Since joining the University 10 months ago, Professor Rorden Wilkinson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), has come to recognise a distinct ‘Macquarie Advantage’. Here, he explains how it can guide us as we set a strategic course for the future.

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It has been an extraordinary first 10 months at Macquarie and I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received from everyone here. The genuine desire of the Macquarie community to provide a transformational educational experience, and the care and compassion that they show towards our students, is humbling.

It is clear that our unique advantage lies in the quality of our teaching, the experiences we craft for our students, our industry connections, our collaborative culture, and the values of care and compassion that underpin our University.

As we navigate the shifting sands of the higher education landscape, our unique advantage will guide us into the future. We have the opportunity to build on the areas where we have genuine strength, where we can make meaningful improvements, and where we might be sector pioneers.

The University has already begun thinking strategically about how we might build on the Macquarie Advantage. Colleagues and students have been helping with the initial designs for this strategy. I am grateful for their insights and look forward to engaging with the broader University community in the months ahead to understand our collective aspirations for the future of education at Macquarie.

I have been fortunate to speak with many Macquarie alumni since joining the University, all of whom have shared with me the extraordinary impact our education has had on their lives. Their time at Macquarie really did prove to be transformational. I am delighted to be part of a community so committed to making a difference in the world.