Murdoch University has, from its foundation in 1974, been a university of difference. Established as the second university in WA, Murdoch has always been associated with environment and conservation, social justice and inclusion, and providing pathways into and through a university education for people who had previously been excluded.
Our shared purpose
To change lives and society for the better through accessible education and research, contributing to the solution of societal and environmental challenges and providing an inclusive, caring community in which everyone can realise their potential.
Our values
These five values guide how we behave individually and as a collective as we undertake our purpose.
- Authenticity
- Integrity
- Respect
- Inclusivity
- Openness
Our principles
These eight principles guide how we lead, manage and work together. We will:
- Act with justice, respect and responsible care
- Be collegiate and respectful of other points of view
- Protect academic freedom
- Be agile, flexible and resilient
- Make decisions at the most appropriate level
- Be transparent in decision-making and with information
- Adopt common approaches to common tasks
- Be careful stewards of our resources
Our vision
Our vision is to be widely recognised as the university of choice for people who care, who value inclusion, curiosity and innovation, and who desire to make a positive social impact.
We will be a leading university in education, teaching and research in sustainability; a thriving, welcoming, diverse and inclusive community. We will be the university of first choice for First Nations peoples, promoting and benefiting from Indigenous knowledges. Our quality education will be contemporary, accessible and inclusive. Our graduates will be keenly sought by employers and will be known for having adaptability, fresh perspectives, practical skills and a social conscience. Our research will be impactful, and we will have strong industry and institutional collaborations.
Our strategy
Strategic themes
These strategic themes will guide and shape much of our activity over the lifetime of the Strategy.
Sustainability
Be a leading university in education, teaching, and translational research in sustainability, nurturing mindsets and creating solutions for a better and more sustainable world, a university renowned for its commitment to, and expertise in, sustainability and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), providing a model and the tools for behaving and operating sustainably.
Equity, diversity & inclusion
Build a welcoming, diverse and inclusive community and environment that is equitable and safe, and that provides a culturally safe and supportive environment where all members of our community can realise their potential.
First Nations
Become the university of first choice for First Nations peoples, and an exemplar in embracing and promoting and benefiting from Indigenous knowledges and cultural inclusivity.
Core activities
Each core activity will be led at the Senior Leadership Team level by a Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) who will chair a university-level committee to oversee the core activity and alignment with the Strategy.
Education
Deliver contemporary, accessible and inclusive education, with a high quality and engaging student experience, producing graduates who are adaptable and have fresh perspectives and a social conscience.
Research
Increase our impactful and progressive research in our areas of strength and excellent research across our disciplines.
Engagement
Build engagement with our local community, our State, our Nation and our global society, creating mutually beneficial partnerships at all levels.
Enablers
These enablers will underpin our ability to achieve our vision and support the achievement of the six objectives outlined in this Strategy.
Empower and develop our people
Part of our purpose is to provide an accessible, inclusive, caring community in which everyone can realise their potential.
Improve systems and processes
Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of how we do things, while at the same time enhancing the experience of those who interact with us.
Develop and enhance facilities
Many of our buildings and facilities are now showing their age, and we need to invest strategically in upgrading our campuses.
Looking forward
While the challenges facing our species and our world are considerable, Murdoch University is ideally placed to contribute to the solution of those challenges, while enabling our students and staff to realise their potential.
Through this Strategy, we restate our commitment to values and causes that are fundamental to the identity of the University: the environment, conservation and sustainability; equality, diversity and inclusion and social justice; and First Nations peoples, cultures and knowledges.
We are committing to creating the Murdoch University of the future, built on the foundations of the past, but embracing the advances in technology, understandings and approaches that have happened in recent times and that will continue to evolve through the period of this Strategy.
We look forward to working with our students, our staff, our alumni, our supporters and our global and local partners in pursuing our shared purpose and the vision we have set out here.