Macquarie University Careers Advisers Update
Schools Symposium + Faculty Updates
Last week I attended the Schools Symposium at Macquarie University… on what was a very rainy Sydney morning. Despite the weather (and the early start), teachers, Careers Advisers and school leaders from across NSW showed up in strong numbers. There’s something reassuring about a room full of educators who care deeply about where education is heading and how we can best support our students.
Macquarie took a slightly different approach this year. Rather than jumping straight into ATARs and course updates, the morning session invited a broader school audience and began with something much more foundational: mental health.
Starting With Mental Health: “The Big 5”
The keynote speaker - Professior Nick Titov opened the day with a focus on mental health - specifically something called The Big 5. On the surface, these five areas can sound a bit like wellbeing buzzwords. But when you dig into the evidence behind them, they become much more practical and actionable for young people.
Professor Titov spoke about the research conducted by MindSpot, a respected Australian mental health organisation, which breaks The Big 5 down into behaviours that consistently predict stronger mental wellbeing:
Meaningful Activities - Doing things that you enjoy or that give you a sense of purpose
Healthy Thinking - Practising realistic, balanced thinking instead of automatic negative thoughts
Goals and Plans - Setting goals and taking small steps towards them
Healthy Routines - Daily structure, good sleep, regular meals and movement
Social Connections - Spending time with people who matter to you
These aren’t vague ideas - they’re behaviours backed by research showing:
People who engage in these activities more often report fewer symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression
Cutting back on them (even unintentionally) is linked with rapid emotional decline
Small changes across these five areas have meaningful cumulative impact on wellbeing
In other words, this framework isn’t just warm-and-fuzzy language, it’s evidence-based and behaviour-focused. And that’s what makes it powerful.
You can read more from MindSpot on the Big 5 here:
👉 https://www.mindspot.org.au/info/the-big-five/what-are-the-big-five/
As educators, parents and community members, we know that what we model often speaks louder than what we formally teach. Even small shifts at home, like protecting routines, setting manageable goals and prioritising connection can have a ripple effect.
A thoughtful way to start the day.
Government Reforms in Tertiary Education
From mental health, we moved into structural reform.
Key points discussed:
The goal of 80% tertiary qualification attainment by 2050 (currently ~60%)
Expanding access for underrepresented groups
Movement toward a managed / capped growth system, rather than fully demand-driven
Increasing financial pressure and affordability considerations
The overall tone?
More students in higher education, but with tighter controls around where and how growth happens.
Future Students Update - Important for Year 12
Macquarie highlighted several key changes:
Domestic places now capped
Guaranteed Entry discontinued
Some selection ranks have increased slightly
Adjustment factors currently under review
Fewer places available in later rounds
The consistent advice:
Early entry is increasingly important.
Macquarie’s Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Program remains a key pathway and opens early June.
Students who don’t meet a final selection rank may still be assessed on relevant subject performance aligned to their degree.
Accessibility: A Genuine Shift
Driving from the Sutherland Shire took me just over an hour (not insignificant).
However, the CAs who took public transport beat me to the morning coffee on offer!
Macquarie now has direct Metro access from Central. It takes just 18 minutes from Central Station to the campus. So the barrier is less about distance and more about getting to Central in the first place. Accessibility across Sydney is improving significantly, which is an important consideration for students weighing up options across the city.
Even on a rainy day, the campus remains one of the most visually impressive in Sydney. It is a single, expansive, green campus with significant investment in student experience and facilities (over $1 billion invested over the past decade).
Course & Faculty Highlights
There were numerous updates across faculties.
New & Updated Offerings
Diploma of Health Sciences (Macquarie University College)
Bachelor of Urban & Regional Planning (new accredited program)
New majors in Bachelor of History
New Bachelor of International Studies
New majors in Social Sciences
AI Major within Bachelor of Business
New Psychology majors
Bachelor of Environment & Conservation
Selection rank examples (indicative increases):
Engineering 80 → 83
Cybersecurity 80 → 83
Business 75 → 78
Breakout Session 1: Medicine & Health Sciences
Macquarie presented a clear response to Australia’s evolving health landscape.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences now focuses on four key domains aligned to industry:
Health coaching
Mental health & counselling
Health administration
Digital health
Structure highlights:
Common first year
Flexible major pathways
Strong work-integrated learning focus
Career development embedded
Industry partnerships
There is also a Year 1 Diploma exit pathway option.
This degree feels intentionally designed around the broader health ecosystem, not just traditional clinical pathways.
Breakout Session 2: Business
Macquarie Business School positioned itself slightly differently from some other universities I’ve visited recently.
Their key message wasn’t rankings.
It was engagement.
They focused on three principles for student success, and the answer to uncertainty:
Show up (face-to-face learning matters)
Be curious
Back yourself
They are intentionally doubling down on on-campus engagement because their belief is that the “magic” happens face-to-face.
Other highlights:
Strong industry connection
MQ Work Experience initiative
One-on-one industry mentoring
Large exchange programs
Emphasis on learning as a social endeavour
Focus on developing World Economic Forum key skills through active tutorials
Despite not being Group of Eight, Macquarie Business School continues to rank among Australia’s stronger business faculties.
Overall Impressions
Macquarie felt:
Student-experience focused
Invested heavily in infrastructure
Clear about industry alignment
Strongly committed to face-to-face engagement
Realistic about capped growth and competitive entry
It may not always be our most popular first preference at Caringbah, but it is becoming increasingly relevant.
As always, if you or your child is considering Macquarie University, I’m very happy to discuss pathways and suitability.
Kate Poppett
Careers Adviser