After being served breakfast by the Executive Group on arrival, staff sat under umbrellas at the water’s edge or lounged on blankets across the lawn, before heading back to their desks, lecture halls and laboratories to start the day.

“It was quite sweet, but also a very meaningful way for the Uni’s leadership to say thanks,” said new staff member Cassie Khamis. “The chance to chat with people I’ve only met in meetings so far was also great.”

Student Administration Advisor Alicia Fang also enjoyed the opportunity to connect with colleagues. “There’s so many people across campus doing amazing things, and meeting some of them at an event like this makes me feel quite honoured to work here.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor S. Bruce Dowton took a quick break from barbeque duties to thank everyone for their contributions to the life and work of the University.

“We are the trustees of this remarkable institution,” he said. “We are where we are today, in this very moment in time, because of all of you – the wonderful work that you do, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, year by year, as members of the staff of Macquarie University. And so in this, our jubilee year, I thank you all.”

Jubilee Breakfast: Thursday 20 November 2014
Photos: Chris Stacey

Over the past year, staff and students have had the opportunity to be involved in setting the University’s new strategic direction and celebrate our first 50 years of achievement. Last Thursday evening it was the turn of Macquarie’s wider community to come together to hear about these developments and to re-engage with the University.

Held at Mrs Macquarie Point, the Jubilee Gala Reception involved key government and industry representatives, alumni and patrons, donors, honorary doctorate recipients and past University leaders.

“Tonight is an opportunity for us to be among friends old and new, to reminisce and to show you how far our University has come, how different we are, and how bright our future is,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton.

Guests were introduced to the Shared Identity brand project and encouraged to spread the word about Macquarie’s bold vision for the future. They were also treated to a range of creative performances showcasing the depth of talent within our community. These included jazz from well-known Australian musician and Macquarie PhD alumnus Sandy Evans, as well as a lyrical contemporary dance, video and music piece – composed, produced, choreographed, directed and performed by Macquarie staff and students.

The event was deemed a great success in reconnecting with many influential supporters and in laying a platform for future fundraising campaigns.

Jubilee Trendsetter Panel and Alumni Reception

Over 130 guests from of the School of Education and Institute of Early Childhood (IEC) celebrated Macquarie’s Jubilee recently with a special revival of the ‘trendsetter’ panels of the 60s and 70s. Find out more.

“Through its research, a university enacts its commitment to society, solving problems, extending horizons, advancing technology and changing lives,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius. “We should be proud of our contribution to this advancement, and share our stories with the world.”

The Research Impact site features more than fifty stories written by university staff and offers easy access to the large scope of Macquarie’s research footprint. It is a platform for sharing success and celebrating the diversity of research conducted across Macquarie. It is a companion piece to the World-leading research, world-changing impactJubilee book, which will be launched at the Research Excellence Awards on 2 October.

“Whether it is cross-faculty, multi-disciplinary partnerships between the Australian School of Advanced Medicine and the Department of Ancient History, or the enigmatic celestial qualities of planetary nebulae, you are guaranteed to learn something new about Macquarie’s research activities,” said project manager Dr Erin Semon. “Featuring stories of past impact, ongoing development and future opportunity, the site brings together the work of Macquarie in its full breadth and depth.”

“It exemplifies what makes Macquarie different.”

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Office are keen to grow the showcase and welcome new submissions about our impact at the local, national and international levels. Share your story.

The Department of Ancient History celebrated the anniversary of their first lecture last week, with more than 200 staff, students and alumni turning out to hear the ‘Macquarie at 50, Augustus 2000’ lecture.

“The event embodied the old and new in Ancient History,” said Arts Events Officer Carly Quinn. “Two very special guests included the Founding Father of Ancient History at Macquarie, Professor Emeritus Edwin Judge, and our first ever Ancient History Honours Graduate.”

The event also marked the launch of the Faculty’s Jubilee event season.

Learn more about the Ancient History Department.

Professor David Wilkinson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Corporate Engagement & Advancement) invites you to hear how our Shared Identity will align with where the University is heading – by reclaiming the past.

The Shared Identity project brings the story of Macquarie to life like never before, with a new outlook for our brand that reflects our unique heritage and the roadmaps for change being implemented in research and learning and teaching. We’ve started this work in our Jubilee year to ensure that Macquarie is well positioned to face the challenges, and seize the opportunities that arise in the next 50 years and beyond.

This is an opportunity to unite behind a new, unified positioning that reflects our values and strategic priorities, and demonstrates a proactive approach to changes in our sector that require a bolder, more disruptive presence in our increasingly competitive external environment.

Veteran journalist Richard Morecroft will host a live Q&A session at the launch with the Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton, Professor Wilkinson and Erminio Putignano, Head of Strategy at Push Collective.

Where: E7B courtyard
When: 3pm, Tuesday 16 September

RSVP now

Shared Identity is an Our University: A Framing of Futures initiative under strategic priority 5: Emboldening Macquarie University’s recognition and international presence. Find out more

A ‘learning circle’ was unveiled this morning to honour our long-standing relationship with the Darug people, the traditional occupants of the lands on which Macquarie is built, and also to pay respects to the elders both past and present.

