April 21, 2022

Change of venue for May graduation ceremonies

Wollongong graduation ceremonies now to be held at the University’s Wollongong campus

Since November 2021, the University of Wollongong (UOW) has been working hard to acknowledge and celebrate graduates who have missed out on in-person ceremonies due to COVID-19 by providing large-scale, in-person graduation ceremonies at WIN Entertainment Centre (WEC) from 2 to 4 May.

Unfortunately, the WIN Entertainment Centre is no longer available to the University from 2 to 4 May to host these graduation ceremonies. 

The University will now move graduation ceremonies scheduled to take place at the WEC to the Wollongong campus, with over 12,000 people – graduates, family and friends – expected to attend across the three days.

The University had been looking forward to taking this key celebration of our academic year into the heart of Wollongong.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson said: “We are incredibly disappointed that the WEC is not available for us to provide our students and their loved ones with a graduation experience in the heart of our city. Fortunately, we have been able to make available facilities on campus to deliver graduation celebrations that will be engaging, memorable and which will introduce new traditions.”

In acknowledgment of UOW’s campuses being located across several Aboriginal nations, UOW has been working to create new graduation traditions by weaving Aboriginal ceremonies into graduation. The blending of ancient practices and medieval traditions brings to life UOW’s vision for an inclusive, reconciled and united Australia where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are positioned as the knowledge holders of the Country.

“We look forward to welcoming back graduates with their families and friends onto our wonderful Wollongong campus for this momentous occasion, and we will be celebrating in style,” Professor Davidson said.

UOW’s plans for graduation ceremonies at Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre on 28 April remain in place.

The University will send information about changes to the Wollongong May graduation ceremonies directly to graduating students in the coming days.