Community Relations

UWA’s links with the community continue to grow—directly through the activities of the University and staff interaction with the community, as well as through the continuing generosity of groups and individuals who provide new endowments, bequests and other gifts for the benefit of the University and the State.

As well, the promotion of the achievements of staff and students to the community at large, including business and government decision makers, helps provide them with a stronger understanding of the University’s ability to add value to the community, the State and the Nation as a whole.

In 2001, the range of activities that encouraged community involvement remained extensive—including those organised by UWA Extension, UWA Press, the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, the Perth International Arts Festival, the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, Public Affairs and the Office of Development.

The Hackett Foundation
UWA’s Hackett Foundation has performed very strongly in 2001. The Office of Development undertook the first ever alumni tele-mail campaign, raising more than $600,000. In 2001, the inaugural Annual Alumni Gift was aimed specifically at developing a permanent home for the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, and for new student scholarships. The response to this first campaign, which included a mail-out to some 30,000 alumni and follow-up phone calls by current students, was such that we have also been able to identify a significant number of alumni now considering bequests of many millions of dollars.

Since the establishment of the Hackett Foundation in 1998, the University has received $8.3 million in donations and $5.7 million in pledges. Added to the bequest program which is tracking towards $11 million (well above expectations), the Foundation has raised a total of $25 million.

Other major activities driven by the Office of Development in 2001 have included:

• launching the Dental Foundation (which has so far raised $500,000);
• launching the Fogarty Foundation’s Success through Educational Excellence Scholarships and Prizes in the Faculty of Education ($250,000 over five years initially);
• establishing a series of memorial funds across the faculties (totalling $150,000 including support for scholarships and research);
• establishing the UWA Sports Alumni initiative with the UWA Sport and Recreation Association. A number of Club Foundations have been generated to provide scholarships (with particular emphasis on Australian rules football, rugby, tennis, hockey, rowing and cricket), raising more than $200,000 this year;
• establishing a new Chair in Classics funded for five years by Italy’s Cassamarca Foundation ($800,000);
• establishing two senior lectureships in Italian Studies funded by the Cassamarca Foundation beyond the initial three-year period, for a further three years (approximately $400,000).

Development-Convocation links
During the later part of the year, the Office of Development relocated to the corner of Stirling Highway and Broadway, into a building which will provide a bold new front from which to embark on relationship building, alumni and corporate networking and fundraising initiatives. Convocation—the UWA Graduates Association—has also moved into the building, establishing stronger links between the two offices and facilitating the development of a new package of benefits for graduates. Along with these developments has been a major improvement to the alumni database which will help us track the careers of our graduates, ensuring the University can remain relevant to their needs. In 2001, new alumni groups have been established in Brisbane and Hobart, while we have built stronger links with our many other alumni groups both across Australia and across the globe.

Public Affairs
An important element in sustaining the interface between the University and the wider community is the role of Public Affairs, which has ensured the University continues to be the first point of contact for media-seeking comment on the entire range of issues which have the potential to impact on the community. Throughout the year, the activities of the University, its staff and students, gained mention in more than 6000 reports in the local and national media.