Those of you doomscrolling about the changes created by technology might be wondering: ‘Should I be recommending a degree to my children? Is my degree still worth it?’ The world is moving at an incredibly fast pace, and the reality is we don’t know what the impact of AI and robotics on the workforce will be. I understand why people are getting concerned.
However, that unpredictable environment is precisely why we need people like you. People with a university education that’s given them the intellectual skills and the capacity to deal with the complex and challenging situations that are emerging more frequently.
It is true that jobs don’t look like they did 50 years ago – or even ten years ago. That will certainly create challenges within the workforce, but also opportunities. If you have a deep and rigorous education, then you are well-equipped to deal with the world as it changes. People who have had a narrower, more training-based experience in a field that’s been disrupted might find that their qualifications don’t have the same relevance in a few years, even if they are in demand today.
I still firmly believe that Griffith degrees change lives for the better. I hear that from so many of you – particularly those of you who are from families where there hasn’t been that tradition of going to university. You didn’t have parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who went to university. You never took for granted that you would go.
It is through Griffith, many of you have been able to work in areas that you’re passionate about and that you do brilliantly in. Maybe you’re a nurse, or a teacher, or a research scientist – or even one of the disruptors working in AI or robotics yourself.
I know there is criticism of universities at present, and we need to take it seriously and do better. But I also want to assure you that universities are far more engaged with communities, employers and the big issues facing our society than they have ever been before.
There are so many things happening at Griffith that you can be proud of.
Take the work we’re doing in women’s prisons in Queensland, trying to help mothers who are in prisons reconnect with their children and be better parents when they’re released from jail. Some of the stories from those participants are just extraordinary.
You might have also seen the headlines about Griffith researchers who may have found a drug to treat sepsis, which kills 11 million people a year worldwide. The impact this drug could have if the trials are successful is global – and it all started right here at Griffith.
So, if you’re one of the many people who have had their lives changed by your Griffith degree, let the world know. There are plenty of people out there who want to be negative about universities. Let’s make our positive experiences known, too. Tell your family, friends and colleagues – and those young people who want to know if a degree is worthwhile. Tell your local paper and your Members of Parliament that universities were critical to your future – and they’re critical to Australia’s future, too.
University education – and, particularly, education from a university like Griffith – is one of the most powerful tools we have transforming both individual lives and our society. So yes, your degree was worth it – now, and in the future.
Image captions (top to bottom):
- Pictured left to right: Alumni award winners Chris Eigeland, Kim McCosker, Karen Jacobsen and Eammon Ashton‑Atkinson with Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans at Griffith University’s 50th Anniversary celebration at the Brisbane South (Nathan) campus in 2025.
Published 26 February 2026
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