UQ Alumni

"I met so many great friends when studying at UQ – my dream uni. In my second year, I met my classmate Aulia. We share the same first name and are both from Indonesia. We have daughters with the same name too.

"It was lovely to meet a friend like Aulia, and we are still in contact now. I live in Australia while Aulia is back in Indonesia with her family after finishing her master’s degree at UQ. I visited her and the family in Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia recently. I’m very grateful that we went through Applied Linguistics together at UQ. 💜"

– Love at UQ story told by Aulia 💜

Aulia (Masters of Applied Linguistics '23) and Aulia (Masters of Applied Linguistics '24)

You’re invited to Italy as part of the UQ Alumni Travel program!

In September this year, a small group of alumni will be travelling across the country with host Associate Professor Andrea Bubenik. Associate Professor Bubenik is an expert in Renaissance and Baroque art and the continued reception of early modern visual culture.

✈️ Departure: Sunday 6 September 2026
🗓️ Duration: 11 days/10 nights
💲Cost guide: $6,265 per person twin share (excluding airfare)

See the link in comments to explore the itinerary.

“By studying engineering at UQ, my dream of being an astronaut feels one step closer, and I intend to make the most of every moment of this.” – Isaiah

With the additional backing of a residential scholarship, Isaiah was able to relocate from Gladstone to study a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science at UQ.

“I remember reading the letter of offer for the scholarship for the first time, my hands were shaking as I told my mother about it over the phone and hearing her cry from relief at the news,” he said.

“My scholarship changed my university experience significantly. College removes the social barrier – I’ve made countless friends. Academically, being right on campus is also really good as my classes are accessible.

“Thank you to all donors who support scholarships. For me, you’ve helped make such an amazing experience more accessible, especially by reducing the financial burden on me and my family. Making the most of this opportunity has meant it is an irreplaceable experience helping me pursue what I care about.”

Learn about how you can support students like Isaiah realise their dreams in the comments below.

It’s incredible to see so many UQ alumni recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours!

A special shoutout to Professor Noel Hayman, a proud Wakka Wakka and Kalkadoon man, who has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to medicine, particularly to Indigenous health care and medical education.

Professor Hayman was one of the first 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MD graduates from UQ.

See the link in bio to explore other winners from our UQ community!

Meet alum Viduni (Bachelor of Nursing / Bachelor of Midwifery '25), who moved out to Mount Isa after finishing her UQ degree!

"I’m currently working as a midwife in Mount Isa, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. I came here to further develop my skills as a midwife and work within a close knit community with a strong focus on Indigenous health.

"The community is rich and vibrant, and through Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) I’m able to support women across their antenatal, birth and postnatal journey. There’s also so much to experience in the outback, from its lakes and red earth to the stunning sunsets and local rodeos."

– Viduni
We will be in Mount Isa this month as part of our Regional Roadshow to meet with UQ alumni, local government representatives and community members. 💜

Have you or any UQ alumni you know competed in the Olympic or Paralympic Games? We are launching a UQ Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame and need your help!

Due to launch later in 2026, the UQ Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame will recognise students, staff and alumni athletes.

We are now seeking the support of the UQ community to help ensure this record is as accurate and complete as possible.

See the comments to contribute! For enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Photos: UQ student Georgia Gunew with her guide Ethan Jackson competing in the women's giant slalom at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.

We recently returned to Charters Towers as part of the UQ Regional Roadshow!

It was an honour to meet with representatives from the local schools, including Columba Catholic College, All Souls St Gabriels School and Blackheath and Thornburgh College.

During our visit, we explored our shared priorities around improving access to education and creating meaningful opportunities for students in the region.

We’ll be continuing to connect with communities across Queensland throughout the year. Our next stop is Mount Isa and Cloncurry on Thursday 11 June. See the comments to learn more.

In 2024, UQ released the resource UQ has a Blak History. 🖤❤️💛

It uses research and primary source material to analyse the ways in which systemic racism and ongoing colonisation affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within an academic environment.

It is important that all of us acknowledge the past so that we can move together into a brighter future.

The resource takes participants through:

• The significance of Country and place to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including significant sites across UQ campuses.
• The history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, academics, researchers and community members and their relationships to the University.
• Significant political movements and activism and their importance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• An overview of significant collections across the University including Library collections, the Anthropology Museum, the UQ Art Museum and UQ Archives.

See the comments to read the full book. ⬇️

ATSIS Unit

Together with his wife, Minh Ha Tran, UQ alum Dr Alan van Tran (Doctor of Medicine ’83) has supported more than 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander UQ students.

Dr Tran created the Dr Alan van Tran and Minh Ha Tran Indigenous Health Education Scholarship in 2013. This choice was shaped by his own experiences of inequality as a military surgeon and medical educator in Sài Gòn (now Ho Chi Minh City), treating some of the most vulnerable people in society.

As a Vietnamese refugee in Australia, Dr Tran benefited significantly from the support of UQ and Professor Ralph Doherty in retraining overseas doctors. This reinforced his belief in education as a powerful enabler, grounded in his family’s resilience and determination to build a better life.

“The endowment fund is designed to last forever, and many future generations of Indigenous students will benefit,” Dr Tran said.

This year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, All In, speaks to the shared responsibility of reconciliation. Dr Tran’s commitment to giving back to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander students as they pursue a degree at UQ is a powerful reminder that reconciliation is an ongoing process of working together – Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – towards a more inclusive future.

ATSIS Unit
UQ Health

The Graduate Outcomes Survey is closing soon on 31 May! Share your university feedback to help improve the student experience at UQ.

See the comments to learn more.