Avondale University students helps with baptism in font

2023 Impact Summary

Friday, June 14, 2024

“For a greater vision of world needs” is the best summary of our mission. We fulfil this by transforming lives through engaging and authentic Christ-centred learning and discovery. The impact: graduates and staff who serve for good. Here are some stories—and the values they reflect—that show this impact in 2023.

Faithful discovery
Peter Williams presents book to Gilbert Cangy

Values: Excellence, Spirituality, Wellbeing
Our academics, partnering with community and industry, produce 73 publications—including Making Tomorrow’s Church Today and about how The Lift Project improves mental health—providing practical, research-based solutions to social challenges.

Don Roy in PhD regalia

Values: Excellence, Spirituality, Wellbeing
Three academics earn PhDs. One explores the changing mission of Seventh-day Adventist education. Another the factors influencing parents when choosing a faith-based school. The other evaluates the possibility of reversing type 2 diabetes.

Learning and teaching
Danika Fatnowna and other students on the Lake Macquarie campus.

Values: Excellence
Undergraduate students rank us top in Australia for quality of educational experience and quality of teaching practices.* Our Bachelor of Nursing course is number one across all focus areas. Our teacher education courses are number one in three.

Values: Excellence
Our lecturers host Chemistry Experiment Days so senior high school students can use science equipment you helped provide to solve a fictional murder mystery. They also provide CPD training in science at a conference for Adventist school teachers.

Values: Excellence, Wellbeing
Our students teach classes and tutor students as part of a hub arrangement with a local Adventist school. And our outdoor leadership students run week-long adventure education programs for four schools.

Avondale University students with a Return and Earn bin

Values: Service
A new on-campus recycling initiative by students in an environmental issues class turns trash into cash for a local charity, supporting our commitment to sustainability.

Service learning

Values: Spirituality, Wellbeing, Service
A church in Fiji worships in its own building after our students renovate it. A service learning trip to Cambodia gives teachers-to-be cross-cultural professional experience. Another sees our students help chaplains at every Adventist school in Sydney.

Avondale University students helps with baptism in font

Values: Spirituality, Service
An evangelistic series presented by our seminarians on Mauritius revitalises churches, returns young adults to in-person worship and results in at least 68 baptisms. A series in Melbourne for Samoans in Australia and their friends results in 31 baptisms.

Values: Wellbeing, Service
A collaboration with one of the largest op shops in Australia brings affordable counselling to Morisset and its surrounds, supporting our commitment to wellbeing and community health.

Faithful creativity
Vocal duet at Sing Praise

Values: Excellence, Spirituality, Wellbeing
Our conservatorium presents 10 concerts for members of our regional community, including an Easter musical as a community theatre collaboration with Avondale University Church, a gospel edition of Sing Praise and Handel’s oratorio Messiah.

Community recognition
Brett Mitchell in sim lab

Values: Excellence, Wellbeing, Service
Professor Brett Mitchell (Professor of Health Services Research and Nursing), inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame and receives a million dollar grant to ensure the clinical care you receive as a hospital patient is best practice.

Values: Excellence, Spirituality, Service
Professor Daniel Reynaud, appointed inaugural Visiting Historian at Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

Drene Somasundram with her Woman of the Year award

Values: Excellence, Spirituality, Service
Dr Drene Somasundram (Chaplain and Lecturer), recognised with a Woman of the Year award from the Association of Adventist Women for her scholarship and her leadership in the Adventist Church.

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