OUS Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Welcome to the web pages of the Oxford University Society in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia.
The Oxford University Society in the Australian Capital Territory was founded in 1959 with a committee of four. Regular meetings have been held since 1959. Colin Steele is the current Secretary, a position he has held since 1977. The ACT President is currently Professor John Carver. Membership is largely drawn from academia and the Commonwealth public service.
There are currently two to three events held each year. Whether you are visiting temporarily, or a permanent Canberra resident, we encourage you to get in touch and come along. All are welcome.
Reception with Professor Tina Dacin
The Oxford and Cambridge Societies (ACT) were delighted to invite members and their guests to a drinks and canapés by the pool reception with guest speaker Professor Tina Dacin on Wednesday 1 November 2023. Professor Tina Dacin holds appointments as Fellow, Centre for Social Innovation at the Judge Business School, Cambridge and Visiting Fellow at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge as well as the Stephen J.R. Smith Chair of Strategy and Organizational Behaviour at Queen’s University, Canada. Her research interests include AI and social impact; social entrepreneurship; and traditions, place and institutions.
Reception with Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC KC BA LLB (Hons) (Melb) MA (Oxon)
The Oxford and Cambridge Societies (ACT) invited members and their guests to a canapés and drinks reception on Tuesday 8 August. This was followed by a seated talk by Gareth Evans on ‘My Oxford’, a fascinating, reflective and humorous talk. In the Q&A session after the talk he commented on wider contemporary issues. Gareth Evans read PPE at Magdalen from 1968 to 1970, and was elected an Honorary Fellow of that College in 2004. He was a Cabinet Minister throughout the Hawke and Keating Labor Governments, in the posts of Attorney General, Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Transport and Communications and, from 1988 to 1996, Foreign Minister. From 2000 to 2009 he was President and CEO of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, and from 2010 to 2019 Chancellor of the Australian National University, where he is now Distinguished Honorary Professor. He has written or edited, singly or jointly, 14 books, most recently Good International Citizenship: The Case for Decency (2022).
Oxbridge Garden Party: Sunday 16 April 2023
Reception with The Hon. George Brandis KC
The Oxford and Cambridge University Societies (ACT) were delighted to invite members and their guests to a drinks and canapés end of year reception with guest speaker, the Hon. George Brandis on Monday 28 November 2022. George Brandis, a graduate of Queensland and Magdalen College, Oxford, reflected on his time at Oxford and as Australian High Commissioner in London
Oxbridge Garden Party 2022
The Oxford and Cambridge Societies of the ACT were delighted to hold an Oxbridge Garden Party, with champagne, soft drinks and canapes by the pool on Saturday 26 March 2022. Members were grateful to the chair Harriet Elvin and Tony Hedley for making their house available for the event.
Oxbridge Garden Party 2021
On 14 March 2021, the Oxford and Cambridge Societies of the ACT held an Oxbridge Garden Party, with champagne, soft drinks and canapes by the pool. Alumni were joined by the guest of honour, the British High Commissioner to Australia, Her Excellency Mrs Vicki Treadell CMG MVO.
Thank you for your interest in OUS Canberra (ACT). Please get in touch with us if you have any queries. We hope we will be welcoming you soon to ACT events. Membership enquires should be directed to Tracy Cui:
Professor John Carver, President
Jim Windeyer, Treasurer
Tracy Cui, Membership Secretary
Colin Steele, Events Coordinator
