Thirty years, three teams, one university in the mighty west

After three decades in partnership, Victoria University is proud to announce a further five-year partnership agreement with the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

The official announcement was made at the 2017 Charles Sutton Medal - Western Bulldogs Best and Fairest presentation - on Wednesday 4 October.

For the first time in AFL partnership history, VU will be the first club sponsor to support all three teams:

• Australian Football League (AFL)
• Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW)
• and the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Vice Chancellor and President Professor Peter Dawkins (AO) spoke of his pride for the partnership's many mutual benefits.

“I am incredibly proud that our strong connection between Victoria University and the Western Bulldogs will continue. Our partnership with the Western Bulldogs is rich and multi-faceted. It includes educational support for players, collaborative research projects, workplace opportunities for our passionate students, and community activities.”

Western Bulldogs CEO Gary Kent expressed his excitement for the future.

“We are extremely proud of the partnership we have developed. We are excited about what the next five years will hold for us, and the opportunity to build on some of the great initiatives we have undertaken together,” he said.

The Best and Fairest presentation also includes the Victoria University Education Award, which confirms the importance of players continuing their education as they prepare for a life after football. Former recipients include Mitch Wallis (2016) and Easton Wood (2015) and it is awarded to a current AFL-listed Western Bulldogs player who:

• studies at a tertiary level at any university
• has achieved excellent results in their study
• performs at a consistently high level on the field, and
• makes a positive contribution to the Western Bulldogs Club.

Victoria University is proud to announce the 2017 recipient is Tom Campbell (Bachelor of Business). In addition to his studies, Tom has also been working with VU entrepreneurs to create an education app for players.

Victoria University continues to build its reputation as a global leader in sport.