagues to share best practices and experiences. In 2025, 2 UQ professional staff members will be awarded funding of up to $7,000 to undertake a fellowship at TUM for up to 2 weeks. Apply before Tuesday 27 May.
Project idea submissions for Round 3 of the Student–Staff Partnership (SSP) projects close on Friday 2 May. The SSP program empowers students and staff to collaborate on projects to shape teaching and learning, student experience, and governance and strategy at UQ. Visit the SSP website to learn more about the program and how you can submit a project idea to create change at UQ.
Last year, UQ launched its new Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to expand and develop initiatives that bring us closer to making reconciliation a lived reality. Staff are now invited to join a workshop designed to help you navigate and implement the new UQ Stretch RAP 2025–2027. An online workshop will be held on Monday 12 May.
Join UQ Alumni and the Institute of Modern Languages for a 5-week language short course for beginners. Courses in Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, French and Korean will start in mid-May at The Atrium, UQ Brisbane City, and will cost $295 for 5 classes. Whether you want to travel the world, learn to speak a language, follow new interests or maintain your language skills, this course gives you the opportunity to learn in a practical and supportive learning environment in the city.
The prestigious Green Gown Awards Australasia are now open for submissions. This year, the awards are celebrating 16 years of sustainability excellence in the tertiary education sector. Nominate your project by Thursday 29 May to help showcase UQ’s commitment to creating change for a brighter future, on campus and beyond. For more details and to submit your entry, visit the Green Gown Awards Australasia website.
To celebrate UQ’s 10-year anniversary as a premier partner of Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds, staff, students and alumni can access a 10% discount on game tickets and membership packages. Purchase your tickets or membership package using one of UQ's discount codes before Saturday 31 May to take advantage of this deal. Find out more about the partnership and access the discount codes on UQ's Partners and Community website.
The UQ Alumni Book Fair is back in 2025. From Friday 2 to Monday 5 May, browse books, magazines, records and other pre-loved goodies, with prices as low as $1. Hundreds of works will also go under the hammer at the Rare Book Auction, including a first-edition copy of The Handmaid's Tale, signed by Margaret Atwood. On Saturday 3 May, come along to a full day of activities featuring free talks, tours and kid-friendly pop-ups.
Academic promotion applications for Levels C, D and E are now open. Eligible candidates can apply in Workday. Submit your application by Saturday 31 May. Resources to help you prepare your application, including recordings of 2 information sessions, are available on the Academic Promotion webpage.
Did you know that UQ staff can subscribe to a summary of highlights from media coverage about the University? An email newsletter is distributed each weekday morning. To subscribe to the summary, send an email from your staff email address to UQ's media and communication teams.
Submissions are invited for the review of the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, which will be conducted by the Academic Board from Monday 28 to Thursday 31 July. The terms of reference for the review are available on the Academic Board website. Submissions should be sent to the Review Coordinator at uqreviews@uq.edu.au by Monday 23 June.
Nominations for the UQ Research Culture Awards open Tuesday 6 May. The awards celebrate outstanding staff contributions to UQ’s research environment across disciplines and career stages. They aim to inspire a shared commitment to a sustainable research ecosystem that empowers individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Nominate yourself or a colleague in one of the categories before Friday 30 May.
Nominations for the Awards for Excellence in Graduate Research Training are open until Sunday 4 May. These awards celebrate the achievements and initiatives of our colleagues who enable our HDR candidates to achieve their highest potential. Nominate yourself or a colleague in one of 5 categories.
The Open Course Scheme offers staff the opportunity to observe the great teaching happening in their colleagues' classrooms at UQ. Observing others teaching gives teachers fresh insights, inspiration and the opportunity to reflect on their own practice. You can book in to visit one of a wide range of courses to discover innovative teaching techniques, draw inspiration for your own practices, and connect with colleagues.
From Tuesday 14 April, Software Centre – used to self-install software on UQ Windows computers – will be replaced with Company Portal. You will be able to download new software through Company Portal and use it to manage any software that you have previously installed on your device. After Tuesday 14 April, you will be able to open Company Portal by searching for it in the Windows ‘Start’ menu.
UQ staff can now use the MyHub app to set up new workplaces – like teams – within Microsoft Teams, without having to submit an IT request. As this update is rolled out today, MyHub will either appear in the sidebar of your Microsoft Teams or be listed when you click the 3 dots icon to access the 'View more apps' menu. You can find information about using MyHub to create teams on UQ’s MyHub webpage, including how to set up teams and create Microsoft 365 groups.
