- G'day, I'm Rob Malicki
and welcome to A Life That Travels.
Today's episode we're at
the University of Newcastle,
a couple of hours north of Sydney.
Checking out this absolutely
spectacular bushland campus.
Let's have a walk around,
let's talk about what this
university is all about.
See if we can't talk to a few students
about their experiences here.
And like all of A Life That
Travels, reviews, interviews,
and the like, this is completely unbiased,
there is no agenda here.
We're not being paid or anything
like that for this content.
This is for you, any questions
hit us in the comments below.
Let's get started!
(upbeat intro music)
(techno music)
University of Newcastle
was founded in 1965,
and at the time of filming,
time to about 38,000 students,
which makes it quite a
large Australian university.
Most of those undergraduates,
something like 23, 24,000
undergraduate students.
6, 7,000 post graduate students.
And the rest being research students.
Doctorate students, you rock,
congratulations on working
your butts off.
And the highlight for me of this place is,
as you can see,
this absolutely spectacular
main campus here
at Callaghan on the
outskirts of Newcastle.
Lot's of disciplines are
taught here at the university.
Of course it's famous for
a number of disciplines.
Things like medicine.
A very, very strong engineering,
extremely well reputed,
as well.
But outside of that,
you've got a wide variety
of disciplines available being taught
through the institution.
Pretty standard library facilities.
Don't know if there're plans
to renovate that space or not,
but kinda feels like my university
did back I the early 2000's,
and not much has changed up there.
A few little good collaborative spaces,
but might be a little bit
of work to be done there
for the Uni of Newcastle
with it's library.
Just behind me here is the shortland hub.
This is like the main students section
on Newcastles main Callaghan campus.
So this is where students hangout.
The university has a number
of campuses of course,
Callaghan being the main
one just outside Newcastle.
It does now have the
CBD Newcastle location,
which is called NeW Space and
we'll go and check that out in
just a few minutes.
And outside of that there
is the Ourimbah campus,
which we'll stop and have
a quick look at as well on
the freeway heading back down to Sydney.
That's on the central coast.
There is a campus in Sydney itself,
as well as in Singapore,
and in Port Macquarie.
So the university has got
quite a big footprint .
Once again it's trying to
serve it's community here,
and therefore having
multiple campuses helps
with that mission, so that's
obviously a good thing.
It's actually uni holidays at the moment,
and normally this place is
absolutely heaving with students.
You see it's pretty quiet,
but, really nice space just
to chill out.
There's food here, drinks.
Although, something to be aware
of at the Uni of Newcastle
is the mosquitoes.
They literally descend in
a hoard and carry you away.
(chuckles)
Can be really annoying.
University's got quite a good range
of extracurricular options available
for students who study here.
Including student exchange programmes,
obviously study options,
internships, and the iLead programme
which gives you a chance to
get leadership experience
as part of your studies.
You know, uni is one thing.
Amazing for you and definitely
is an important thing,
you know, if that's your chosen path.
But also,
so important, what you
do outside the classroom
while you're at university.
And so, sniff out those
extracurricular activities
wherever it may be that you're studying
because they can make all the difference
between getting a job,
or just getting a job you actually want.
Alright,
critical information, Mamadukes,
here at the shortland hub.
It's definitely on of the
places to go for coffee
at the Uni of Newcastle.
Let's talk about ratings.
The University of
Newcastle actually punches
well above it's weight
in terms of both domestic
and international rankings.
Ranks globally, around
200 in the entire world
depending on the ranking
in the year of course.
Which is incredibly good
for a regional university.
And like wise, in Australia
out of 40 universities
it ranks just outside of the
top 10 on a recurring basis.
Now obviously, rankings are
something you need to take
with a grain of salt,
or a mouthful of coffee,
because, everything depends
on what you want to study.
So, if I your particular area
of study, this institution
is amazing, it doesn't matter
what the overall ratings are.
