ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app

March 5, 2025

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app celebrates 50 years of impact

Year-long 50th Anniversary activities announced

This year the University of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app (ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app) is celebrating 50 years as an independent institution.

As thousands of students return to the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app campus for the start of the 2025 Autumn session, they are being greeted by 50th Anniversary flags, signage and merchandise featuring imagery celebrating ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s evolution over half a century.

To mark the milestone, a calendar of events has been announced celebrating the University’s achievements, highlighting the people and the community who have made ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app successful across the past five decades.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app has a rich history in delivering high-quality education and research. The planned celebrations aim to highlight the impact, inspiration and innovation of the people of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app past and present.

The 50th Anniversary program, launched today (Wednesday 5 March), invites staff, students, alumni and the community to join in the anniversary celebrations throughout the year. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app will host events, talks, seminars and reunions and share inspirational stories to honour the University's legacy and inspire excitement about its future. 

Launching in March, 50 Voices shares the stories of the people who make ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app – from the labs to the library to the lawns. The multimedia project will share the stories of staff, students, alumni, volunteers, and community members about how ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app has shaped their lives, and how they in turn have helped shape ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app.

From July to December the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Gallery will present 50 Artist: 50 Years, showcasing works by 50 nationally, and internationally recognised artists affiliated with ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app, including alumni and staff. The exhibition highlights the diversity and significance of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Art Collection, with many works rarely seen before.

The 50^th Anniversary Gala on 12 September will be an opportunity to honour and celebrate ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s impact in teaching, education, research and innovation over the past five decades and acknowledge the achievements of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app graduates.

On 25 October the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app campus will host a Celebrity Cricket Match to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease research, featuring ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app ambassador Adam Gilchrist alongside local sports stars and personalities.  

Interim Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Eileen McLaughlin said the University has plenty to be proud of and the 50th Anniversary will be an exciting chapter in ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s history. 

“Fifty years is a milestone to be immensely proud of. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app plays an integral role in the Illawarra, across the nation and globally. The University has made an indelible mark by embracing excellence and innovation,” Senior Professor McLaughlin said.

“Our community of students, staff, alumni and honoraries are our life blood and this milestone is a vital time to stop and appreciate the hard work and dedication of the people and valued partnerships that have made the institution what it is today, a global leader.

“Our 50th Anniversary activities offer the perfect opportunity to reflect on the many achievements over the years and the many success stories of our students, alumni and staff.”

Founded to provide tertiary education to support the region’s steel industry, in 1975 legislation passed to establish ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app as an independent institution. The University has since developed into an internationally recognised teaching and research institution ranked among the top one per cent of universities in the world.

From ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s first campus on the lands of Five Islands Dreaming, nestled at the foot of Mt Djeera (Keira), ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app has expanded to nine Australian and five international campuses.

For more information about the 50th Anniversary and the calendar of events please visit ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s website /50-years/.