ÌÔƬ×ÊÔ´Íø

Community driven, always

The origins of ÌÔƬ×ÊÔ´Íø date back to 1960, when over 200 passionate locals gathered in Toowoomba to form the Darling Downs University Establishment Association (DDUEA). Through paid subscriptions and tireless advocacy, the DDUEA grew to 10,000 members by 1966, each one committed to the dream of a university for the region. Their united efforts laid the foundation for what would become the ÌÔƬ×ÊÔ´Íø, proving that a determined community shapes its own future.

A purpose that endures

Reviewing decades of strategic plans reaffirms that our purpose has always been clear: to empower learners, support our communities, and deliver research that makes a real difference, no matter how the world around us changes.

On the drawing board

This is our draft shared statement of Strategic Ambition 2026-2030. Our vision, mission, strategic pillars and values will shape our direction, decisions, and culture. 

Vision

We will be Australia’s most transformative university - where ambition, community, creativity, and excellence lead to a better tomorrow.

Mission

We will meet the evolving needs of our students and communities by fostering industry-connected learners, creating opportunity, and addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Strategic Pillars

• Empowering Learning – We place students at the centre of all we do, meeting them where they are and supporting them to reach their goals. 
• Forging Connections – Our people build strong local and international partnerships delivering practical solutions to address workforce and societal challenges.
• Discovery, Creativity and Impact – We deliver world-class research that sparks discovery, fuels creativity, enriches education, and drives meaningful impact.

Values

• Respect for People, Place and Purpose – We value the diverse cultures and ideas that enrich our communities and acknowledge the lands where we learn, work, and build futures.
• Integrity in Action – We act with honesty, transparency, and accountability, choosing what’s right over what’s easy to build trust with our people and communities.
• Excellence in Practice – We pursue excellence, adapt to change, and measure success by the impact we create today and the future we shape.

Strategies

• Broaden access and strengthen student success expanding participation and improving retention through inclusive pathways, personalised support, and learning models that enable every student to succeed. 
• Provide a culturally safe, and inclusive environment that fosters belonging and wellbeing for all students. 
• Design seamless digital and personalised experiences that elevate success and wellbeing, engagement, and graduate outcomes.
• Develop flexible, future-ready education opportunities using next-generation teaching strategies, including AI and high-quality online synchronous learning.
• Support lifelong learning and life integrated learning promoting continuous upskilling and career mobility.
• Build a student-centred, values-driven culture that empowers partnership, voice, and collaboration across students, staff, and communities. 
• Empower and support staff to reach their potential through the skills, resources, and culture that enable innovative teaching, impactful research, exceptional engagement, and high performance. 
• Focus on applied, industry-engaged education and research that deliver real-world solutions and global relevance.
• Deliver practical solutions, translating research discoveries into innovations that drive economic and social impact.
• Drive economic and social impact through collaboration with government, industry, and communities to strengthen regional prosperity and resilience.
• Embed health, wellbeing and safety in everything we do, ensuring these principles are integral to our culture, curriculum, and daily practices.
• Enhance digital and physical infrastructure to create sustainable and future-focused environments for learning, discovery, and community connection.