With many of us now returned to campus, I welcome you back for a new year.  I offer my particular thanks to colleagues who remained on deck throughout the holiday period.

In a year so dominated and disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, I had several reflections over the break.  Firstly, I want to acknowledge what a difficult year it was on so many fronts for members of the Macquarie community – many dimensions of work changing and a multitude of alterations to personal, professional and family life.  At the same time, I was and remain so impressed by just how adaptive our community was in responding to the challenges of the pandemic in 2020, further strengthening the strong sense of community and purpose that defines Macquarie University.

While 2021 offers the prospect of COVID-19 vaccines, we were reminded over the break, with outbreaks in the Northern Beaches and Western Sydney, that the pandemic continues to impact the University and test our response plans. We continue to be thankful for the coordinated approach to manage the pandemic being taken in New South Wales, especially as we receive news of the plight of so many societies around the world where the pandemic is far from under control. I appreciate too the work of the University’s COVID-19 Taskforce which continues to meet regularly to ensure the University’s operation in a COVID Safe manner.

We begin 2021 with continued change on the horizon as we consider the necessary steps to set the University on a course of sustainability and transforming the way we work to better meet the needs of our students and our staff.  As fast resolution of the impact of the pandemic has eluded the global community, there dawns for us all the reality of recognising that things will not return to the way they were before, ever.  So much will change, to mention just two: a) our students will expect a more consistently blended experience in their education, calling the academy to adapt our approach to pedagogy, and b) the need for travel for collaboration will lessen but of course not completely go away.  Both these arise directly from our experience of using technology.  We have adapted to new ways of working. These and many other adaptations will continue.

This year brings many challenges and also opportunities.  Our principal challenge is to continue to reinvent the University through the implementation of the Operating Plan.  At the very same time, that work is our opportunity – to come together as a resilient and adaptable community to secure the medium and long-term future of Macquarie.  This work is far more than finding a financial solution to the reality of continued downturn in international student enrolments due to border restrictions.  It is about deriving a new operating model on so many fronts to increase our performance, resilience and sustainability.

As we embark on our work together, I look forward to seeing you on campus – especially as we experience the new amenities of the Central Courtyard precinct which will be opened in coming weeks.

My commitment to the University community, and that of the Executive Group, is to ensure that we continue the established patterns of regular communication and that all change processes are underpinned by transparency and engagement, reflecting the values of our institution.

While I have no doubt that 2021 will also pose challenges, I am confident that together we can work to implement the changes necessary to ensure Macquarie emerges stronger and more sustainable.

I wish you all a productive start to the year and I thank you for your ongoing commitment to the University and our community.

With all good wishes for 2021.

Sincerely

SBD
Professor S Bruce Dowton
Vice-Chancellor