Mission, Goals and Strategic Plan

» UWS Making the Difference: Strategy 2007-2009

UWS aspires to be a place that brings positive change to the life opportunities of its students and a source of creativity and new knowledge that is relevant, robust and contributes to individual and community development.

The University’s place will be at the leading edge of knowledge, providing a contemporary education that builds successful lives and careers for our students and graduates, and conducting research that speaks to the development of urban and rural regions, the new economy, cultural life and professional development.

Our Mission

To be a university of international standing and outlook, achieving excellence through scholarship, teaching, learning, research and service to its regional, national and international communities, beginning with the people of Greater Western Sydney.

Our Values

UWS has a shared and explicit set of values which underpin all that it does:

• excellence and quality in all endeavours
• scholarly rigour and integrity
• equity of access and inclusiveness
• collegiality and participatory decision-making
• academic responsibility and freedom
• relevance and responsibility to our communities
• ethics and accountability

» Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan (PDF, 1.7 Mb)

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning within UWS will build the University’s reputation for excellence and scholarship in teaching based on professionalism of its staff and their commitment to students. UWS will:

1. provide distinctive, professionally oriented and flexible academic programs;
2. enhance the University’s reputation for educational excellence and scholarship in teaching resulting from the professionalism of staff and their commitment to students;
3. ensure a diverse student profile, and increase higher education participation rates of people from Greater Western Sydney;
4. provide a high quality, student-centred experience at UWS to improve student success and graduation rates; and
5. ensure that UWS students learn to learn, and graduate with the capacity to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world.

» Teaching and Learning Plan (PDF, 400 Kb)

Research

UWS will:

1. achieve outstanding performance in research and scholarship that is distinguished by its interdisciplinary focus and relevance to industry, government and the community;
2. substantially increase UWS’s profile in research output, income, and commercialisation of findings;
3. build productive research groups and university-wide research programs in areas that reflect UWS’s distinctive strengths and orientation of practical knowledge;
4. develop effective research partnerships with industries, organisations and communities in the Greater Western Sydney region, as well as nationally and internationally; and
5. establish distinctive research higher degree programs marked by their relevance to industry, government and community future.

» Research Plan (PDF, 710 Kb)

Regional and Community Engagement

Engagement begins with bringing knowledge to life in communities of Greater Western Sydney, and extends to the University’s wider role and reputation in the Sydney region, as well as its activities and identity as an Australian and international university. UWS will:

1. achieve national and international renown for leadership and scholarship in community engagement;
2. excel in the development and application of scholarship and knowledge in regional and community contexts;
3. make strategic use of resources and partnerships to provide leadership in community engagement and regional development; and
4. promote civil society and sustainable communities by building their social and intellectual capital.

» Regional and Community Engagement Plan (PDF, 430 Kb)