OUS Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

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.

Forthcoming events

Oxbridge Reception at the British High Commission

We are delighted that Her Excellency Dame Sarah MacIntosh DCMG, who was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia earlier this year, has kindly agreed to host a drinks and canapés reception for Oxbridge alumni at her official residence Westminster House, as our end of year event for 2025.

Dame Sarah was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia and Head of the United Kingdom’s Oceania Network in April 2025. Previously she has served as Deputy National Security Adviser and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs from 2022 to 2024, and as the United Kingdom’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to NATO from 2017 to 2022. Sarah joined the FCDO in 1991. Previous appointments include Director General, Defence and Intelligence (2014-2017); Director, Defence and International Security (2011-2014); Director, Strategic Finance (2009-2010); Her Majesty’s High Commissioner to Sierra Leone and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Liberia (2006-2008); and the Strategy Co-ordinator for the UN Mission in Kosovo (2004-2005). Sarah has also been posted to the UK Mission to the United Nations at New York; the UK Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency at Vienna; and the British Embassy Madrid.

Final cut-off for bookings is 27 November 2025 so that numbers can be advised to the British High Commission. Please book early as this is likely to be a popular event and we may need to close off bookings when we reach a certain capacity.

Date: Thursday 4 December 2025, 6.30-8.30pm

Dress code: Smart casual

Location: The gardens of Westminster House, 76 Empire Circuit, Deakin ACT 2600 (the event will be held inside if the weather is wet)

Parking: There is no parking at the residence, but there is plenty of parking available on the street. As there is a steep drive up to the residence, those with access requirements are able to be dropped off at the top of the drive if agreed with the British High Commission in advance (please provide car details, including registration number, to Oxford Treasurer Jim Windeyer – details below).

Security: Guests will need to show ID at the front gate

Bookings/payment: $60 per person for drinks and canapés. RSVP by email to OUS ACT Treasurer Jim Windeyer. Payment must be made in advance to confirm your place.

Recent events

Meet the Author - Brooke Boney

Thursday 10 April, 2025

Journalist Brooke Boney (St Anthony's, 2024) was in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on her new book All of It. Summed up as notes on public life, private joy and everything in between, it is a collection of witty and heartfelt essays about love, loss and ambition. Brooke Boney is a journalist who started her media career as a political correspondent for SBS and then for NITV and the ABC before joining Nine's Today show in 2019. Brooke is currently a Charlie Perkins Chevening Scholar studying a Masters of Public Policy at The Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. An extremely talented and versatile communicator, Brokke also works as an MC, moderator, panellist and keynote speaker, with a huge passion for igniting discussion around Indigenous Affairs. Brooke is particularly recognised for her candid and insightful approach to topics surrounding identity, representation and social justice. Brooke’s authenticity and outspoken views have made her a both a standout and well-respected voice in Australian journalism Brooke’s engaging writing blends personal stories with social commentary, making complex topics feel accessible and thought-provoking.

We were delighted that Brooke stayed on afterwards for book-signing and gave Oxbridge alumni an opportunity to chat more informally.

Oxbridge15 dinner and trivia quiz

Wednesday 12 March, 2025

Alumni who graduated in the last 15 years (2010~) were invited to our first Oxbridge15 event where we were joined by our Cambridge counterparts. Guests were able to network and share fond memories over drinks in an informal setting.

Oxbridge Reception with Professor Peter Kanowski

Wednesday 4 December, 2024

The Oxford and Cambridge Societies in the ACT welcomed members and their guests to an end of year gathering at which Professor Peter Kanowski (Wolfson, 1983), National Secretary for the Rhodes Scholarships in Australia and Master of University House, gave a short presentation on the Rhodes and Oxford-Australia Scholarships and an update on the University House restoration and reopening.

Reception with Professor Tina Dacin

Wednesday 1 November, 2023

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. 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)

Tuesday 8 August, 2023

The Oxford and Cambridge Societies (ACT) invited members and their guests to a canapés and drinks reception, 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 Labour 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).

OUS Australian Capital Territory (ACT)