And like wise, universities
might have sensational rankings,
but in the area you
want to study they might
not necessarily be the strongest.
So always look in the
detail of the rankings.
And the way to do that is to get on
the Quality Indicators
of Learning and Teaching,
the QILT, there's a
link down at the bottom,
website.
It's an Australian
government website where
they collect data.
Survey students collect data every year
about the experiences of students.
Their satisfaction,
their graduate outcomes,
and these sorts of things.
And that is a really fantastic
place where you can actually
get some pretty objective
information about what
this university, just
like all universities,
how it preforms in the areas that actually
really matter to you.
So check out the QILT's website for sure.
Hey man, what do you studying here?
- I'm finishing my PHD.
- Oh, congratulations!
- Thanks, in biological science.
- What's it like studying
at Uni of Newcastle?
- I've been here nearly 10 years.
It's a bushland campus.
- Yeah.
- And that is fairly unique,
so, I look at other campuses
in other universities
and I go,
oh there's the central campus
that's right in the middle
of the city.
And you've got everything
that happens in the city
going on at all of the same time.
And that is really enticing to me because
this is the only campus
that I've ever known
as a university student.
But--
- Beautiful isn't it?
- When you hear people talk
about the negative aspects
of having an intercity campus,
those negative aspects are really big.
- People are pretty chill, approachable?
Friendly?
- Oh yeah, definitely.
And like, the fact that it
is an isolated campus means
that we're all here to do one thing.
You know?
So everyone here who's
on the campus is either
a teacher working as a
professional staff member
that's supporting the teaching
staff and the students.
Or, they're a student who's here to learn.
- Nice.
- One goal,
one drive,
means that everyone can
get along pretty well.
- Nice.
- [Kim] I don't think
that people that come
from Newcastle would be surprised
about any of this stuff.
But, people that don't
come from Newcastle,
cause I've talked to people before,
they still think it's like a
coal port and a steel city.
And it's not.
The University of Newcastle is
actually the biggest employer
now that the BHP Steelworks
on Kooragang Island shut 10
or more years ago.
So.
With Newcastle, and if
you're not from Newcastle,
coming back and actually experiencing
the city and the university,
it isn't full of people
who are doing engineering
to get into mining.
Or, people who are doing
geology to get into mining,
and all those kinds of things.
It's actually full of thinking
people that are trying to
do good work, and do better.
And actually be part of like
a collective that is thinking
and feeling and contributing.
- [Malicki] The University
of Newcastle obviously serves
a regional audience.
It is serving the Newcastle
greater community.
So, as you would imagine
a university like this
is designed to be comprehensive.
And you can study just
about anything here.
Now, the university is very
strong in disciplines such
as medicine and engineering,
but has a wide range of
specialties including business
and law, education and arts,
including the creative arts.
Creative arts are very strong
here at the university.
Built environment also
here is very strong.
Wide range of science disciplines,
as well as all that kind
of health disciplines
that you might imagine.
Nursing and physio therapy
particularly strong
at this institution,
amongst lots of the other
allied health disciplines.
(bubbly music)
Just a short,
I don't know, two minutes in the car,
probably like 10, 15 minutes on foot
from the NeWspace building,
heart of Newcastle.
You've got this.
World class beaches.
This is definitely one of the
upsides of studying in this
absolutely fucking awesome
city that is Newcastle,
is that you literally
have access to some of
the best coastline that New
South Wales has to offer.
If you're studying in the city,
this is at your fingertips.
Don't know if I'd be doing much studying
if I was studying there.
I'd be at the beach all day.
(bubbly music)
We're down town now and this is
the University of
Newcastle's new space right
in the heart of Newcastle, CBD.
You've got a couple of
faculty's now located down here,
as well as space for students
and some library space
and resources as well.
Let's just in here and check it out,
because this is literally
brand new at time of filming.
(techno music)
(music continues)
Seriously, this is a classroom.
I wouldn't be doing much concentrating
with a view like that.
