Dear students,
I extend a warm welcome to new and returning students joining us on campus for 2025. This year marks the 100th year of the Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. It is an honour to have you join us on such a special occasion in our history. The Faculty was established in 1924 with the first cohort of students enrolling in 1925. A new degree – the Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne – proved popular with more enrolments than expected. The original student cohort counted 323 students; mostly part-time, mature-age male students with previous accountancy experience. There were just three women in that initial cohort, with only two of them graduating with a BCom three years later. Now, our student body is much larger and looks very different, reflecting the diverse population of modern Australia and international students from all over the world. We now offer a variety of study options with many different majors and subjects, including our new Business Analytics major which is being offered for the first time this year.
I hope you will take advantage of the events our Student Belonging and Experience team have organised. Alongside the Orientation Week activities, I encourage you to attend the FBE Student Brunches to connect with other students, enjoy free food and drink, and learn more about campus activities and available opportunities. There are four brunches this semester with the first one on Thursday, 13 March.
If you are interested in challenging yourself and applying for the annual BCom Case Competition, please register by Sunday, 23 March. It will complement the coursework you are learning in the classroom and boost your employability by giving you the experience of tackling real-life business problems for a leading organisation. There is a cash prize pool for the winning teams and all teams who make it past the preliminary round are eligible for Melbourne Plus accreditation.
Applications are now open for the FBE Career Discovery Immersion for Semester 1. It is an excellent tool for shaping and discovering a career path that works for you through structured engagement with industry professionals. We want to ensure you feel confident and well-prepared for working life after graduation and this program is designed to empower you as you think about your next steps. The Bachelor of Commerce can take you to many places and forms a great foundation for a diverse range of careers and life paths—this is evidenced by the achievements of our alumni, some of whom are featured on our new Alumni Wall in The Spot’s foyer. To read more about the inspiring stories of our alumni, I encourage you to read more about them on our website.
Our student support team will communicate with you regularly on study opportunities and enrichment activities. If you need guidance about subject selection, you can talk to one of our support staff. I invite you to become familiar with the University’s range of support services, including career guidance and mental health support.
The Faculty of Business and Economics holds events for the wider community which you can also attend, such as public lectures and conferences – particularly in this Centenary Year for the Faculty. You can learn about these via our Newsroom and social media. We are marking FBE100 with events throughout the year and limited-edition merchandise, including a special hoodie, hats and a backpack collaboration with iconic Melbourne brand, Crumpler.
I hope you enjoy your time with us on campus. I look forward to seeing you around The Spot and FBE buildings.
All the best,
Professor Paul Kofman
Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics
