Message from the Chancellor, David Gonski AC

Dear all,

I am delighted to report that by agreement between the UNSW Council and the President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Jacobs, his contract has been extended until 2025.

As the driving force behind UNSW’s ambitious 2025 Strategy, Professor Jacobs has made an enormous contribution to setting UNSW on a path for the future. 

Since arriving at UNSW in 2015, Professor Jacobs has inspired students and staff alike to think more creatively and collaboratively to maximise their positive impact on the lives of people, not only in NSW and Australia, but across the globe. During the last three years, demand for a UNSW education domestically and internationally has grown and our reputation as a university, capable of both research and social impact, has grown.

Professor Jacobs’ strategic initiatives have involved all aspects of UNSW’s academic activities, including ambitious objectives for research, education, thought leadership, equity and diversity, knowledge transfer and global impact as well as all components of our professional services. Under his leadership, the University has mobilised over $3B for investment in the 2025 Strategy, while also delivering major developments in our estate and infrastructure.

Professor Jacobs has placed particular emphasis on collaboration and partnership. Our new partnerships in the last three years include: the NUW Alliance, which connects UNSW with the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong; the PLuS Alliance with Arizona State University and King’s College London; the creation of SPHERE, the Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise which he chairs; our work with ACOSS; the Sydney Culture network led from UNSW; our partnership with Gulu University in Uganda; and the development of the $100M Torch Innovation Precinct at UNSW. He is currently taking the same collaborative approach as Chair of the Group of 8 universities.

As we move towards 2025, Professor Jacobs will continue to oversee UNSW’s transformation, from our major recruitment effort and inspired learning initiative, through the launch of our Futures Institutes and the rollout of UNSW3+ next year, to our journey to become the first university campus to be carbon neutral through solar energy by 2020 and delivering our targets for equity and diversity.

I take this opportunity to thank Professor Jacobs for the tremendous effort, support and leadership he has shown to date and I look forward to continuing to work with him to see this world-class institution grow even stronger.

David Gonski AC
Chancellor
UNSW Sydney