Next month the University will participate in a new national student survey to collect the experiences of undergraduate students. The survey results will help universities and government improve teaching and learning.

Known as the University Experience Survey (or UES), it is being managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the federal Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. 

Students selected to participate will receive an email from ACER encouraging them to complete the online survey.

For more information, visit the Institute for Teaching and Learning website.

Have your say on Australia-China relations and win $3000. 

The China Studies Centre is organising a young person’s essay competition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Australia-China diplomatic relations. 

For more information, visit the China Studies Centre website.

Win up to $1500 with the Vox Animalia student essay prize.

The Human Animal Research Network (HARN) invites University of Sydney students to enter the first Vox Animalia student essay prize, offered with the generous support of Voiceless, the animal protection institute.

The essay should address the question: ‘Why do animals matter in contemporary Australia?’

For more information, visit the HARN website.

Engage others in your research and have a chance to win $1500 by competing in a three-minute thesis (3MT) competition at the University.

All postgraduate research students are invited to participate. You’ll have three minutes to present a compelling oration on your thesis topic to a lay audience.

Heats and finals for our 3MT competition will be held on Wednesday 5 September. Finals take place from 4 to 6pm in the General Lecture Theatre in the Quadrangle (Camperdown Campus). Everyone is welcome to come along and watch the finals.

The competition winner will be awarded $1500 to travel to the Australia and New Zealand Three-Minute Thesis Competition, held this year at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Two runner-up prizes of $500 each will also be awarded. 

Visit the 3MT website to find out how you can enter. Entries close Wednesday 29 August.

Thinking about entering, but not sure about your presentation skills? Check out this free short course offered by the Careers Centre:

Presentation skills: how to capture your audience

Learn how to present the key points of your research in an engaging, yet informative manner. How do you deal with nerves, get your message across and be confident? Guest lecturers and academics will talk about how they present their work, and share key tips about making the most of your research. Find out more on the Careers Centre website.

Researchers are seeking parents of 4-year-olds to examine the children's responses to sensations that are part of everyday life.

The results from this study will assist with the development of a subsequent study to identify children who are over-reactive to everyday sensations. The study requires a very brief phone interview and 15 minutes to fill out three short questionnaires.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Simone Thomas on 0403 677 659 or Professor Anita Bundy on 9351 9857.

This study will investigate eating and drinking habits, with a focus on takeaway meals and drinks.

Anyone aged between 18 and 39, in any form of part-time or full-time paid employment, is eligible to participate.

Participation involves completing two food diaries and three online questionnaires about how much, where and what types of takeaway meals and drinks you consume, and other questions about your diet. The questionnaires will take about one and a half hours to complete in total, and you will be reimbursed for your time.

To enquire about participating, please contact Rochelle McCook with the email subject 'Study on Take-Away Meals And Drinks (SoTAMAD)', or call 9351 5010.

Research has shown that young people who have a parent with cancer often experience high levels of distress and unmet needs. 

Are you aged between 14 and 22 and have a parent or caregiver with cancer? CanTeen has a new, free program called ‘Truce’ to help develop coping skills for life.

Researchers are evaluating an eight-week face-to-face group support program using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which includes psycho-education, mindfulness practise, values-based living, and ways to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings.

Sessions begin in August (CBD and Western Sydney). For more information: see www.truce.org.au, or contact Esther on 1800 243 007 or truce@canteen.org.au.

This research is being undertaken in partnership with researchers in the Sydney Nursing School.

The Emerging Health Policy Research Conference showcases the work of current doctoral and early career research workers.

Professor Stephen Simpson, Director of the Charles Perkins Centre will open the conference with a presentation on 'Putting the balance back into diet'.

Participation in the conference will provide an opportunity to:

• discuss health policy responses to current local, national and global health challenges
• hear about 'in progress' health policy research
• discuss new ideas and identify opportunities for collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.

To register or for more information, visit the Menzies Centre for Health Policy website.

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies will hold its fourth annual Student Research Conference on 24 September. 

Designed to showcase postgraduate research students’ work and foster cross-collaboration with other students and academics, this year’s theme will focus on ‘Engineering and IT solutions to meet global challenges’. The event will conclude with a lively panel discussion featuring academics and industry representatives. A number of professional bodies are supporting the event with recognition for the best oral and poster presentations. 

To submit a poster or abstract or for more information, visit the faculty website.

Get ready to join the festivities with clubs and societies, food stands, market stalls, entertainment and more. We look forward to seeing you and your mates there!  

When: 10am to 4pm, Wednesday 1 August
Where: Eastern Ave, Camperdown Campus

Visit the website for more information.

Students positions are now open, and get ready for the Welcome to Sydney Party!

Student Positions Now Open


The USU's Student Leadership Program offers Sydney Uni students a great opportunity to gain practical work experience and management skills. Campus Culture Director, Debates Director and Indigenous Director roles are now open, apply now.


