Advancing Melbourne Globally 2030

From the Vice-Chancellor

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Advancing Melbourne Globally, the University of Melbourne’s global plan to 2030.
We are inherently a global institution, enriched by our international knowledge partnerships, our diverse community, and our impact and contribution on the world stage. Leading, convening and collaborating through strategic partnerships on a global scale is integral to the future of the University.
The rapid internationalisation of education highlights the need for a modern university to be global, attracting the best and brightest from across the world, developing global competencies that transcend borders, disciplines and cultures.  
Education and research are increasingly at the forefront of international relationships and the University continues to play a key role in global knowledge partnerships, fostering a culture of international collaboration with governments, universities and innovation companies around the globe.
Advancing Melbourne Globally expresses the University’s commitment internationally and our role in Asia and the Pacific. We are a global university based in a dynamic region that is rapidly becoming a hub for education, research and collaboration. We are cognisant of the opportunities presented by our place in this vibrant region, as well as our obligation to build and maintain deep knowledge of, and with, the societies of our region.

Professor Duncan Maskell
Vice-Chancellor

Global place

Building on our Asian and Pacific location and expertise to grow as a global destination and partner of choice

Our location informs the University of Melbourne’s identity and approach to education, research and global partnerships.

Our enduring Indigenous heritage and the University’s extensive cultural commons reflect the story of Australia, our interactions with the world and continues to shape our global connections today. We are committed to ensuring that our understanding of our place in the world is informed first and foremost by the Indigenous history and heritage of the First Nations peoples of the places on which our campuses stand: the Boonwurrung, Wurundjeri, Dja Dja Wurrung peoples and the Yorta Yorta nation.

The University has long established links across Asia and the Pacific and recognises the importance of enduring relationships for Australia’s future. Our ambition is to be a partner of choice for universities, academics, students and companies, who are attracted to partnering with us by our expertise and deep connections to the world’s most dynamic region. We are committed to playing a leading role in interpreting the defining dynamics and events in the region and cementing our role as a hub of knowledge in the world’s most populous, consequential and vibrant region, Asia and the Pacific.

Our scholars hold broad and rich expertise, together with a diverse and nuanced understanding of a complex region. Our engagement, through Australia’s leading regionally-oriented institutes – Asialink, the Asia Institute, the Australia India Institute, the Asian Law Centre and the Oceania Institute – help inform a global understanding of Asia and the Pacific and guide Australia’s relationship with its neighbours.

The quality of our education positions us as a leader in and for the region. The Melbourne curriculum, unique in Australia and aligned with leading global universities, emphasises attributes of discovery and self-ownership of each student’s educational journey. It places students at the heart of our university and provides the ability to create individual pathways, shaped by our commitments to research-led inquiry, critical thinking and a global mindset.

The University of Melbourne is Australia’s largest research university, and our comprehensive research-intensity is foundational to our regional and global footprints. Key to our success is the clustering of disciplines into research precincts and centres, creating dynamic ecosystems of academics, research institutes, hospitals, industry and government agencies.

We have a responsibility to ensure that our global engagement is informed and attuned to the place, environment and communities of our partners. Our relationships in Asia and the Pacific will benefit from enhanced presences in the region. Through a network of University of Melbourne Global Centres, we will foster an embedded connection with our partners and the broader communities they operate in – further enhancing our role in the region.

We will continue to focus on issues faced by societies across Asia and the Pacific, understanding local and Indigenous solutions and collaborating with partners to share knowledge, skills and leadership specific to the region. Creating communities of practice with world-class institutions and leveraging new forms of sustainably minded international networking will be critical to ensure that the University can stay true to our global values through volatile times.

In a rapidly evolving global environment, we are committed to the University’s place to lead, convene and collaborate through strategic partnerships on a global scale.

Global reach

Expanding the international impact, profile and engagement of our university through collaboration

Global engagement through a dynamic network of strategic partnerships and collaborations is essential to the University of Melbourne’s ambition to convene the best and brightest students and researchers, innovations in education and research, and opportunities to advance our mission and values.

Our international partnerships help shape our own understanding of the world and help to support educational capacity across the region. They elevate the University’s impact and engagement with universities, governments, business and community organisations to address global complex challenges. Institutional partnerships and network alliances bring together a global community of ideas and scholars. They provide opportunities for our academics, students and professional staff to learn from an international community, bolstering collaboration and cooperation.

