St Paul’s College has recorded its strongest academic results on record, with more than 59 per cent of students achieving Distinction or High Distinction averages in 2025. These outstanding outcomes were celebrated at the Academic Dinner held on 9 March, where prizes were awarded and Professor Stephen Garton AM, Principal Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney and Guest of Honour, reflected on the enduring value of education and the importance of investing in knowledge.
The year was marked by exceptional undergraduate and postgraduate performances, with engineering and science students particularly prominent, supported by the College’s strongest tutorial programme to date. The College community warmly congratulates all 2025 and 2026 students on their academic success and the remarkable achievements being celebrated this year.
Strongest Academic Achievement Sets New High
“Education is not a preparation for future living but a process of living.” — John Dewey, My Pedagogic Creed (1897).
St Paul’s College continues to exemplify a culture of academic excellence, with our resident community truly living the life of scholarship. In 2025, more than 59 per cent of students were recognised for achieving Distinction or High Distinction averages—an outstanding result celebrated at the Academic Dinner held on 9 March.
The evening’s Guest of Honour, Professor Stephen Garton AM, presented the College prizes and spoke eloquently on the enduring value of education and the importance of sustained investment in knowledge. As Professor of History and Principal Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Garton also reflected thoughtfully on the need for the humanities to be afforded their proper weight within the tertiary sector. Academic achievement at St Paul’s was further celebrated through the awarding of College prizes, alongside recognition of incoming students who have received awards on entry to the University of Sydney in 2026.
The 2025 undergraduate results were the strongest on record. The highest achiever was Ed Taylor (in College 2022–25), who is studying a combined BE(Mechanical)(Hons) and BA(Economics), closely followed by Ben Varela, who is enrolled in BE(Biomedical)(Hons) and BSc(Medicine). Engineering students were particularly prominent, comprising six of the College’s top ten performers, followed by four students in the sciences. Among postgraduates, there were 15 MD and PhD candidates and a further 11 research postgraduates, with science disciplines again dominating the top ten coursework results.
These exceptional outcomes reflect not only individual dedication but also the strength of the College’s academic culture, supported by the most robust tutorial programme to date—largely delivered by senior students. The College community warmly congratulates all 2025 and 2026 students on their academic success and the remarkable scholarly achievements celebrated this year.
