Our Values

Our early reputation as a radical and challenging institution continues to influence the way we enrich the experience of our students and engage with our partners and communities.

In 2017, as part of the development of the Strategic Plan 2020 – 2030 [PDF 1.5MB] (updated September 2020) we articulated a set of values. We developed these values through a consultative process involving many La Trobe staff. The values guide everything we do.

We were founded half a century ago to broaden participation in higher education in Melbourne's north and, later, in regional Victoria. We have succeeded for many thousands of students who would otherwise have been excluded from the opportunities provided by a university education.

We continue to support access, diversity and inclusivity while undertaking world-class research that aims to address the global forces shaping our world and make a difference to some of the world's most pressing problems, including climate change, securing food, water and the environment, building healthy
communities, and creating a more just and sustainable future.

This approach is based on our values of:

  • inclusiveness, diversity, equity and social justice
  • pursuing excellence and sustainability in everything we do
  • championing our local communities in Melbourne's north and regional Victoria
  • being willing to innovate and disrupt the traditional way of doing things.

Of all Australian universities, we are the most successful at combining accessibility and excellence, and have become a place where social inclusion and globally recognised excellence come together for the benefit of our students, our staff and our communities.

Our academics and researchers achieve national and international recognition, our public intellectuals demonstrate an enduring social conscience and influence, and our alumni achieve extraordinary success and impact in government, industry and not for profit organisations.

We will strive to be exemplars for the sector in our commitment to gender equity and to inclusivity for marginalised groups; and we will work with Indigenous peoples and organisations to support their social, cultural and economic aspirations.

We embrace sustainable practices across all our campuses because we are committed to improving environmental, social and economic outcomes for our communities. We will contribute to economic development for our local communities, and our future activity will increasingly be international as we become a globally connected university in everything we do.

La Trobe University supports free speech and the right to peaceful protest

Consistent with our organisational values is La Trobe’s support of the right to free speech by all students and staff of the University.

Throughout its history La Trobe has encouraged all those who learn, teach or undertake research here to play an active and vocal role in their community and in the future of the University.  Social engagement and participation is part of our DNA.

Without question all students and staff at La Trobe have the right to peaceful protest. Debate – and dissent - is healthy, and the La Trobe community rightly thrives on rigorous and spirited discussion about the University’s direction.

La Trobe University will not, however, tolerate any protest in which there is violence, or which features threatening and intimidating behaviour. The University has a responsibility to protect the safety and wellbeing of the many students, staff and visitors to our campuses.

La Trobe University is committed to gender equity and diversity

La Trobe is pleased to announce that work to implement the SAGE Athena Swan Charter at La Trobe, which will help us create a more gender inclusive and diverse workplace, is underway.

La Trobe is one of forty Australian universities, medical and publicly-funded research agencies taking part in this prestigious national program. However, La Trobe is one of only two institutions that have committed to apply the Charter's principles of gender equity, diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups across all of our disciplinary areas, not only in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM). As a university we are proud of our commitment to positive change and our ambition to do more than just the minimum.

La Trobe signed up to the Athena Swan Charter because we need to play our part in driving the transformational change that is needed to address gender inequality in our communities: women comprise more than half of science PhD graduates and early career researchers, but only make up 17 per cent of senior academic positions in Australian universities and research institutes. While this problem is not unique to La Trobe, as a university we are determined to play a leading role in striving for substantive equality.