UNSW's Teaching Commons
Source: https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/teaching-commons Parent: https://www.education.unsw.edu.au
A space for education and educators at UNSW
\ The Teaching Commons is a friendly space, where our teaching and education staff can connect, collaborate and share ideas. The Teaching Commons teams can easily connect colleagues who visit the space with Educational Developers, EdTech specialists, Education Focussed community, Academic Librarians, Academic Facilitators or Learning Advisors, and many more.
Curriculum Transformation hub
\ In 2026, UNSW’s Learning & Teaching community is preparing for the change of the academic calendar and reimagining our courses and programs in line with new strategic priorities. To help facilitate these endeavours, the Teaching Commons will become a physical hub supporting the changes – hosting workshops, events, meetings and drop-ins related specifically to Curriculum Transformation.
Tuesday to Thursday: open 9am–4pm with staff on site - dedicated exclusively to Curriculum Transformation activities. Booking process and form will be updated in the coming days. For more information on the Curriculum Transformation initiative, UNSW colleagues can visit the SharePoint site.
Monday and Friday: self-serve mode; bookings can be made for meetings and events unrelated to Curriculum Transformation. Please continue to use the existing booking process outlined below.
(Three business days’ notice required for swipe access to be arranged)
What's on
To support you with Curriculum Transformation, we are building out an exciting schedule of events and activities, which you can find on our Education events page.
Book the Teaching Commons
\ UNSW’s Teaching Commons is intended for educational activities and events.
Curriculum Transformation series: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
If you’d like to organise and deliver an event or activity related to Curriculum Transformation, please email us. Updated booking instructions will be available soon.
Educational activities unrelated to Curriculum Transformation: Mondays and Fridays
If you’d like to book an event related to educational activities other than Curriculum Transformation on Mondays and Fridays, please follow our original booking instructions below.
To check availability and make a booking:
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📅 Create an MS Teams-enabled meeting calendar invite (via Outlook) and add 'Kens F12 Gnd Commons Dalton Meeting Room' as the location.
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👥 Add Teaching Commons (teachingcommons@unsw.edu.au) as an attendee. Please see below example (disregard Teaching Commons system-generated email).
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🕑 Use Scheduling Assistant to check availability. If both the room and Teaching Commons appear available, go ahead and send the invite.
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📝 Submit the booking form (below) after sending your invite. We need this to match your calendar request to your event details. All bookings require a form. If it's not received within 3 business days of your calendar invite, the booking will be automatically declined.
Spaces that support your teaching journey
Virtual tour of Teaching Commons
Get inspired - step inside the space with our virtual tour and see what's possible for your event!
Inspired to make your own virtual project using UNSW-developed TALIA immersive platform? Contact the Media and Immersive team!
Space information
Capacity - Up to 30 in Meeting Room, 30 in Flexi Room (60 combined cabaret style), up to 90 with extra chairs (theatre style). Please note: We have approx. 60 chairs onsite, you will need to provide an extra 30 if you'd like to host a theatre style event.
Floor/seating - Flat floor, movable setup: 64 chairs, 7 long tables, 18 square tables.
Usage - Workshops, events, meetings, drop-ins (in-person, hybrid, or online).
Facilities - Teams-enabled meeting room, dual projectors, laptop input, lectern, mics (1 x handheld mic, 1 x lapel mic), whiteboards (3), room linking.
Amenities - Kitchen, bathrooms nearby, see closest multifaith prayer rooms.
Accessibility - Air conditioning, wheelchair access, wall/floor power, power banks.
Lounge
A cosy spot to chat over a cuppa. Great for quick catch-ups. Tea and coffee available.
Touchdown
Your plug-in-and-go desk for quick emails or in-between moments. A quick base between classes or meetings.
Meeting Room
Team meetings, workshops, or seminars.
Flexi-Space
An open area for drop-ins, or hands-on activities that don’t need AV.
Our collective impact and testimony
Every week, educators come through our doors to connect, create, and collaborate. Here’s what they’ve shared about their experience in the space.
"It's right in the middle of the campus, so you can't miss it. It's welcoming and most times there's someone there to give me a hand if I need help!" - Academic, UNSW Business School, 2025
"The Teaching Commons helps me to connect with other staff members (across schools) and learn about new approaches to certain aspects of Higher Ed. It's an amazing environment, where everyone is ready to learn, discuss and engage with fellow UNSW staff to perfect our craft." - Professional staff, PVCE, 2025
"Having a dedicated space for educators at the heart of campus along the main walkway really highlights UNSW's commitment to better education. Being in the space boosts my sense of belonging as an EF academic at UNSW." - Academic, Engineering, 2025
"Many people don’t know that you can use the Teaching Commons as your office away from home (especially for those of us ‘living’ in the upper campus)." - Nexus Fellow, Medicine & Health, 2025
Visits since opening in late 2023
Events and meetings
hosted to date
Average satisfaction across surveyed
Teaching Commons events (2025)
Consults
add
Outreach Librarians are available to speak to you on request about Leganto course resources lists, curriculum mapping and content selection for teaching. In addition, our Outreach Librarians offer customised pre-work tutorials and workshops for your students.\ For more information, visit the outreach librarians page.
Stay connected
\ Got a question, want to collaborate, or have feedback to share?\ Reach out to us at teachingcommons@unsw.edu.au - we’d love to hear from you!
Contact us
Other teaching and learning services
\ The PVCE Portfolio provides University-wide support services and resources to education staff such as:
- Academic development programs
- Educational Technology support
- Digital Media support
- Immersive Technologies support
- Education Focussed (EF) support
- Equitable Learning Services
- Academic Skills support
- and more!
Dalton building undercroft mosaics located within Teaching Commons
\ Created by Douglas Annand
Glass tile mosaic mural; four panels
Commissioned 1957. UNSW Art Collection
In 1957 UNSW commissioned leading modernist designer Douglas Annand (1903—76) to create a suite of mosaic murals for the undercroft and stairwell of the Dalton Chemistry Building. These mosaics epitomise the integration of art and architecture that informed the early planning of the campus and are amongst Annand’s most significant public works still in their original location. In 1999 the undercroft was enclosed, first becoming a café and in 2023 transformed into its present configuration.
Learn more about the mosaics and artist (number 19 & 20)