The lawns are buzzing, the colleges are filling, and the smell of food vans is drifting across campus – Welcome Week is in full swing at the University of New England, and Lifesaver Day is set to be the best yet.
Held from 3pm to 6pm today, Friday 20 February, Lifesaver Day is the flagship event of UNE’s Welcome Week and the official hello to Armidale for hundreds of new students.
Set in the Ingrid Moses Courtyard, the afternoon promises an explosion of colour, conversation and community spirit. Local businesses, sporting clubs, volunteer groups and student societies are lining up to showcase what they do, offering everything from sign-up sheets and giveaways to demonstrations and delicious bites.
UNE Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Moran said it was a joy to see the campus coming alive again.
“It’s great to see all the new faces on campus for Welcome Week. I’d also like to thank Mayor and UNE Alumnus Sam Coupland for his participation this year in welcoming students to the city,” Professor Moran said.
“I am pleased to see our colleges thriving. Capacity is at 80 per cent and at levels we haven’t seen since the pandemic. It is testament to the vibrant campus community we have at UNE.
“These numbers reflect a real appetite among students to experience residential university life in Armidale. Much of the growth this year is down to students returning for another year with us, and we’re delighted to welcome them.”
About 500 new students are settling into life in Armidale this trimester, making up 40 per cent of total college applications. In total, more than 1,000 new and returning students will call UNE’s residential system home this trimester, alongside 300 students at St Alberts College.
For Armidale, that means cafés filling up, share houses being stocked, sporting teams recruiting fresh talent and a new wave of energy flowing through the city.
Lifesaver Day is designed to make that transition seamless. From food vendors and community organisations to clubs, activities and vibrant showcases, the afternoon is about showing students that university life extends well beyond lecture theatres.
The celebrations continue north-west in Tamworth on Saturday, with UNE Tamworth hosting its own orientation day at the Tamworth Study Centre.
UNE Senior Manager for Tamworth and Regions, Catherine Lees, said the event was especially important given that more than 70 per cent of Tamworth-based UNE students study online.
“Studying online should never mean studying alone,” Ms Lees said.
“This orientation is designed to demolish that myth. We are showing our commencing students that having a physical home base in Tamworth, with real people invested in their journey, is the key advantage that transforms their online learning experience and ensures they feel part of a connected community.”
“Our orientation is the first and most critical step in delivering on our promise of student-centred excellence. It’s where we move beyond the online portal and show our students and their families that our wrap-around model of personalised, face-to-face support is real, accessible, and ready to help them from day one.”
“Our commitment to personalised support is also a commitment to our region’s future. When we provide this level of dedicated, one-on-one guidance, we are not just helping students pass exams; we are building the confidence and skills of the highly capable professionals who will go on to strengthen our regional workforce,” she said.
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