UQ Alumni Friends Establishes Dr David Malouf AO Scholarship Endowment

Dr David Malouf AO is a celebrated and highly successful poet, author, essayist, playwright and librettist — with awards including the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and the inaugural Australia-Asia Literary Award. Dr Malouf was recognised as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as an Influential Artist (2009) and received the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature (2016).

Dr Malouf is a notable UQ alumnus. UQ conferred an Honorary Doctorate in 1991, with a citation that acknowledged ‘his imaginative writing in a variety of genres, especially poetry and fiction, his contributions to the understanding of Australian culture, and his never-failing willingness to help the cause of education.’ In the following year, Dr David Malouf was further celebrated by the university and by fellow alumni, as the inaugural recipient of Alumni Friends’ UQ Alumnus of the Year Award.

Dr David Malouf AO continues to delight readers and critics. An Open Book, published by UQP in 2018, was described as ‘wonderful poetry by a great poet at the height of his powers: one wants it to continue in this vein for as long as possible.’

Looking ahead to Alumni Friends’ 2027 Diamond Jubilee, the Board has decided to establish a number of new endowed scholarships in support of Queensland students facing financial hardship. Naming one of these special new endowed scholarships in honour of Dr David Malouf AO will be a fitting further accolade for an esteemed UQ Alumnus and will inspire future generations of students and scholars.

The Dr David Malouf AO Scholarship Endowment was established with a donation of $10,000 from the Alumni Friends Fund. Their aim is to raise a further $40,000, at which point UQ will then match the donations. This will then ensure that the scholarship will be awarded in perpetuity, helping future students in need.

Since 1967, Alumni Friends has offered a welcoming community for people with a shared belief in the power of teaching, learning and research and its ability to create change in society—whether you’re looking to reconnect with your alma mater, give back through volunteering, hear from a range of UQ experts on your favourite topics, or meet a group of like-minded people working together to make a genuine difference.

The greatest benefit of Alumni Friends membership may be the people you meet, joining will also ensure you’re part of creating a lasting legacy at UQ and supporting a stronger society through education (for more, visit alumni.uq.edu.au/alumni-friends).

Alumni Friends’ goal is to award the inaugural scholarship no later than 2028. Your donation will help them to achieve this. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible and 100% of your gift will go directly to the fund. To donate, visit donations.uq.edu.au and insert Dr David Malouf AO Scholarship Endowment. Alternatively, contact the Alumni and Community Engagement team on +61 7 3346 3166, or via email at alumnifriends@uq.edu.au.

Please make sure that all donations are clearly marked with the name of the Dr David Malouf AO Scholarship Endowment.