Celebrating 100 Years of Publishing in Australia

Oxford University Press Australia officially turned 100 in April and, to celebrate this auspicious occasion, we will be launching a special programme of centenary events and publications throughout the course of the year.

Oxford University Press is one of the oldest publishing enterprises in the world, as well as one of the largest. Its imprint carries authority; its standards of book production are high, and its range of interests are wide. It is a department of the University of Oxford, although it is not subsidised by the University. It is not a company: it pays no dividend and it has no shareholders. It is committed to the dissemination of knowledge: all its surplus is devoted to publishing works that further scholarship and education, and to sustaining the research on which some of these books are based.

Since 1908 OUP in Australia has operated as a microcosm of the Press's worldwide organisation. Like OUP internationally, it propagates the liberal objectives of the University: to further education and learning. Like every other branch, it does so in a fashion that reflects the specific needs of the country it serves.

Today Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand has an unrivalled reputation for publishing dictionaries and reference works of excellence and authority, as well as being one of the foremost publishers of textbooks for primary, secondary and higher education students.

We’re proud of this long-standing commitment to the furtherance of education and knowledge and we will look forward to celebrating our one hundred years in Australia with you over the course of the year ahead.

Centenary Calendar

In preparation for a big year of Centenary celebrations in Australia, Oxford University Press Australia has planned a range of exciting events, promotions and publications throughout 2008. Keep an eye on this website for further information and details.

April
Centenary celebrations officially began with a launch on 24 April 2008 - a ‘Fun Fair Day’ for all staff.

Our Centenary will be officially announced to customers, suppliers and authors and the new OUPA Centenary Branding/Logos will appear on all publications, promotional prices and website from April 2008.

May
As part of our Centenary celebrations we are proud to present a bold new livery for our range of Australian Dictionaries. Re-branded editions of major titles will become available throughout 2008 with fresh, striking cover designs, beginning in April with these three essential reference works.

A major launch of the Oxford Wordlist.
This exciting ground-breaking research, conducted with the assistance of the University of Melbourne, is of national interest and provides a new insight into the words Australian students in the first three years of school most commonly use in their writing.

July
An illustrated Centenary booklet was published in a limited edition to celebrate 100 years in Australia. This booklet  features key/seminal titles published by the Branch and a chronology of the Branch.

The full content of the booklet is now available online.

Launch of the Oxford Atlas Project

Launch of Big Ideas: Humanities 1

August
The Australian National Dictionary is made available free online as our ‘gift to the Nation’.

October
Our key Centenary publication Speaking our Language – the story of Australian English by Bruce Moore, Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, will be launched.

Launch of Oxford Literacy

Launch of Big Ideas: Science 1

A formal Centenary function will be held for all staff, key authors and associated peoples.