From Tuesday 1 April, UQ’s travel allowance rates will increase. If you have already submitted a travel allowance claim for a trip that begins on or after Tuesday 1 April, or for a trip that overlaps the effective date, the Payment Services team will contact you to discuss your claim. If you have any questions, you can review the UQ Travel webpage or email the Finance and Business Services Tax team.
Apply now for the 2025 UQ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Applications are open until 12pm on Tuesday 6 May. These awards recognise the outstanding achievements of all who teach and support learning in UQ’s community. For more information, email teaching.awards@uq.edu.au.
Nominations for the 2025 UQ Alumni Awards are now open. These awards are an opportunity to celebrate UQ ChangeMakers who have accomplished outstanding success in their field and have made exemplary contributions to their community. Nominations close on Friday 16 May.
Applications are now open for the QUEX Professional Services Staff Fellowship program. This program is an initiative of the QUEX Institute, a partnership between UQ and the University of Exeter. The program has been established to provide professional development opportunities and to share best practices and experiences between professional services colleagues at UQ and Exeter. Apply before Friday 2 May.
Do you have stuffed toys at home that are no longer being used? The dogs in the care of UQ VETS would love to inherit them. The UQ VETS Pets for Life adoption program is now taking donations of old soft toys that are clean and dog-safe – with no batteries, Styrofoam, beans or wires. You can donate them at the Clinical Studies Centre at Gatton at any time. You can also drop off your donations on Floor 2 of Building 99 (Glasshouse Rd near Walcott St) at St Lucia.
Pop-Up by Patina is now operating on the ground floor of the Queensland Bioscience Precinct (building 80) at St Lucia, where Genies Cafe used to be. Open from 7am to 1pm weekdays, this new cafe serves locally roasted coffee beans by Bellissimo. They also offer a breakfast and lunch takeaway menu, designed by Patina's Executive Chef, with wraps and toasted sandwiches.
Appointments are now available at the Musculoskeletal and Sports Injury physiotherapy clinic. Services are delivered by final-year physiotherapy students who are supervised by qualified and highly experienced physiotherapists. A 15% discount is available to UQ staff, students and their immediate families, and referrals are not necessary. Contact their team online or by calling 3365 2232.
From 6am on Monday 24 February, there will be no parking permitted along Walcott Street between Sir Fred Schonell Drive and Hood Street while Energex converts the overhead service lines to underground cabling and installs new street lighting. Works could take up to 4 weeks to complete. Any vehicles left in the restricted area during this time will be towed so that works can proceed. Signs will be posted to indicate where parking is prohibited.
All staff have access to a range of training courses. This week, we are highlighting the ‘Understanding and Managing Psychosocial Risk for Supervisors and Managers’ course. It covers topics such as identifying and addressing psychosocial hazards and leadership practices that contribute to a mentally healthy workplace. Supervisors and managers can take this course at any time on Workday.
In 2025, the Integrated Pathology Learning Centre (IPLC) is commemorating 100 years of its collection. All UQ staff are invited to visit the museum to explore its unique specimens displayed alongside student-designed exhibitions and historical objects from the Marks-Hirschfeld Museum of Medical History. The museum is open by appointment. To book, fill out the form on the IPLC's website.
UQ’s incident and hazard reporting system, UQSafe, has been updated to improve usability. UQSafe allows you to report hazards and incidents online via the UQ website. As part of the update, the website now has a refreshed look to make reporting easier. You also have the option to report incidents quickly and easily via the new UQSafe RiskWare Mobile app. Download the RiskWare Mobile app from the App Store and follow our online setup instructions.
This year, UQ will begin transitioning Learn.UQ from the current version, Blackboard Original, to the new Blackboard Ultra. Most courses will make this transition in Semester 2 of 2025 and Semester 1 of 2026. To preview Ultra, enrol in the Ultra Example site as a student or request a preview site with instructor access by emailing help@elearning.uq.edu.au.
From Monday 3 February, some parking rates at UQ’s St Lucia, Dutton Park and Herston campuses and Toowong office increased for staff, students and visitors. These benchmarked changes are part of ongoing initiatives to encourage the use of alternative sustainable transport and free up parking for staff and students who need to drive to campus. Parking revenue is reinvested into campus infrastructure, including active transport facilities.
