Our
journey

Banksia

Starting where Western Australian kaartdijin (knowledge) began, The University of Western Australia sits on sacred soil alongside the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) on Whadjuk Noongar Booja.

It has been a place to gather and learn for tens of thousands of years, sharing life lessons through stories that have been passed down from generation to generation of the world’s oldest continuous culture.

Established as the State’s first university in 1911 and founded with a mission to ‘advance the prosperity and welfare of our communities’, the University opened in 1913 to just 184 students. Today, more than 25,000 students are enrolled from 100 countries.

Since our beginnings, UWA has blazed the trail in producing remarkable and life-changing contributions across learning, teaching and research. But our University is more than simply a centre for education and research.

For more than 100 years, we have contributed to the intellectual, cultural and economic development of Western Australia, the nation and our world. We have forged and embraced connections with community, partners and industry to ensure our impact is far reaching, both now and into the future.

We’re continuing to make our mark on the world and our students are vital in this journey. UWA students contribute to society in ways that tackle our world’s most pressing challenges. From health and social inequalities to the environment and climate change, our passionate community of students, academics and researchers are partnering with industry to help solve these Grand Challenges.

Our motto ‘Seek Wisdom’ is as relevant today and into the future as it was when it was adopted by the  UWA Senate in 1912. We remain committed to this, as we continue to encourage our students and staff to push beyond the bounds of what is known and what is possible.