Educational partnerships are a cornerstone of Australia’s diplomatic and economic relations. As a leading university in Asia and the Pacific we have a distinctive role and responsibility. Our established relationships with partners in the region have created rich educational and knowledge collaborations, as well as policy outcomes, and helped shape the University’s global impact and engagement.

The University’s international research collaborations have expanded in scale and scope over the past decade, and international research partnerships continue to be a growth priority, increasing our research quality and impact. We will continue to invest in initiatives such as our International Research Training Groups with partners across Asia, Europe and the Americas and in initiatives that support our deep engagement with institutions, corporations and governments with whom we can jointly address research goals.

Partnering with like-minded institutions, we maintain established reseadestrch and knowledge collaborations with universities across the globe. These collaborations enable us to take leading roles in tackling the world’s global challenges, including societal challenges such as statelessness, hunger and racism, societal shifts such as ageing, urbanisation and climate adaptation, and the demands of addressing climate, energy, sustainability, disability and health.

As members of dynamic multilateral educational networks, we connect with an international community of universities. These linkages reflect Melbourne’s global reach and long-standing commitment to advance the impact of our research, education and global standing. Through these conversations and international communities, we will work to expand the opportunities for our students, academics and professional staff to enrich their studies, expertise and experience through international engagements.

We are invested in attracting the best researchers from around the world and nurturing research careers. Our cohort of global scholars, teachers and professionals utilise the breadth of their heritage, history and experiences into the fabric of our University. An inter-cultural understanding of the world is embedded into our outlook, our curriculum, through our staff and student communities.

We are committed to creating more opportunities to expand our reach, building meaningful connections and solutions with our partners and communities across the globe.

Global perspectives

Embedding global awareness and experiences at the heart of our education, research and engagement

A University of Melbourne education is a distinct experience aligned with those offered by the world’s leading universities. Our curriculum sets our students apart and prepares them with the attributes and capabilities for any roles they choose to pursue over the course of their career.

Integral to this are global and Indigenous perspectives, languages and knowledges. We are committed to providing our graduates with a global mindset and the competence and confidence to operate in diverse cultural contexts.

By embedding global perspectives into our Melbourne curriculum, we will foster the cultural competency of our graduates. Our Internationalisation of the Curriculum initiative supports the incorporation of international, Indigenous and intercultural elements into the curriculum design. These initiatives provide real tools, resources and examples in the classroom, enhancing critical thinking skills and help build capabilities to develop world class learning experiences. They prepare students for global lives and careers, ensuring that our graduates are skilled and engaged global citizens.

We are focused on working with our partners and networks to offer a broader range of international study experiences, both on and offshore, and help build intercultural capabilities throughout our student cohorts. The University of Melbourne will provide every undergraduate student with the opportunity to study overseas or off-campus in an intensive Indigenous and intercultural context, during their degree.

Our offshore learning experiences expose our students to new cultures and languages, help develop valuable skills and prepare our graduates for a global future. We are committed to strengthening student experiences and programs in Asia and the Pacific, embedding strong Asia capabilities into our graduate attributes and equipping students with the skills required to meaningfully engage with and actively participate in our region.

The same principles are applied to our research training. Our graduate research candidates can work with global leaders in their fields and, with them, to develop an understanding of the nature and impact of their work in a global context.

Our large and diverse international student population enriches our campus and our classrooms, providing all students with access to a diversity of perspectives and creating a dynamic and challenging educational environment. Our programs and campuses further benefit from a vibrant study abroad and exchange community who come from across the world to Melbourne. We are committed to increasing mobility opportunities for all students, identifying the intersections between global and local experiences and embedding Indigenous knowledges, histories and cultures into programs based in Melbourne, in Australia and overseas.

To continue our traditions of excellence and innovation, the University of Melbourne must continue to learn from global best practice in education, research, community engagement and campus life. We will continue to provide opportunities for staff exchanges with our global partners, and to monitor how leading universities across the world are innovating, while demonstrating to our partners our own innovations in practice.

We are engaged with international partners to be at the forefront of ways in which universities can enrich the communities within which they are located.

The University is committed to creating partnerships around core academic values and providing strong voices in public debate. University of Melbourne expertise will play an increasingly prominent role in discussions and debates on the major challenges facing Asia, the Pacific and the world. We are working with valued global partners to identify practical ways in which universities can engage with, promote, and protect the fundamental principles of open inquiry and freedom of expression.

