October 11, 2016

Study tour to bring fresh insights to campus life

McKinnon Walker grant bringing world-leading ideas to UOW’s campus.

The inaugural grant from the McKinnon Walker Trust is providing an opportunity for seven UOW students and key staff to examine world’s best practice in developing campus environments and learning and teaching spaces by visiting universities in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.

The McKinnon Walker Trust was launched earlier this year (2016) and comprised a $1.3 million gift to the University from former Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Professor Ken McKinnon AO and his wife Suzanne Walker.

Annual grants from the fund endowment will be used to support innovative programs, activities and ideas.

The study tour is linked to the recently released 2016–2036 Wollongong Campus Master Plan, a document that guides the future direction and planning for the University over the next 20 years.

Following the tour the participants will present a written report to the UOW Executive and broader campus community.

Leading institutions on the tour include Johns Hopkins University, North Carolina State University and the University of California, Berkeley, in the US; ETH Zurich, Malmo University, Technical University of Denmark in Europe and Lancaster University in the UK.

Each location has been selected for its excellence and innovative approach to the student experience.

Bailey Bond, a Bachelor of Commerce student who is representing the Faculty of Business on the tour, said it was a rare opportunity to visit eight institutes around the globe, bring back ideas and potentially see them implemented.

Bailey is also President of the UOW Food Enthusiast Society and passionate about the campus experience.

“I received the email about the Campus Master Plan asking us to have a say, so I went and checked it out,” he said.

“I believe a student’s learning experience should be supported by the social experience. A lot is already happening and in the future I’d love to see UOW open longer beyond the traditional 9am to 5pm.

“Through this tour I thought I could have an influence of my own institution and I think that’s really cool. It’s also an opportunity for me to grow as an individual.”

Human Geography PhD student and lecturer Sophie-May Kerr said she was enthused about the clear link between what she was studying in her PhD and the practical study of people and place on the tour.

“It’s an opportunity to practically implement the ideas and ways of thinking I’ve learned for the past seven years and participate in hands-on thinking about the designing of spaces for people,” she said.

“I’m also teaching at UOW and had different experiences in learning and teaching so it will be interesting to see what other campuses are doing in that area.”

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings CBE said the tour afforded the selected students an opportunity to broaden their horizons as they represent their institution in an international setting and provide insight and recommendations from international best-practice that will benefit future UOW students.

“The professional staff on the tour will also benefit from the prospect of examining excellence at leading universities and ensure the student voice is featured in key developments at the University.

“A tour of this magnitude would not be possible without the McKinnon Walker Trust.

"Philanthropy and vision combined provides a margin of excellence for the University of Wollongong, and we thank Ken and Suzanne for their generous support,” Professor Wellings said.