As ANZAC Day approaches, Australians and New Zealanders prepare once again to pause, reflect, and honour the sacrifices made by those who served. For many, it's a sacred tradition—quiet mornings, solemn dawn services, and stories passed down through generations. But in 2025, more than a century after the Gallipoli landings, what does ANZAC mean to young Australians today? And how can we ensure our commemorations speak truthfully to both the past and the present?
For Avondale University students Jack and Mattia, ANZAC Day is more than a ritual. It's a reminder of the human cost of war, a personal connection to history, and the importance of empathy. Their reflections point to a new generation engaging with ANZAC not just through national pride, but with a thoughtful desire to understand and acknowledge the full weight of our shared past.
ANZAC isn’t just about medals or marching bands, but a deeper reckoning with what it means to remember well. Commemorating ANZAC Day is about honouring the individuals who lived, fought, suffered, and often died in its shadow—and doing so with honesty.
One of the messages to emerge from this conversation with ANZAC historian and Emeritus Professor Daniel Reynaud is the call to truthfulness. Reynaud emphasises the danger of sanitising the past—of polishing it until only the heroic parts remain. While it is convenient to remember war in simplistic terms of mateship and courage, history is rarely that simple. ANZAC Day should not be a moment for mythology. It should be an invitation to truth, and truth includes complexity. It includes the political failures that lead to war, the personal trauma experienced by those who return, and the difficult realities of colonialism, discrimination, and silence that shaped who we remember—and who we don’t.
If we’re not careful, Reynaud warns, we risk repeating a troubling pattern: avoiding the uncomfortable parts of our past while turning a blind eye to the injustices of our present.
This matters because how we remember shapes how we act. If we only ever frame our national identity through triumph and sacrifice, we may be ill-equipped to confront injustice, inequality, or conflict today. But if we lean into the full weight of our history—the pride and the pain—we are more likely to build a society that values justice, empathy, and peace.
So, how should we mark ANZAC Day in 2025?
First, with humility. For many young Australians like Jack and Mattia, ANZAC Day is not about nationalistic pride. It’s about listening, learning, and standing in quiet solidarity with those who endured the unimaginable.
Second, with truth. This means creating space for voices that have often been left out of the ANZAC narrative: Indigenous servicemen and women, conscientious objectors, nurses, and civilians. It means recognising the trauma of war, not just the heroism. And it means understanding that remembrance is not static—each generation must decide how to honour the past in a way that speaks to the present.
Third, with action. If ANZAC Day is to remain relevant, it must inspire us to be better today. That might mean supporting veterans in practical ways, challenging injustice in our communities, or engaging thoughtfully with geopolitical affairs. We are currently witnessing a number of global conflicts. ANZAC day offers an opportunity to engage meaningfully with these issues and respond from an informed position with integrity.
For a new generation of students like Jack and Mattia, remembrance isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about responsibility. To look back with honesty. To look around with awareness. And to look forward with courage. In doing so, we honour not only the fallen, but also the living legacy of empathy, service, and hope.
Let’s commemorate ANZAC Day 2025 not just as an echo of the past, but as a call to integrity in how we live today.
As careers advisors, you play a vital role in guiding students towards pathways that will shape their futures. According to Universities Australia’s 2025 federal election statement, the role of universities in preparing students for tomorrow’s workforce has never been more critical.
Australia is undergoing rapid changes:
The next generation will need high-level skills and adaptability to meet 21st century challenges which our society is currently facing. Universities will be central in providing necessary skills, ensuring students are ready for emerging careers in fields like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, healthcare, and defence.
Currently, university graduates make up more than a third of Australia’s workforce, contributing an estimated $185 billion to the economy each year. Over their lifetimes, each graduate generates nearly $900,000 in broader economic benefits through higher tax contributions, job creation, and industry innovation. With the workforce increasingly requiring specialised expertise, projections suggest that by 2050, 80% of Australians will need either a university or TAFE qualification to meet demand.
For students, a university degree remains a powerful investment. In 2023, 88.9% of university graduates secured full-time employment, and over a lifetime, they typically earn an additional $1 million compared to non-graduates. Beyond individual success, university-led research drives national innovation, with Australian universities responsible for global breakthroughs such as the cervical cancer vaccine and the black box flight recorder.
Today there are many options for students in secondary education. Vocational training, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurial pathways offer the flexibility student need to find their place of contribution. However, Australia’s increasing demand for skilled university graduates will benefit those who choose to pursue higher education.
As advisors, encouraging students to consider university pathways—especially in future-focused fields—will help prepare them for a changing world. A university education is more than just a degree; it’s a pathway to opportunity, economic growth, and a stronger Australia.
