An Online Students Guide to Getting Connected at UNE

Welcome to UNE! As an online student, connecting with peers can sometimes be challenging, did you know there’s a large and vibrant community out there waiting to connect with you? This guide is your key to unlocking all the amazing opportunities UNE Life has to offer, specifically tailored to your online experience.

Read on to discover what they are:

UNE Life Virtual Campus

The UNE Life Virtual Campus is hosted on Gather Town and is a unique and interactive platform where you can meet fellow students, collaborate on projects, and explore a wealth of resources to help you during your learning experience. Whether you’re looking to join a study group, find a quiet corner or simply chat with new friends, our virtual campus offers you a home base for your student life.

Throughout the year, there are a range of different events hosted on the virtual campus for students to enjoy. To keep up with what’s happening in this space, make sure to enrol on the virtual campus page on MyLearn, check out the online bulletin board, and keep an eye on UNE Life’s social media for announcements.

 TuneFM

TuneFM is UNE’s student powered radio station and is also Australia’s oldest university broadcaster, with its origins tracing all the way back to 1970. Nowadays, it exists not just as a student radio station but as a bustling media hub where UNE students can gain practical skills in a range of media. From radio announcing, audio mixing, writing, podcasting, interviewing and social media, TuneFM is the place to be for students hoping to graduate with work experience. For online students wanting experience in announcing, distance is not an obstacle! TuneFM will post microphones out to your address and give you access to their online recording studio, RiversideFM, so that you can get your voice heard on the air, no matter where you’re located.  There are a number of pathways to joining TuneFM, and the team will work with you to create a tailored schedule that works with your study requirements and availability. Head to the student opportunities page to get started.

Clubs & Societies

For many UNE alumni, some of their fondest memories of their university days involve Clubs & Societies, and with their extensive catalogue of clubs, it’s no wonder. Clubs & Societies are open to membership with all UNE students (including spots for UNE staff and community members at times). There are a range of academic, sporting, cultural and social clubs and societies run by UNE students, that are always accepting new members. Plus, if you check out the catalogue and can’t find what it is that you’re looking for, the option exists to create your own, brand-new club (pretty cool right?)! With Clubs & Societies you can meet likeminded people, build a professional network, learn new things and make time to have fun and pursue your hobbies while studying! We recommend reaching out to individual Clubs & Societies to see how you can get involved, as an online student.

Advocacy & Welfare

Advocacy & Welfare is an important service to be aware of as a UNE student. Essentially, Advocacy & Welfare is an independent and confidential service that exists for students and is set up to assist with a broad range of concerns. Things like academic misconduct, special extensions of time, the student emergency assistance fund, mediation for university related matters, exam deferrals, submitting a formal complaint and behavioural misconduct are all things that you should reach out to A&W for (among many others). The team at Advocacy & Welfare create a range of online resources to help you on your student journey and also hosts student discounts on their site. Even if you’re not sure if Advocacy & Welfare are the right services for whatever issue you are facing, get in touch anyway and they can help connect you with the right resource, department or service. For online students, you can get in touch via email, over the phone, or by setting up a video call. Check out their website for more info and follow them on social media for important notices.

UNE Healthy Campus

The UNE Healthy Campus initiative offers a range of online initiatives and programs, designed to support your mental, physical, and social wellbeing, no matter where you are.

UNE Healthy Campus is an internationally accredited wellbeing campaign facilitated by UNE Life, and it’s dedicated to enhancing the lives of our UNE community members. Its mission is to foster a healthier mind, body, and social life for everyone in the UNE community.

UNE Healthy Campus offers webinars and workshops that are regularly listed in the ‘online’ section of the ‘UNE Healthy Campus’ landing page. These online sessions cover a wide range of topics, from mental health check-ins to practical wellness tips. Sometimes you can find discounts for wellness programs or apps on this page. Or, for those who enjoy a challenge, there are plenty of virtual challenges that you can join. Events like STEPtember, the Conqueror Walking Challenge, and the UNE Blood Drive give you opportunities to stay active and connected with fellow students, even during busy periods like exams.

The Shop

The Shop is UNE’s one stop for all of your university essentials. Through The Shop you can buy new textbooks, buy and sell second-hand textbooks, stationary, practical gear (nursing attire etc), purchase UNE merchandise and browse a selection of homewares and giftwares. For online students, anything you can see on The Shop’s social media that isn’t currently listed in their online store, you can reach out to them via email, and they will arrange an order with you directly. Additionally, UNE students receive a discount on items purchased through The Shop.

Online Events, Webinars and Workshops

Throughout the year, a number of UNE Life and UNE departments organise online events. These include things like academic workshops, gaming, special lectures, live streams of important events, discussion forums, trivia and more! To keep up to date with what events are happening, hop on social media and follow UNE Life and UNE. Additionally, you can check out the UNE Student Events Calendar.

Social Groups and Pages

Speaking of social media, it’s a great place to connect with other UNE students and community members. On Facebook and Instagram, you’ll find a number of UNE affiliated accounts that exist for a variety of purposes. For example, there are faculty accounts, services accounts, college accounts, pages for Clubs & Societies, Facebook groups and more! To help you find your way, we’ve put together a UNE Social Media Directory.

Your journey at UNE, as an online student, may feel like it exists only within the digital realm, but the connections and experiences waiting for you are things you can take with you throughout life. Whether you’re honing your skills at TuneFM, finding your people in a club, or seeking support from Advocacy & Welfare, remember that you’re an integral part of this vibrant community. This guide is just the beginning- now it’s over to you!

Connect with other online students today.
Check out the full list of our Clubs & Societies here.