On Tuesday 18 August 2026, SUPRA hosted our second Welcome Fair of 2026 in the Great Hall of the Quadrangle, delivered in partnership with the University of Sydney's Student Life team. Building on the success of our first Welcome Fair in March, the day brought together 38 stalls and welcomed more than 600 students from across our undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR communities.
More than a welcome, the Fair creates a valuable opportunity to bring the University, its many student services, student organisations and students themselves together in the same space. It connects students directly with the people, services and communities available to support them, while giving different parts of the University an opportunity to engage with students and with each other.
The University of Sydney community is wonderfully diverse, spanning undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR students – domestic and international – many of whom begin their journey later in the semester due to visa timelines, work commitments or the rising cost of living. The Fair’s open and inclusive format, allowing students to come and go freely throughout the day, is especially important at this time of year, when many are still arriving in Sydney. With visa delays and approval timelines showing no signs of easing, the need for a dedicated late-welcome platform will only grow. The Welcome Fair ensures that students arriving later in the semester are not left behind, giving them a meaningful opportunity to find their footing and feel part of the University community.
A warm welcome from University leadership
We were honoured to welcome Chancellor David Thodey, who opened the day with a welcome address, and Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott. We were also joined by Senate Fellows Jason Yat-sen Li, Shirley Chowdhary and Edwina Grose, and by Professor Jane Hanrahan, Chair of the Academic Board, who each took the time to walk the room and speak directly with students throughout the morning.
Around the hall
The Welcome Fair brought together student representative bodies, University service providers, and student clubs and societies, organised across dedicated zones within the Great Hall.
Student representative bodies
SUPRA staffed a stall providing free casework and legal advice, which received strong and steady engagement throughout the day. Our equity networks highlighted SUPRA's ongoing advocacy across equity, inclusion and student welfare, while the SUPRA Volunteer Program and Social Impact Grants generated considerable interest among students seeking to get involved.
The Students' Representative Council (SRC), the University of Sydney Union (USU) and the student newspaper Honi Soit also participated.
University services
The University of Sydney Library, Student Life, the Careers Centre, the Graduate Research School and the Office of Educational Integrity each hosted a stall.
The National Student Ombudsman (NSO), the NSW Police Force and the City of Sydney were also in attendance, reflecting growing recognition by external, government and regulatory bodies of the Welcome Fair as a formal student services platform.
International Student Career Expo (ISCE)
SUPRA also hosted a stall for the International Student Career Expo, our joint initiative with the UNSW Postgraduate Council (PGC), giving students an early look at the opportunities ahead. The Expo will be held on Thursday 8 October 2026 at Sydney Town Hall, bringing together employers, industry experts and international students for a day dedicated to career development. All students are warmly welcome to attend. Find out more about the International Student Career Expo.
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) area
A dedicated HDR area brought research students together. The SUPRA HDR Network supported new HDR students in building peer connections, while Graduate Research School staff addressed enquiries regarding scholarships, supervision and enrolment. This targeted provision reflects SUPRA's ongoing commitment to the distinct needs of the HDR community.
Activities and lucky draw
The ends of the Great Hall accommodated the entertainment and photo zones, among the most frequented areas on the day, featuring the ‘USYD 2026’ stage light installation and a photo booth.
A passport stamp activity operated across the event, encouraging students to visit each zone before entering the end-of-day lucky draw. With a total prize pool exceeding $2,000, the draw included 2 11-inch iPads, 3 Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 cameras and 10 Sony SRS-XB100 speakers. All prizes were distributed to winners the following day.
What our attendees said
Across the day, the feedback we received from attendees were the same words again and again: ‘vibrant’, ‘diverse’, and a ‘strong sense of community’. Chancellor David Thodey described the day as a wonderful showcase of the University's vibrant and diverse student community, and the Vice-Chancellor, Senate Fellows and Chair of the Academic Board each commented on the warmth of the room, the breadth of what students had built, and how many had come not for themselves but to look after one another. More than one told us they would gladly return, and that they were glad to see the Welcome Fair take its place as a fixture of the University's calendar.
Long before any of us arrived, students at this university understood that belonging is not something handed to you; it is something built, together by people who decide to look after one another. From SUPRA to the SRC and USU, generation after generation has answered the same call: when your community needs something, you organise, represent, build, and leave things stronger for those who come after. The Welcome Fair is our part of that inheritance. It exists to tell every student, whoever you are and whenever you arrive, that you are not only here to study at Sydney; you are here to belong to it, to help shape it, and to leave it better than you found it.
Thank you
We are grateful to our volunteers, easy to spot in their bright green uniforms, who guided students through the hall, answered questions, and kept the energy warm and welcoming all day. Thank you as well to the whole SUPRA team whose work brought the day together, to the Student Life team for their partnership throughout, and to the SRC for their continued support across both of our Welcome Fairs this year.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the many student clubs and societies who brought their energy, culture and community to the day: the Sydney Arts Students' Society, Sydney University Piano Society, Project Management Society, Sydney Uni Trade Union Society, USYD Social Dancing Society, Wildlife Society, University of Sydney Nepalese Society, Sydney University Veterinary Society, Sydney University Jazz Society, Student Urbanism Society, Chinese Students Association, Vietnamese International Students at the University of Sydney, USYD Project Hope, AIESEC in Sydney, Sydney Pan-African Association, Sri Lankan Society of USYD, Sydney University Formula Racing Society, Conservatorium Students' Association, and USYD Health Society. For many new students, this was their first encounter with the breadth of student life on campus.
Thank you all for coming along to SUPRA Welcome Fair 2026 Semester 2. We can't wait to see you at the next one!
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