This is bananas!
Respect Uni of Newcastle,
you're doing a great job.
(techno music)
Well, I've just been
for a walk around inside
and this is one hell of a building.
$95 million spent by the university.
What they've tried to create is this state
of the art space for
teaching and learning.
And I can tell you what,
they've certainly delivered.
Some of the classrooms spaces
are absolutely extraordinary.
The view for starters is phenomenal,
but then the way that they
set up for flexible learning,
so, really collaborative
group work type learning,
which is really positive.
And then lot's of great technology.
So, this is like definitely a
building for the modern era.
It's not, you know, one of
those dusty old classrooms
you see in some corners of the country.
And the university's got big
plans to turn this whole part
of Newcastle into sort
of a university precinct.
They already own quite a
chunk of land over there,
which is gonna be developed over time.
So, this is definitely
where it's happening.
I've always loved Newcastle,
and bringing the uni downtown
is definitely a good idea
in terms of making this an
even more happening place
to spend time.
Good win.
Respect the Uni of Newcastle.
Welcome, University of
Newcastle Ourimbah campus,
central coast campus.
Come over here and check this out, folks.
Isn't this just a beautiful spot?
I absolutely love this space.
Once again, you're kind
of in a really outdoorsy,
bushland kind of setting.
And of course it's mid semester
break here so pretty quiet.
But you can imagine this
outdoor learning area,
once students are back on campus,
just heaving with people.
It's such a wonderful environment.
Let's have a look around
this place and see
what it's all about.
University os Newcastle's got a
very strong sporting presence as well.
Both down here at the
central coast campus,
but also up at Callaghan.
Sport is a big deal as
you know for Newcastle.
And the university preforms
very well at uni games.
If you don't know what uni
games is, check it out.
Definitely an interesting
aspect of life at Newcastle.
The university does have quite
a lot of clubs and societies.
A lot of extracurricular
activities as I was mentioning
when I was up at the main campus.
So those sort of things are
definitely worth looking into
because there is a really
good campus spirit at
this institution as well.
I've enjoyed my walk
around the Ourimbah campus.
You know it's one of those things,
this is only 45 minutes up
the freeway from Sydney.
And yet, you've got this
amazing outdoor environment,
super chill vibe.
So if you're living on the central coast,
or even just coming up from Sydney,
I reckon this is a really,
really solid option for you.
And some really fantastic
specialisations just available
here at Ourimbah.
Check it out.
Well I've had a pretty awesome day here at
the University of Newcastle.
Managed to getting myself into
town to check out NeWspace,
the new Newcastle CBD campus,
which is absolutely extraordinary,
and so close to those pristine beaches,
which are just beautiful.
What a place to come and study.
As well as a quick walk
around the Ourimbah campus,
which is beautiful and awesome.
And here at Callaghan, with
all this stunning bushland.
You know, I reckon the Uni of
Newcastle is definitely worth
a look.
And a lot of people who
live in Newcastle might just
want to get the heck out
of here as fast as they can
when they get to uni.
I get it.
But here, on your doorstep,
you have literally a
world class university.
And that said, if you're living
somewhere else in Australia,
or around the world, this
place is two hours from Sydney.
Which can give you
everything you want in terms
of a world class city,
but also a unique experience
studying
in the bush.
It's phenomenal!
You know, choosing a university
is a really difficult thing,
so, if you've got any advice,
if you've studied at
uni and you have advice
for somebody who'd trying
to chose an institution,
please drop them in the comments below.
I'd love to hear what you have
to say and what your thoughts
are about the most important
thing about university.
That's really helpful for people trying
to pick their next step.
If you've studied at University
of Newcastle I'd love
to hear your thoughts about
what it was like to study here.
Or, if you have any questions
make sure you drop them
in the comments below.
Otherwise, I'm Rob Malicki.
And, I'll see you next time
on A Life That Travels.
Have a great day, see ya!
(techno music)
