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.
Tomorrow, Tuesday 2 December, is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Modern slavery occurs in Australia and around the world, and UQ is committed to addressing the risks in our operations and supply chains. Find resources – including our latest annual modern slavery statement, awareness training, and advice for helping at-risk students and reporting concerns – on UQ’s modern slavery response webpage.
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.
Develop your teaching skills by connecting curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to foster active student learning. Apply for Teaching@UQ for teaching staff (Summer Intensive and Semester 1) and Coordinating@UQ for course coordinators (Semester 1 Intensive) by Friday 12 December. Both courses are delivered at St Lucia and Gatton.
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.
This year’s final edition of UQ Update will be distributed on Monday 8 December. Please submit your stories and events before 5pm on Thursday 4 December to be considered for inclusion in this edition. We will restart our weekly distribution of UQ Update on Monday 19 January 2026. Before making a submission, please read the UQ Update guidelines so you can easily and quickly complete our submission form.
Visit the UQ Art Museum before it closes on Saturday 6 December to enable its relocation to a new purpose-built gallery in the Forgan Smith Tower, expected to open in 2027. Mayne Hall will then be restored as an event space. The 2026 Art Museum program is being finalised and will be released in the new year.
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.
Applications are now open for 2 complementary teaching courses offered by UQ’s Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Curriculum Design at UQ supports you to design or re-design a curriculum framework ready for implementation, while Teaching in Practice will help you develop a teaching enhancement project that matters to you. Apply by Friday 12 December (Curriculum Design) or Monday 5 January (Teaching in Practice).
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.
If you are a professional staff member at UQ, you can now register to join the UQ Professionals Network (UQPN) in 2026. For an annual tax-deductible fee of $35, you can access professional development workshops, structured mentoring and networking sessions, job alerts, and cross-unit knowledge sharing, along with invitations to the UQPN Annual Conference and other social events. Organisational units can also sponsor memberships for their staff.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 UQ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. During Teaching and Learning Week, we celebrated and recognised our colleagues' exceptional commitment to inspiring student learning, innovation, and educational leadership. Their achievements showcase UQ’s dedication to delivering outstanding teaching and creating transformative learning experiences for our students.
Academic staff can now apply for a grant to support collaborative research projects between UQ and the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The UQ-TUM Partnership Research Collaboration Grants Scheme strengthens institutional ties and fosters joint research initiatives. The scheme will award up to 3 grants – a maximum of $15,000 each. Submit your application before Tuesday 2 December.
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.
On Thursday 23 October, staff from across UQ were celebrated at the 2025 UQ Awards for Excellence. These annual awards highlight the exceptional achievements and contributions of our colleagues. Congratulations to all winners, commended staff, and nominees, and thank you to all staff who nominated their colleagues.
Windows 10 has now reached end of support. Microsoft is no longer releasing free security updates, bug fixes and technical support for Windows 10. If you use your own device that currently runs Windows 10, consider upgrading, disposing of, or replacing the device. For assistance, please contact your faculty, institute or area’s local ITS team.
The UQ Sport Aquatic Centre will be temporarily closed from Monday 1 December to Sunday 14 December to allow for essential maintenance and upgrade works to enhance the experience for all pool users. Please be advised that during this period, the Centre will be unavailable for all activities. The pool is anticipated to reopen on Monday 15 December.
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.