Global community

Activating our expertise and capabilities for the global public good

For 170 years, our purpose has focused on shaping positive societal impact. Advancing Melbourne firmly reminds us of the University’s role and responsibilities in addressing major social, economic and environmental problems in partnership with local communities and our global network.

Our leadership in areas of Indigenous knowledge exchanges and global First Nations engagement will continue to anchor our international relations. We are committed to playing a leading role in developing global Indigenous research and education networks, working with Indigenous and First Nations leaders and communities, partner institutions, governments and community groups to deepen mutual understanding and foster connections between global Indigenous communities.

We will deepen our engagement with global communities, with a focus on Asia and the Pacific, through the strengthening of institutional partnerships, curriculum initiatives and people-to-people linkages. Listening to, and learning from our neighbours, building true partnerships and ensuring that regional voices, perspectives and experiences are placed firmly at the heart of our curriculstraum, enriches our programs and student experiences.

We are focused on raising the impact and reach of the University to support a sustainable development agenda and sustainability challenges specific to Asia and the Pacific. We will increase our understanding of sustainability from an Indigenous perspective. In collaboration and consultation with partners, we will develop programs that support communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, addressing the specific and unique challenges faced by the region and enabling students and researchers to actively contribute.

We are playing a leading role in Australia to support refugee inclusion and access to tertiary education. Bringing together expertise from across the University, we will continue to support refugee communities and people seeking asylum, highlighting opportunities for the University to strengthen its policies and practices and addressing the challenges faced by students and academics experiencing structural marginalisation.

Ensuring that our student cohort reflects the diversity and breadth of our global community is an essential component of the University’s relationship with the region.

We are proud of our international students and staff. In 2023, 41% of our student cohort are international students, arriving from over 150 countries, and integral to the fabric of our university community. We celebrate the diversity of our students and their cultural heritage, with celebrations across campuses and shared across cultures.  A culturally diverse classroom and student experience benefits all students, surfacing different perspectives, building cultural and social awareness and creating leaders for a global economy.

We are committed to aligning our global student population more closely to the demographics of our region and the world. The University will continue to diversify our international student community, investing in recruiting the most talented students from across Asia and the Pacific, and the world, and creating a culture that embraces diversity as a collective strength.

The globalised nature of the student experience continues after graduation through a growing network of 450,000 alumni living and working across the world. Through our global alumni networks and associations, enduring connections mean the University of Melbourne experience continues long after graduation.

We will work in collaboration with a global network, to address the region’s major social, economic and environmental challenges, learning with and from local partners and our global community.

Summary

Global Place

Building on our Asian and Pacific location and expertise to grow as a global destination and partner of choice.

• Be recognised as a leading global university in Asia and the Pacific, with a depth and breadth of expertise to become the global destination and partner of choice for the region
• Leverage the scale and dynamism of the University’s precincts and centres to lead and convene powerful global collaborations
• Enhance the University’s physical presence in the region with the establishment of an offshore network of Global Centres
• Deepen collaborations with partners in Asia and the Pacific and leverage our global convening power for independent, evidence-based discussion to help address complex shared challenges.

Global reach

Expanding the international impact, profile and engagement of our university through collaboration

• Develop international partnerships and collaborations that amplify our ability to tackle global challenges and enhance the University's education and research aspirations
• Broaden and deepen our engagement in Asia and the Pacific in ways that enrich academic capabilities and opportunity through the region
• Create opportunities for students, graduate researchers, academics and professional staff to enrich their studies, expertise and experience through an expanded set of international engagement opportunities.

Global perspectives

Embedding global awareness and experiences at the heart of our education, research and engagement

• Build global awareness and intercultural competence by embedding global learning and Indigenous perspectives into the student experience
• Encourage the integration of international and Indigenous perspectives and materials into the curriculum, providing a rich library of materials and approaches to curriculum internationalisation
• Through a Global Education Pledge, guarantee our students opportunities to participate in a wide range of international, Indigenous and intercultural education experiences.

Global community

Activating our expertise and capabilities for the global public good

• Place international Indigenous knowledge partnerships at the centre of our global engagement
• Increase the focus and impact of the University’s expertise to contribute to the region's sustainable development agenda
• Strengthen access and support for refugee communities and people seeking asylum to navigate the higher education experience
• Diversify our global student profile and recruit the most talented students from across Asia and the Pacific, and the world
• Strengthen connections with our global alumni communities, in Australia and internationally.