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Meet our Corporate Members: Professor John Dewar AO, La Trobe University

‘La Trobe is Victoria’s third oldest university and opened our doors in 1967. La Trobe’s original mission was to serve the growing suburbs of Melbourne’s north and make a world-class university education accessible to everyone, no matter their socioeconomic circumstances or background.

‘This mission continues today more strongly than ever – and we have expanded more deeply into the regions over the years so that we are now Victoria’s only genuinely state-wide university, with campuses in Bendigo, Mildura, Albury-Wodonga and Shepparton. We’re also committed to doing research that addresses real world problems. We’re ranked in the top 300 universities globally, the top 20 globally for our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and top 5 for gender equity.

‘There are a lot of synergies in the missions of La Trobe University and State Library Victoria, especially in the way that we serve the community by making knowledge accessible to everyone. There are also some interesting parallels in the ways that public libraries and universities have developed over the years – we were once places for quiet, introspective contemplation, where reading or research was often done in solitude. Today, public libraries and universities are designed to support access, knowledge sharing and collaboration. While there are still spaces for quiet work, more often than not you can walk into the State Library or the Agora at our Bundoora campus and see bustling spaces that are full of activity and conversation.

‘La Trobe University partners with organisations that share our values. I know that the Library was founded with a philosophy that access to knowledge is critical for the development of a civil and prosperous community – and we couldn’t agree more. Being a Corporate Member with the Library means we can work for mutual benefit – we can access the unparalleled spaces at the Library and its treasure trove of historical and cultural items, and our academic experts can lend their expertise to discussions and events. Working with the Library is a natural fit for us – it’s a partnership with purpose.

‘I know a lot of visitors to the library name the magnificent La Trobe Reading Room as their favourite space, but it has special significance for everyone from our university. We were named after Charles Joseph La Trobe, Victoria's first Lieutenant-Governor. Sir Charles was driven by progressive social values that we echo today in the University's mission to improve access to higher education and serve our diverse communities.

‘We love being able to host events at the Library – it really makes our guests feel special to be able to have access to one of Melbourne’s landmark buildings. Most recently, we hosted the 30th anniversary of the La Trobe Law School at the Library’s Conversation Quarter. It was a terrific event and I’m sure a key reason for its success was being able to spend time in a special space that is not ordinarily accessible to the public. The bluestone wall and heritage architecture create a memorable atmosphere that you can’t get anywhere else.’