Social Justice Report

It includes case studies, profiles and reflections on the year that was, and demonstrates how we are using our expert knowledge and resources to make the world a better place.

Key highlights from the 2023 report include:

• Professor Anne Summers' research leading to changes to the single parents payment in the 2023 Federal Budget.
• UTS joining forces with 11 other universities to launch the Australian Refugee Welcome University Sponsorship Consortium.
• UTS being named as one of two Australian universities to be awarded the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.
• Launching the UTS Social Impact Dashboards, which aggregate data to measure our progress against our university-wide social justice goals.
• Sharing the innovative designs dreamed up for the National First Nations College architectural design competition.

Read the 2023 Social Justice Report

A few words from our Vice-Chancellor and President – Professor Andrew Parfitt

I am pleased to present the 2023 Social Justice Report.

UTS’s commitment to social justice and how we serve our community is fundamental to who we are as an institution, underpinning our teaching and research. The achievements of our university community throughout 2023 are a testament to this, and it is satisfying to see the ideas that can be brought to life when brilliant minds work together for social good.

We know that education has the power to transform lives. However, not everyone has equal access to higher education in Australia, and as a university, we seek to address this, ensuring the opportunity to attend university is available to all. While we still have much to do, this report shows the outcomes of some of our current pathways and programs.

We are pleased to have joined forces with 11 other universities to launch the Australian Refugee Welcome University Sponsorship Consortium. The consortium will co-design a groundbreaking, education-led blueprint for refugee resettlement in Australia.

This initiative is an extension of our strong commitment to supporting refugee and asylum seeker students through our sector-renowned Humanitarian Scholarship Program, as well as displaced academics through our participation in the Scholars at Risk initiative.

Backed by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Professor Anne Summers AO released The Choice: Violence or Poverty, a report into the impacts of domestic violence. This research was pivotal in the Australian Government’s decision to change the criteria for single parents receiving welfare support. Previously, support was cut off when a recipient’s youngest child turned 8. Through the work of Anne and other advocates like her, it has since been raised to 14. This is just one of many examples of the work of our researchers having immediate and tangible real-world impacts on society.

In November, UTS was named as one of two Australian universities to be awarded the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, recognising our community engagement work.

This comes after the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report, released in March 2023, identified community engagement as being a key responsibility of universities. UTS’s Social Impact Showcase, held in November 2023, was an opportunity for staff, students and the UTS community to celebrate our community engagement and the invaluable grassroots partnerships driving real change.

The outcome of the Voice referendum does not change UTS’s long-standing commitment to supporting First Nations peoples’ rights to self-determination. I was proud of the respectful way our university community navigated complex and challenging discussions around the referendum. We will continue to be guided by First Nations colleagues and work with, and for, First Nations communities toward truth-telling and treaty. 2 Social Justice Report 2023

Late in 2023, we were delighted to share the innovative designs dreamed up for the National First Nations College architectural design competition. The winning team, Greenaway Architects, Warren and Mahoney, and OCULUS, have embodied architectural and design excellence while promoting caring for Country. The College is planned to be a place to celebrate the value of lndigenous identity and history while developing and nurturing the leaders of the future.

Also late last year, we launched the UTS Social Impact Dashboards, which aggregate data to measure our progress against our university-wide social justice goals. These Australian-first dashboards offer unprecedented transparency, empowering our community to uncover issues and instigate change.

This year saw our social impact evolve substantially, and I continue to be impressed by the staff, students and partners who contributed to this. I look forward to continuing to expand our reach in 2024 and beyond.

Professor Andrew Parfitt
Vice-Chancellor and President, UTS