On Tuesday 28 January, Brisbane Metro services commenced on the M2 route (formerly Route 66) from Stop A at UQ Lakes station to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Routes 139 and 169 depart from Stop D. M2 services won’t stop at Dutton Park Place so please use alternative routes for this station. Signage and support staff will be at UQ Lakes to assist passengers.
UQ is transitioning from desk phones to Microsoft Teams Phone, beginning at the St Lucia campus. While staff can already use Microsoft Teams to make internal phone calls, Teams Phone allows you to receive and make calls to external numbers (including international calls). This transition supports hybrid working by allowing staff to make or receive calls from anywhere. Find out more on the transition, how to access support, and how to register for upcoming information sessions on the project website.
UQ Dental at St Lucia has closed and their services have been relocated to South Brisbane Dental Clinic at 50 Russell Street, West End. Alternative dental services are on offer at the UQ Herston Dental Clinic and around the local St Lucia area.
Recent rain and humidity have increased the risk of mould in UQ buildings. Properties and Facilitis has taken preventative measures to address this. You can support this effort by tidying and wiping down your workstation and ensuring all your office windows are closed before you head off on the holiday break. Read more about preventing and reporting mould on UQ’s 'Mould in indoor spaces' webpage.
UQ now has approved suppliers for catering. If you are planning an event with catering, you can now select from one of 4 approved suppliers in the Brisbane metro area. These suppliers were selected to ensure quality, reliability, and value for event hosts. Learn about our preferred suppliers in the catering section of the UQ Where to buy guide on the UQ procurement page.
UQ’s superannuation provider, UniSuper, has launched a new virtual care platform, 360Health. UniSuper members and their spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law can access medical care, such as nutrition advice, mental health assistance, and general practice care through the platform at no additional cost.
UQ has been named the nation’s best university for the second year in a row in the 2024 Best Universities Ranking by the Australian Financial Review (AFR). The AFR rankings evaluate university performance holistically based on 4 pillars: teaching, research, career impact and equity. These rankings are the first in Australia to consider traditional notions of excellence, such as research and career impact, alongside student satisfaction and equity.
Staff on the St Lucia campus can now visit Sun Stadium, a new public artwork in the form of a sundial, near the UQ Lakes bus stop. Created from sustainable materials, the artwork was brought to life through a collaboration between artist and choreographer Amrita Hepi, poet Jazz Money, and Dialogue Office's Christopher Bassi, along with Five Mile Radius and Sibling Architecture.
The UQ Centre (Building 27A) has transitioned back to its original purpose as an indoor multi-sport facility, as part of the University’s Sport and Recreation Precinct and will be managed by UQ Sport. A limited number of non-sporting events will continue to use the Centre. The lecture theatre within the Centre is not affected by this change and the booking process remains the same.
Did you know that UQ has an Email and Bulk Messaging Procedure? This procedure outlines UQ’s rules around sending bulk emails to staff, students and other UQ email holders. Any bulk messages to our community must comply with this procedure. If you send bulk emails to UQ email holders, please remember to take some time to familiarise yourself with the procedure.
The REDROOM has temporarily closed for essential works to safely remove asbestos in preparation for stage one of the Union Complex redevelopment in late 2025. Other facilities in the area remain open. Works are expected to take about 4 months to complete, site conditions permitting. Visit the road and building works page for more information.
Do you ride to campus? Take these simple steps to help keep your bike or scooter safer and more secure. Register for free access to UQ’s bike boxes and end-of-trip facilities, always use a high-quality lock when securing your bike or scooter, and park in well-lit areas.
UQ teaching staff can learn strategies to support linguistically diverse students with a 90-minute online training course. It covers topics like linguistic diversity at UQ and refining instruction, assessment and feedback with linguistic diversity in mind. You can complete this training at any time through Workday.
As a UQ staff member, you have access to many great discounts and benefits. When you travel on non-work trips, you can now take advantage of exclusive new discounts on airfares for Singapore Airlines and Air Canada flights.
Find your new best friend through UQ VETS. There are 3 pets currently looking for new homes – could you help them find their new forever families?
Project idea submissions for Round 3 of the Student–Staff Partnership (SSP) projects close on Friday 2 May. The SSP program empowers students and staff to collaborate on projects to shape teaching and learning, student experience, and governance and strategy at UQ. Visit the SSP website to learn more about the program and how you can submit a project idea to create change at UQ.

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