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This all‑time high is testament to the dedication and commitment of our community across Australia – from the Quadrangle, to NSW regional communities, to our research station in the Great Barrier Reef.

In June, we farewelled Belinda Hutchinson AC (BEc ‘76) as our 18th Chancellor. Many of you have come to know Belinda since she took office in 2013, and have seen first‑handher passion for the University’s work, her dedication and unrivalled work ethic. As Chancellor, she presided over 65 graduation ceremonies, shaking hands with more than 8500 graduands. She has been a tireless advocate for the University externally. And under her leadership, the campus has been transformed, with new facilities enabling innovative approaches to multidisciplinary research and teaching.

Belinda’s clear focus has been key to our success over the past decade, setting us up to become one of the best‑governed and most successful universities in Australia. We have been very fortunate to have her as our Chancellor – and are deeply grateful to her and her family for their donations to the MySydney and Eureka Benevolent Foundation scholarships, which benefit rural and regional students.

With thanks to our supporters, the University has made great strides in the two years since the launch of the Sydney in 2032 strategy towards more equitable access to education. The MySydney scholarships, for example, have enabled a 62 percent increase in enrolments from students from low‑socioeconomic areas, and this comprehensive program has also improved retention rates for MySydney students compared to the broader undergraduate domestic cohort. We are proud to be building a place of learning that helps students from all backgrounds to thrive.

We are also working towards changing how Australia thinks about innovation and commercialisation, playing a leadership role in building an ecosystem that brings together academics, government and the private sector to transform academic research into commercial products and services, government policy or healthcare innovations. Much of this work has already begun – once again thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

You can find stories of how we are translating technology – taking it from the lab to serving communities – within these pages. Other stories highlight the diverse passions of our donor community, the students and researchers they empower, and the programs they enable. From groundbreaking heart health innovations to restoring a 450‑year‑old manuscript, and from improving food security to boosting mental health research, your contributions are enabling transformational change.

The work we do here at the University of Sydney is critical to the future success, wellbeing and prosperity of our nation. But this work does not happen in isolation – innovation and excellence in education and research can only occur through meaningful collaboration. As universities across Australia grapple with significant shifts in higher education policy, engagement with our community will be more important than ever.

We are sincerely grateful to you, our friends and supporters, and look forward to our continued partnership over the coming years.