Avondale University is celebrating the recognition of Professor Brett Mitchell and his research team, who have been named finalists in the 2024 NSW Health Awards under the Health Research category for their world-first Cleaning and Enhanced Disinfection (CLEEN) Study. This pivotal research has made significant strides in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), contributing to both patient safety and cost savings for hospitals.
The CLEEN study, conducted in partnership with the Central Coast Local Health District, was carried out over 36 weeks at Gosford Hospital. The research team investigated how enhancing the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment could drastically reduce infection rates in hospitals. Results showed a remarkable 34.5% reduction in HAIs and a five-fold improvement in cleaning effectiveness, making it a landmark study with global implications for hospital infection control practices.
Professor Brett Mitchell expressed the project’s far-reaching impact, stating, “This project has saved numerous infections in, prevented deaths, and is receiving significant national and international interest. Avondale University is proud to be part of such transformative research. Implemented across Australia and worldwide, this has the potential to make a profound positive impact for hospitalised patients.”
The project’s success has been further amplified by its recent publication in The Lancet Infectious Disease and its recognition with a Central Coast Local Health District award. Now, as one of three finalists in the NSW Health Awards, the research stands alongside some of the most innovative health initiatives in the state.
The NSW Health Awards, an annual event celebrating excellence in healthcare, will culminate in a gala ceremony on October 24, 2024, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Sydney. Senior health officials, including NSW Health Secretaries and government ministers, will be in attendance to honour the finalists and announce the winner of the Health Research category.
This recognition highlights Avondale University’s commitment to cutting-edge research with real-world applications. The CLEEN study’s findings are not only improving patient outcomes in Australia but are also poised to influence hospital cleaning practices worldwide.
For more details about the NSW Health Awards and to view the one-minute video showcasing the CLEEN project, visit the NSW Health Awards page.
About Avondale University
Avondale University is a higher education and research institution dedicated to shaping the future through innovation and community engagement. With a strong focus on holistic health, education, and social impact, Avondale’s research initiatives continue to address key challenges in Australia and beyond.
[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]Assignments or Adventure? You can do both![/x_custom_headline]
Careening along a road that was barely wide enough for our roofless safari truck, we raced back towards camp. The reason? Well, we were the only metal object in a twenty-mile radius in the middle of an electrical storm. We were sitting ducks. By the time we made it back to camp we were drenched, freezing cold, more than a little shaken but completely and utterly exhilarated. After all, this is Africa. [x_image type="thumbnail" float="right" src="http://wp.avondale.edu.au/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/IMG_7984.jpg" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover"]
When people asked me what I was doing over mid-semester break, I’m pretty sure the last thing they expected me to say was that I was going to Africa for three weeks. At a time when most people were knuckling down for the busiest part of the semester, I was travelling across the African continent.
Africa has, for as long as I can remember, been on my bucket list (thanks Lion King). It truly is a magical place. One evening, parked on top of a small rise in the Serengeti with the sun slowly dipping towards the horizon, I remember stopping and simply appreciating the silence. Little did I know the stillness was a complete and utter façade. Within minutes, it became clear that we were not alone. What we had actually discovered was a real-life ‘Pride Rock’; two adult lionesses and six cubs ranging from a couple of months to a couple of years in age surrounded us. Naturally, we spent the next hour watching them. It was like a live production of a National Geographic documentary. [x_image type="thumbnail" float="right" src="http://wp.avondale.edu.au/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/IMG_7950.jpg" alt="real-life 'Pride Rock'" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover"]
Three weeks, five countries, eleven flights and countless safaris later, it’s back to reality. From the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town to the breath-taking Victoria Falls and the plains of the Serengeti, it was an experience like no other. I walked with lions, white-water rafted along the Zambezi river, experienced the start of the Great Wildebeest Migration and spent countless hours exploring national parks searching for the illusive “Big Five”. We sat in our car amidst stampeding elephants one day and visited a local Maasai village the next. [x_image type="thumbnail" float="right" src="http://wp.avondale.edu.au/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/DSC04024.jpg" alt="Maasai Village" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover"]
There were long days of over twelve hours of driving dusty, corrugated roads, sunrise wake-up calls, hiking in temperatures above 40 degrees and permanently squared eyes from searching for wildlife all day. It was an adventure. I loved it. To use the cliché: it was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.
My advice? Take every opportunity that presents itself. Travel to experience because experience is the greatest education of all. Challenge yourself and broaden your perspective. It will change your life.
-Belinda Kent, Avondale student
[x_callout type="left" title="Follow us on instagram" message="Start experiencing Avondale via our snapchat ‘avondalexp’ and our hashtag #avondalexp." button_text="Follow us on Instagram" button_icon="instagram" href="https://www.instagram.com/avondale_au" target="blank"]
[x_share title="Share this Post" facebook="true" twitter="true" email="true"]
[x_recent_posts type="post" count="3" category="future students" orientation="horizontal" fade="true"]
