The University of Queensland’s St Lucia and Gatton campuses are bursting to life this morning, as new and returning students flock to a carnival of Orientation Week festivities to launch the 2019 academic year.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Joanne Wright urged all new students to attend O-Week.
“It’s a highlight of the University year, renowned for its colour, spectacle and food,” she said.
“Orientation Week introduces students to university life, helping them form new friendships in a fun environment while they become familiar with everything they’ll need to know when classes start next week.”
Students can take campus tours, join clubs and societies, attend Market Day and a welcome barbecue, and enjoy free food and entertainment all week.
“O-Week is an important step to starting university and making new friends, so make sure you get involved,” Professor Wright said.
At St Lucia, orientation activities are focused on the Great Court.
“New students who haven’t yet been to a Getting Started session should attend one this week,” Professor Wright said.
Attendance is compulsory for new international students.
All students should attend their program sessions. Information is available by selecting the relevant faculty and campus on this page.
Professor Wright said information about entertainment and events would be available at the Welcome Hub in the Great Court from 10am to 4pm daily.
A welcome barbecue for thousands of new and returning students will be held in the Great Court from 11am to 1pm tomorrow (Tuesday 19 February).
It will feature a welcome address, Indigenous performances, entertainment and the chance to meet some Australian wildlife.
More than 190 student clubs and societies will be showcased at Market Day (a twilight event at Gatton on Tuesday and from 10am to 2pm at St Lucia on Wednesday) alongside music, performances and chill-out zones.
“Market Day is not to be missed, with hundreds of stalls highlighting internal and external services, clubs, societies and programs,” Professor Wright said.
O-Week also offers:
- IT and e-learning sessions that cover setting up wifi access and student email accounts
- Academic and personal skills sessions designed to help students start the semester confidently, with workshops covering essay writing, referencing and time-management
- UQ Library sessions introducing students to UQ’s Library services, training and facilities.
The UQ Union is running a range of fun activities through the week.
More than 10,000 new students will begin university life at UQ this year.
Follow UQ Life on Facebook and Instagram for student events, photos, experiences and daily updates.
Semester one 2019 orientation activities are already completed at UQ’s Herston campus, as classes at Herston start earlier in the year.
Orientation Week will be followed by Success Week and Connect Week, giving students even more opportunities to settle into university.
Media: communications@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3346 7606.
