UQ Alumni

10/10/2026

At 17, Hisham Aloraifi (Bachelor of Laws (Honours) ’26) left Saudi Arabia with words of encouragement from his grandfather: “Now go get me a degree.”

He arrived in Australia ready to embrace the opportunity.

“I left hoping to learn English and maybe study law," Hisham said.

Like many international students, Hisham navigated homesickness and life far from family. During his foundation year, amid COVID-19 border closures, there were times when continuing felt difficult.

“On some nights, it felt like giving up was the right thing to do. But then I got phone calls from my family to motivate me. My grandfather used to tell me that he was proud of me and remembered me in his prayers. That was enough to keep me going, pass my foundation year and get into UQ Law,” Hisham said.

Along the way, he found friendship, community and a sense of belonging among fellow international students, including through UQ’s dive club, UniDive, where he reconnected with his passion for scuba diving. Now Hisham looks back on his time at UQ with pride about how far he has come.

“Being overseas has matured me as a person and developed my emotional intelligence. I hope many can now reflect on the good things we are blessed with and on how far our journeys have been. I will always be grateful to my family, friends, teachers and lecturers, and to those who are no longer with us in life, for being part of this journey,” Hisham said.

“I still look at some of my older writing and recorded presentations from my English course days. It reminds me how long the journey was. It makes me proud and brings a tear to my eyes.”

08/10/2026

Bachelor of Social Work student Izzy and Bachelor of Business Management student Jamaica moved more than 3 hours away from home to study at UQ.

Today, they’re navigating their university life together and building a friendship that has become one of the best parts of the journey.
Like many students from rural and regional Queensland, the path to university wasn’t straightforward, but a scholarship helped make that next step possible.

“I always wanted to come to UQ because it has more opportunities for me. If it wasn’t for a scholarship, I don’t think university would have been an option at this stage of my life,” Izzy said.

"Upon receiving the Young Achievers Program Scholarship, I was able to become financially independent and pay for textbooks, relocation costs and accommodation. I felt as though I had the financial stability to settle into university and pursue my studies. University has opened so many doors," Jamaica said.

Every year, UQ Giving Day helps support students like Izzy and Jamaica. Join us on UQ Giving Day on Wednesday 21 October 💜

06/10/2026

Are Gen Z less willing to work hard?

We asked Professor David Solnet from UQ, who has been researching young workers for close to 20 years. Alongside his research partners and co-authors Dr Malinvisa Sakdiyakorn (Mahidol University International College) and Dr Maria Golubovskaya (Griffith University Business School), he helped us bust some myths about what younger workers are really bringing to the table.

Here was their answer:

"In our research workshops, young workers talked constantly about wanting to grow, stretch themselves and prove what they could do. One told us, “I can make things happen.” Another said, “I don’t complain about what happens to me because I crave it as an opportunity to grow.” That is not the voice of someone avoiding effort.

"What they push back on isn’t hard work. It’s pointless hard work. Long hours, no recognition, no growth, no reason. As one participant put it, “I totally dislike the structure of working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Life is a marathon, not a sprint that makes you burn out.” They will absolutely run hard. They just won’t sprint themselves into the ground for nothing.

"And there’s a whole group working hard for reasons that have nothing to do with money or self-interest. For many young people, especially those from migrant or working-class backgrounds, work is about family. One said it plainly: “Our parents have struggled to raise us, so it’s an opportunity for us to show some gratitude.” That’s effort driven by duty and love, not laziness."

Share your thoughts in the comments ⬇️

03/10/2026

Behind every student is a journey you can't see.

01/10/2026

Find your people at our UQ alumni and community events in October! We hope to see you there.

💜 Global Connections 2026 – throughout October and November, in a city near you across the globe.
https://brnw.ch/21x652z

💜 Responsible AI Leadership: Navigating Trust, Ethics and Innovation – Thursday 1 October, 5:30–8pm AEST, online.
https://brnw.ch/21x652w

💜 Sunset Drinks in Hervey Bay – Wednesday 14 October 5:30–7:30pm AEST, Enzo's on the Beach, 351a Esplanade, Scarness.
https://brnw.ch/21x652x

💜 Building Business Excellence Masterclass in Longreach – Wednesday 21 October, 7–9am AEST at Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach.
https://brnw.ch/21x652B

💜 Young Alumni Friday Drinks – Friday 23 October, 5:30–7:30pm AEST at The Beaumont Brisbane, 608 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.
https://brnw.ch/21x652y

💜 2026 UQ Rugby Benefit Dinner in New York – Thursday 29 October, 6:30–10:30pm EDT at The Edison Ballroom, 240 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036, United States.
https://brnw.ch/21x652A

28/09/2026

Want to learn how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way organisations operate, innovate and create value?

Join our panel of leading academics and industry practitioners, Dr Caitlin Curtis, Dr Stefan Hajkowicz (Bachelor of Arts ’96, Doctor of Philosophy ’00) and Professor Stan Karanasios for a conversation on responsible AI leadership.

Gain insights and strategies to help you navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI in your organisation.

📅 Thursday 1 October 2026
📍 Online via Zoom

Join leading academics and industry practitioners for a conversation on responsible AI leadership, exploring how you and your organisation can balance innovation with ethics, transparency, accountability and trust. Hybrid event

25/09/2026

Physically, we’re back at work. Mentally, we’re still soaking up the sunshine at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers and wandering through UQ Boyce Gardens.

Six hectares, 700+ plant species and plenty of birds to spot made for an immersive day in the gardens, with alumni and community members joining UQ experts to explore conservation, ecology and horticulture, as well as participating in nature-inspired art workshops. 💜

22/09/2026

Hey UQ alumni in China and Singapore – we’d love to see you this October! 🌏

Join members of the UQ senior leadership team at a special Alumni and Friends Reception in Singapore, Beijing and Guangzhou.

UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deborah Terry AC will host the Singapore and Beijing receptions, while the Guangzhou reception will be hosted by Jennifer Karlson, Vice-President (Advancement and Community Engagement) and Professor Andrew Griffiths, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.

Reconnect with fellow alumni, hear the latest news from across the University and celebrate the connections that bring our global UQ community together.

We look forward to seeing you there! See the comments.

21/09/2026

Can you guess when these photos of UQ St Lucia were taken? 📸

19/09/2026

"Daniel and I met on campus sometime in 2006, most likely under the clock tower or in a lecture theatre – but we can’t tell you for certain. It clearly wasn’t love at first sight, but over those first 6 months at uni we quickly became fast friends.

"We were part of the same society club and shared first-year maths classes. Dan spent many Friday afternoons helping my engineering friends and I finish our maths tutorial homework in exchange for slices of pizza from the Pizza Caffe (the “P” being the pizza of choice).

"At the end of second year, we were voted into the executive committee of our student society (Evangelical Students) and quickly realised there was more to this friendship than a mutual love of maths and pizza.

"UQ lakes were the background of many significant milestones in our relationship – our first kiss, our engagement… so when it was time to get married, of course we had to have our photos and reception on campus!

"It’d be remiss to tell this story without also mentioning the friendships we made at uni. Our group has grown over the years and we now have 25 kids between us which makes camping trips much more fun.

"In 2026, we will celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary and 20 years of friendship. We now have 2 beautiful girls (and potential future UQ graduates). UQ will always be a special place in the story of our family."

– Love at UQ story told by Sarah 💜

Sarah (Bachelor of Engineering '11) and Daniel (Bachelor of Secondary Education/Bachelor of Science '10)