Impact of giving 2024

Since we set our last strategy in 2019, the world has changed significantly. Species extinction has accelerated, reflecting immense pressure on the natural world. We have passed the 1.5-degree threshold for global warming, underscoring the urgency of climate action. At the same time, we face strengthening global headwinds, including the fracturing of geopolitical relations, increasing inequality and its associated popularist politics, an ageing population, and stalled productivity. We are also seeing the largest change in higher education policy and funding since the early 1990s as we shift from a free-market growth driven system to a managed system of needs-based funding focused on increasing the participation of regional and equity groups in a world of declining domestic student numbers and capped international numbers.

As part of our refreshed strategy, we have set a horizon of 2050. This long-term view reflects the scale of challenges such as climate change, where the decisions we make today will shape the quality of life for generations to come. By aligning with sustainable development goals, we are committed to safeguarding biodiversity and building a future that is resilient, equitable, and thriving. At the University of Tasmania, sustainability is not just part of our strategy — it is our strategy, guiding everything we do.

To galvanise our efforts we will focus on five critical transitions Tasmania needs to make:

Education
Raising educational attainment for all Tasmanians

Health
Improving life expectancy and outcomes

Productivity
Transforming industries to close economic gaps

Climate
Leading global efforts in sustainability and resilience

Tasmanian Stories
Strengthening cultural identity and creative industries.

Philanthropy is a cornerstone of this work and, like the University itself, is an act of hope in a troubled world. Donor support has enabled scholarships that transform lives and create opportunities for students from regional Tasmania. It empowers us to tackle pressing challenges while building a lasting legacy. Through giving, our supporters help nurture hope — hope for individuals, communities, and the future of our planet.

To our donors, I extend our gratitude. Your generosity sustains and inspires us. Together, we can navigate these transitions and build a future we can all be proud to pass on.

Professor Rufus Black
Vice-Chancellor

We value your support

We plan with a long-term horizon and a collective aspiration to create the brightest future for all Tasmanians. Philanthropy is a path to making this vision a reality in people’s lives.

Thank you for a remarkable year of support for the University’s vision to create a more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous future that stretches well beyond our shores — for Tasmania and from Tasmania.

Recently I had the pleasure of listening to colleague and academic Professor Lisa Fletcher when she shared her thoughts on the power of stories and their ability to help us remember and understand our past, think and act with purpose in the present and to help us imagine our future.

Her words resonated deeply with me when I consider the incredible impact your support of the University has as it ripples across our world, whether this is enabling students to realise their full potential, helping to tell Tasmanian stories through the arts, addressing health challenges like Parkinson's disease, or strengthening our researchers' efforts in saving species. It is my hope this publication captures some of the magical stories of impact that you make possible.

Indeed, 2024 was a remarkable year. It began with the public launch of Sustain, the University’s landmark philanthropic campaign which, with your help, we hope will continue to enrich the lives of Tasmanians and where the generosity of our many donors will contribute to the University’s aspirations to respond to a changing world and create the brightest possible future for all Tasmanians.

As we concluded the year it was heartening to realise that we are well on our way to reaching the goal of raising $50 million over five years with $28.7 million received by the end of our second year. The Sustain campaign is focusing on five key areas of impact, informed by the United Nations sustainable development goals and addressing world challenges which require a community to solve. They focus on creating a more equitable, healthier and creative Tasmania, saving our threatened species and protecting our planet for future generations, working in harmony with the University’s distinctive refreshed strategy.

The donations received annually work alongside a portfolio of philanthropic funds under management worth $138.5 million, which have been gifted by our community of generous benefactors, and which allow the University to deliver on our mission in tangible ways and across a generation. Whatever your area of impact, we remain incredibly grateful for your generosity. Whether contributions are large or small, they continue to make a difference locally and globally.

Rebecca Cuthill
Director, Advancement