UNSW’s new Campus Development Plan

The UNSW Campus Development Plan is a major refurbishment and renewal project to enhance the University’s vital areas, including:

• Teaching spaces
• Learning spaces
• Research environments
• Student accommodation.

The project will improve campus accessibility and environmental sustainability, while providing dynamic spaces for partnerships and collaborations, and a vibrant campus life for students, staff and visitors.

Why UNSW is planning for growth

Some Kensington buildings are reaching end-of-life, and their refurbishment and renewal enable greater efficiencies through shared and upgraded spaces, and new student-led spaces. The refurbishment and renewal also support UNSW’s sustainability and decarbonisation agenda.

Fuelled by current and future student growth and the return to campus post-pandemic, UNSW requires additional floor space to accommodate high-quality learning, teaching, research and student life spaces.

UNSW’s new academic flex-semester calendar, to be introduced in 2028, supports the growth of professional education and lifelong learning for our alumni throughout their careers. It will provide access to new learning cohorts and deliver institutional sustainability.

Alignment with UNSW strategic pillars

The Campus Development Plan aligns with the UNSW Strategy: Progress for All, specifically the Principle of setting our next foundations and equipping UNSW for future generations. It also aligns with Pillar 5, creating vibrant, open, connected and accessible university environments that inspire our community.

Our vision for 2040

The Campus Development Plan will be delivered in stages through to 2040, ensuring a coordinated and strategic approach to refurbishments, new buildings and infrastructure improvements.

The University’s vision for the Kensington campus in 2040 is a distinctive world-class campus featuring internationally recognised learning, teaching, research, community and collaboration facilities within a setting that celebrates the site’s location and character on Bidjigal land. UNSW’s Indigenous commitment is to ensure all campuses are physically welcoming, culturally safe and reflective of the Countries they are on.

Better integration at the campus gateways will leverage recent investments in health and transport, enabling flow-on economic benefits to support retail, community and other spaces. These connections will strengthen the University’s role as a shared place for collaboration, culture and community.

UNSW will continue to improve the student experience by creating a welcoming, equitable and inclusive campus with better accessibility and wayfinding to support the diverse campus population, including students, staff and visitors.

The Campus Development Plan also addresses the acute challenge of housing affordability through development of a Housing Strategy and expansion of current offerings.

Last edited on 11 December 2025