Chancellor's Committee
About us
Established in 1977 by then Chancellor Sir Hermann Black, we aim to:
- raise awareness of the University among the general public
- encourage the community to visit our campus
- raise funds to carry out projects of University-wide significance, for which funding might not be available from traditional sources.
Our key initiatives are running:
- an annual Book Fair
- the Chancellor's Committee Gift Shop.
Through our fundraising activities, we support scholarships and grants, and projects to conserve archival research material and University museums and art collections.
All our members are volunteers, allowing all of the funds raised to go directly to our important projects.
The Committee's contribution to the University is considerable, always seeking to maintain and improve our unique environment and the opportunities available to our students.
Book Drive
Help give your books a new chapter and donate them as part of the Chancellor Committee's Book Drive. All donations are welcome — fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, textbooks (in good condition).
Drop-off dates: Monday 26 May – Friday 30 May
Time: 9:00 pm 5:00 pm daily
Location: Level 2, F23 - Michael Spence Building, University of Sydney, Camperdown
2025 Book Fair
The 2025 Great Hall Book Fair, proudly brought to you by the University of Sydney and Lifeline Sydney and Sutherland, will take place from 13-17 September 2025.
The University collaborated with Lifeline Sydney and Sutherland for the first time last year and will do so again this year. Our organisations share a commitment to education, community engagement and mental health support awareness. Funds raised at this year's Book Fair will fund university projects supported by the Chancellor's Committee and provide Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Donations
We appreciate book donations from the community in support of the Book Fair. Donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
(Former) Randwick Uniting Church donation bin
1 Rae St, Randwick NSW 2031
Lifeline Sutherland donation bin
16 Bellingara Road
Sylvania NSW 2224
9am to 5pm (Monday to Friday)
Burren St Newtown donation bin
146 Burren St, Newtown NSW 2042
The donation bin at 146 Burren St is temporarily closed pending further notice (dated April 2025). Stay tuned for information on how to donate books close to campus coming soon
Other important information
The Chancellor's Committee funds a wide range of advertised bursaries to help students overcome specific challenges or circumstances. These bursaries include the following:
- Marie Bashir Chancellor's Committee Postgraduate Merit Award (valued at up to $3000), which supports further postgraduate coursework by students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Chancellor's Committee Drought Bursary (valued at up to $2000), which supports students from regional or rural backgrounds who have been financially impacted by the drought in Australia.
Find out more about these two bursaries in the 'All faculties and schools' section of the advertised bursaries webpage on the University's current students website.
- Chancellor's Committee Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Bursary (valued at up to $2000), which provides financial assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are doing undergraduate study (bachelor's degree or a diploma).
Find out more about this bursary in the 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' section of the advertised bursaries webpage on the University's current students website.
- Anthony Howson Disability Bursary (valued at up to $2000), which supports undergraduate students who are unable to undertake a full-time study load due to their disability.
Find out more about this bursary in the 'Students with a disability' section of the advertised bursaries webpage on the University's current students website.
We also fund a wide range of grants for student and staff initiatives, across many different areas of the University. Examples of the initiatives we support include:
- an annual project for students to construct a new racing sports car that they race against other Australian universities
- major book collections for the Chau Chak Wing Museum
- construction of a rocket by undergraduate students for the Australian Universities Rocketry Competition
- conservation and repair of the University Library Rare Books and Collections.
To apply for a grant, complete the Chancellor's Committee grant application form (Word, 58KB) and send the completed form to the Chancellor’s Committee Secretary (the.cc@sydney.edu.au).
The closing dates for 2025 Grant Applications are:
- Wednesday 11 June 2025
- Thursday 11 Sept 2025
- Monday 15 December 2025
Would you like to support our staff and students?
If you would like to sponsor a bursary or a grant, please contact us.
Joining the committee is a wonderful way to engage with the University and its students, and use your talents to improve the University community.
Volunteer opportunities include staffing the Gift Shop, assisting with the Book Fair, and helping to organise occasional social and fundraising functions.
Please complete the membership form (pdf, 296KB), and email it to the Committee Secretary at the.cc@sydney.edu.au.