Hosted by the Department of Indigenous Studies (Warawara), the launch event saw Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton joined by members of the Darug nation for the unveiling of the ‘learning circle’, which will be a permanent feature on our campus.

Purposefully built to provide a culturally safe place for yarns, community meetings and other Indigenous events, the sacred space acknowledges the significance of this style of sharing for Aboriginal people as a way of handing down knowledge.

The Jubilee event commenced with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony conducted by respected Elder Lexodious Dadd (known as Uncle Lex), followed by a traditional dance performance, and the unveiling of a plaque to mark the continuation of our relationship.

Other speakers included the Head of Warawara, Associate Professor Michelle Trudgett, an Indigenous scholar from the Wiradjuri Nation in Central-West New South Wales, and Auntie Elaine Chapman, a Wiradjuri woman and Elder in Residence at Warawara, who provides cultural support for Indigenous students and staff.

Watch the celebration’s highlights:

Share your story on our Jubilee Hub.

12 June 1964 saw the proclamation of the Macquarie University Act in the NSW State Parliament. 50 years later, more than 500 staff celebrated the launch of our Golden Jubilee, reflecting on highlights of our first 50 years and sharing ideas for the 50 to come.

“Governor Macquarie would be proud,” began Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Crouch. “His legacy and the vision of our founding fathers positioned us well.”

Crouch then paid respect to our pioneering students, including those involved in wider social movements such as gender and racial equality, emerging environmental issues, and their powerful stance against the war in Vietnam, holding political debates, discussions on pacifism, screening anti-war films and conducitng protest marches.

“Macquarie continues to promote these ideals of equality, and remains at the vanguard of science and technology,” she said.

Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton took time to consider and acknowledge the accomplishments the University has made and reflect upon his past two years here. “When I joined Macquarie, it was very clear to me, that this was a University of enormous potential; a university on its ascendant trajectory, capable of becoming one of the greatest Australian universities, and competing with the best in the world. All this remains true today, and I believe that we have well and truly set our course for greatness in the past 24 months.”

Looking forward, Professor Dowton says that the size and the shape of Macquarie is a long-term goal that will not be realised in the near future, but the work we do now will lay the foundations for the Macquarie of the future.

“Since our foundation 50 years ago, we have grown at an incredible pace and in every direction, to the credit of everyone involved,” said Professor Dowton. “We must now consider, deeply and carefully, how we shape ourselves for the years to come and capitalise on opportunities for growth that will help us achieve our long-term objectives, but we must not grow for its own sake, nor allow ourselves to follow paths that lead us from our ultimate goals.”

Following the Deputy Chancellor and Vice-Chancellors’ speeches, guests were treated to bagpipers honouring the 93^rd Scottish highlands regiment, a sea of celebratory golden jubilee cupcakes and the chance to sign a giant canvas, destined to be buried in a time capsule on campus, and opened again at our centenary. Other opportunities to sign this campus will occur throughout the year – watch this space.

As the sod turns

Earlier in the day, staff and students took part in a sod-turning ceremony – signifying the first step of our campus Master Plan and the start of our next 50 years – using soil gathered from the Macquarie Lighthouse.

Professor Dowton said it was symbolic of a new beginning and a different road for the University. “We started out as a University on a road that others had not trod before, but we now use this symbolism of the launching of the Master Plan with the creation of a more accessible, vibrant and safe campus, enabling a stronger sense of community, to make the campus more welcoming, not just to internal members of our community, but also visitors to the University. This land and site will be protected and reserved as a place of welcome, learning and discovery for the very long haul.”

Visit the Jubilee Hub for a look back at Macquarie’s history and share your story.

Thursday 12 June is our official anniversary, marking fifty years since the foundation of our University with the passage of the Macquarie University Act through the New South Wales Parliament in 1964. Over the intervening period we have emerged as one of the Australia’s leading universities in education and research.

This University was founded to be different. We have always challenged tradition and found new ways of doing things that drove innovation and questioned conventional wisdom. In so doing, we have established new traditions that encourage curiosity, foster creativity and enhance new understandings of the world we live in.

Some fantastic stories about our last 50 years – and the next 50 to come – have been collected by and for our staff, students and alumni to reflect on and interact with.

Share your story on the Jubilee hub.

Find out more about the celebration on Thursday 12 June.

As part of this year’s Jubilee celebrations, project manager Imogen Broomhead and OVC Graduate Intern James Burman have been exploring ideas to connect Macquarie’s past and future in creative and engaging ways.

One idea led them to Watson’s Bay on a wet Thursday afternoon to dig up soil from the Macquarie Lighthouse, to be used at ceremonies in the coming months to represent the University’s link with its history, and insert into a time capsule along with other memorabilia for future generations.

A Sydney Foreshore representative gave the team a history of the landmark and helped identify soil that would be suitable, as much of the area has been landscaped using soil from other parts of Sydney, but some areas remain untouched. It was this ‘original’ soil that the team were  keen to collect, and happily were able to return to campus with a decent sample of.

The lighthouse is a traditional symbol of the University that features on our official crest to this day. Find out more about our link to Lachlan Macquarie and our ‘radical’ coat of arms.