Melbourne Commencement Ceremonies 2022
Student pledge
Welcome to the University of Melbourne!
Today you begin at one of the finest universities in the world, a milestone on an intellectual journey that will extend beyond your future graduation from the University.
You are now part of a community of learning that grows in strength from its many branches of diversity: across nations, races, genders and views.
Here you’ll encounter ideas that spark your curiosity, that challenge your assumptions, that conflict with your own and may even trouble you.
At the University of Melbourne you have the right to feel safe and supported, to be treated equitably and fairly, to be valued for who you are and to hold political and religious views that are different to others.
Your classmates and University staff have the same rights too.
Here, we also share a commitment to respect. Our differences enrich our community. The University does not accept bullying or unlawful discrimination, and has policies that support our commitment to diversity. The University has zero tolerance for sexual assault and sexual harassment.
You are responsible for your personal behaviour, as part of a community working to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
Try new things. Join student clubs. Learn new skills: whether it’s photography, a language or sporting club. Reach out to meet someone from a community beyond your own.
Study hard, but take the time to engage in the many co-curricular activities at the University of Melbourne. Join others with similar interests, or forge your own path and bring people with you.
Before you know it, you’ll become one of our more than 420,000 alumni. And your connection doesn’t end there. Thanks to thousands of donors from around the world, ‘Believe – the Campaign for the University of Melbourne’ has given thousands of students the opportunity of a Melbourne education, and supported ground-breaking research that has created public value and helped to advance society.