UniSQ Library leads national effort to build connection and belonging on campus

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) Library has been selected to take part in a national initiative focused on building connection, belonging, and understanding on campus.

The initiative reflects a broader focus across the higher education sector on supporting connection, inclusion, and respectful engagement within university communities.

UniSQ’s selection recognises its library as a trusted, neutral space where students from diverse backgrounds connect and build shared understanding.

UniSQ University Librarian Carmel O’Sullivan said university libraries play a critical role in fostering inclusive and resilient campus communities.

“University libraries are places where this generation’s learning and its creation of new knowledge is built upon the knowledge and wisdom of others,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

“They are places where the curious, reflective, and innovative thinkers of our time can influence the future.

“They are also places where knowledge builds cohesion, understanding, and a stronger society.”

Between November 2025 and March 2026, the UniSQ Library is delivering a suite of evidence-based programs designed to intentionally bring students together across cultural, linguistic, faith, neurodiverse, and life-experience backgrounds, particularly during periods of transition and stress.

The programs focus on creating low-barrier opportunities for connection and support. During high-pressure exam periods, students are linked with peer and professional networks to reduce isolation and anxiety.

Orientation-aligned activities will create space for students to share personal stories, understand diverse pathways into higher education, and form early connections that support belonging and wellbeing.

Other initiatives will activate the UniSQ Library as an inclusive “third space”, using collaborative learning environments and makerspaces to encourage skill-sharing, conversation and community.

Some of the programs will bring students together around shared interests, such as social enterprise and entrepreneurship, and campus-wide activities that build understanding of neurodivergent experiences through co-design, storytelling, and participation.

The initiative is being delivered in collaboration with colleagues across UniSQ, including student representatives, wellbeing and learning support services, orientation teams, disability and neurodiversity networks, and community partners.

UniSQ was selected to participate through a competitive national process led by the Australian Library and Information Association in partnership with the Office for Social Cohesion within the Department of Home Affairs.