Welcome to Sydney Party

USU is set to welcome new international students with dancing, free BBQ/food and prizes. Don’t miss this opportunity to make new friends and have some fun.

When: 7pm to midnight, Thursday 26 July
Where: Manning Bar, Camperdown Campus
More information

The Seymour’s Reginald Season and performing arts producers Performing Lines present 'Variant' by award-winning choreographer Sue Healey.

Variant is a new dance work from Sydney-based Sue Healey. It celebrates the diversity of the human body from every angle. Variant features an eclectic family of fascinating artists – from the very tiny to the exceptionally tall and the ultra flexible to the emotionally radical. Accompanied by live piano and accordion, each performer takes Healey’s fluid choreography and fearlessly makes it their own. With humour and humanity, they reveal that one size never fits all!

Event details
When: 26 July to 4 August
Where: Seymour Centre, corner City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale
Cost: $15

To book or for more information, visit the Seymour Centre website.

Join the Sydney University Football Club (SUFC) as they celebrate our Emergency Services and the Defence Force.

Entertainment and activities start at 11am, followed by the first grade game against Manly at 3pm.

The day’s attractions and attendees will also include:

• A Fire and Rescue NSW demonstration at half-time
• NSW Police highway patrol vehicles and police horses
• Fire & Rescue NSW band and marching girls
• The Ambulance Service of NSW
• NSW Rural Fire Services
• State Emergency Services (SES)
• Roads & Maritime Services
• The Sydney University Regiment
• Defence Recruitment
• Navy, Army & Air Force personnel

Event details
When: From 11am, Saturday 28 July
Where: University No. 1 Oval, Western Avenue, Camperdown Campus

This seminar will explore the question of whether cyber attacks, with their inherent hostility and ability to generate grave destruction, are prohibited under international law.

Since the dawn of the information age, governments have become highly dependent upon computer technology in order to effectively regulate their societies. This dependency, however, has been recognised by both hostile states and belligerent non-state actors, who have increasingly sought to target computer servers and the information that they hold.

Dr Russell Buchan from the University of Sheffield believes that cyber attacks are coercive in nature and amount to unlawful intervention under international law, constituting an internationally wrongful act. Dr Buchan and Dr Emily Crawford from the Sydney Law School will discuss current issues for the law of armed conflict with regards to hostilities in cyberspace, and examine some current state practices relevant to cyber warfare.

Event details
When: 6 to 7.30pm, Thursday 2 August (registration from 5.30pm)
Where: Sydney Law School, New Law Building, Camperdown Campus
Cost: $25, Sydney Law School alumni $20, University of Sydney students $10
Contact: 9351 0323 or law.events@sydney.edu.au

For more information, visit the Sydney Law School website.

The keynote speaker for this year’s International House Walter Westman Lecture is eminent economics commentator Ross Gittins AM.

Gittins will speak on the topic, “Is a ‘steady-state’ economy feasible?” He is one of Australia's leading economic commentators and public intellectuals. He is also known for his accessible speaking and writing style.

Event details
When: 7 to 8pm, Wednesday 8 August (light refreshments from 6.30pm)
Where: Wool Room, International House, 96 City Road, Chippendale (next to the Seymour Centre, Darlington Campus)

To register or for more information, visit the International House website.

Don't miss ‘The US First Amendment run amuck: protecting hate speech, letting money talk and other disproportionate excesses as viewed from a comparative perspective’.

Michel Rosenfeld is the Justice Sydney L Robins Professor of Human Rights and the Director of the Program on Global and Comparative Constitutional Theory at Cardozo Law School in New York. He has lectured widely in the United States and internationally, and is the author of several books, including Just Interpretations: Law Between Ethics and Politics and Affirmative Action and Justice: A Philosophical and Constitutional Inquiry, which in 1992 was named outstanding book on the subject of human rights in the US by the Gustave Meyers Center.

Event details
When: 6 to 7pm, Thursday 9 August (registration from 5.30pm, followed by cocktail reception)
Where: Foyer, Sydney Law School, New Law Building, Camperdown Campus
Cost: free, bookings essential to law.events@sydney.edu.au or on 9351 0248

For more information, visit the Sydney Law School website.

How does constitutional law deal with the ever-intensifying struggle over the place of religion in the public sphere?

In the 2012 Julius Stone Address, chaired by Dr Kevin Walton, Professor Ran Hirschl will present a comparative analysis of religion-and-state jurisprudence and interpretive in order to delineate a possibly universal religion-taming logic of constitutional law and courts.

Event details
When: 6 to 7.30pm, Thursday 16 August, registration from 5.30pm
Where: New Law Building, Camperdown Campus
Cost: Free, registration is essential
Contact: 9351 0323 or law.events@sydney.edu.au

For more information, visit the Sydney Law School website.