Message from the Chancellor

Driving inclusive impact

Throughout Horizon 2025, Swinburne set out to become the prototype of a new and different university, one defined by technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. We set ourselves ambitious moon shots, such as ensuring every learner has a meaningful industry-engaged experience and that every graduate is equipped to take or create a job. These goals have shaped our identity and helped define our social licence – the trust placed in us by students, staff, industry and the broader community to deliver education and research that is relevant, inclusive and impactful.

That trust must be continually earned. In 2025, Swinburne reaffirmed our commitment to integrity, transparency and accountability across all aspects of our governance and operations. We strengthened governance frameworks to ensure clear accountability and trusted decision-making at every level, and we deepened engagement with our university community. These are not mere procedural changes; they are foundational to sustaining public confidence, demonstrating responsible leadership and ensuring that Swinburne remains a responsive and resilient institution.

As we look to the future, Ad Astra_2030 defines the shape of Swinburne’s strategic direction: to be a university where people and technology come together to create a better and more inclusive, sustainable and innovative world. Building on the strong foundations of Horizon 2025, this strategy sets a new benchmark for what a university can achieve in a rapidly changing world. At its core are our quantum leaps – transformational, interconnected initiatives that will accelerate our impact and position Swinburne at the forefront of global innovation. Through these, we will lead in next-generation technologies and inclusive, globally connected education.

Just as our moon shots redefined ambition, our quantum leaps signal a new era of purpose-driven progress as we reach further, deliver more, and shape a better future for our learners, partners and communities around the world. As we embrace this new era, we do so with a deep sense of responsibility to continue earning the trust placed in us. This is the essence of our social licence: not only to educate, but to lead with integrity, respond with agility, and create lasting value for society.

Growing global reputation

Our growing global reputation reflects that ambition. In 2025, Swinburne was ranked among the world’s top 300 universities by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities. We also continued to excel in graduate outcomes. The Good Universities Guide and the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching ranked Swinburne first in Victoria for graduate salaries, employment outcomes and student satisfaction across multiple disciplines and levels of study.

In parallel with these recognitions, we expanded our global and industry engagement. In 2025, Swinburne became the first Australian university to offer degrees in Qatar, partnering with Barzan University College to deliver programs in computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business and foundation studies. This milestone exemplifies our ambition to be a globally connected and accessible university, equipping learners everywhere with the knowledge, skills and mindset to thrive in a tech-rich future.

Advancing future industries

We also played a central role in advancing national industry capability, becoming a founding partner in the $270.5 million Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre. This landmark collaboration, involving more than 100 research, industry and government partners, will transform Australia’s aerospace, healthcare and construction sectors. Swinburne brings decades of expertise in advanced materials and digital manufacturing, a testament to our enduring commitment to research with real-world impact.

Looking ahead as One Swinburne

I would like to acknowledge the devoted, diligent leadership of Swinburne’s Council and Executive throughout the year. And my sincere thanks to our staff, students and partners – you are Swinburne University of Technology and the reason it achieves what it does. That has been true since the beginning of our story and it remains true as we embark on this next phase of growth and transformation.

Our new strategic plan charts a visionary course for the years ahead and it reaffirms our identity. We are a university that listens, partners, adapts and leads. And through the quantum leaps of Ad Astra_2030, we are poised to deliver even greater value to our learners, our nation and our global community.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Vice-Chancellor Professor Pascale Quester for her exceptional leadership, vision and unwavering dedication to Swinburne throughout this transformative period. She has been instrumental in advancing our strategic goals and reinforcing Swinburne’s position as a global leader in technology, innovation and education.

As Chancellor, I am honoured to serve an institution that is unafraid to lead, unafraid to evolve and deeply committed to making a difference. The coming years will bring both opportunity and challenge, but with a united community and a clear sense of purpose, I have every confidence in Swinburne’s trajectory.

Together, we have achieved much. And together, we will continue to expand the boundaries of what a university can be and achieve.