Victoria University, Melbourne
Victoria University (VU or Vic Uni) is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of only six dual-sector universities in Australia, providing courses in both higher education and Technical and Further Education (TAFE). 2016 marked VU's centenary as an educational institution and its 25th anniversary as a university. The university has several campuses in Melbourne Central Business District, Melbourne Western Region, and in Sydney, comprising six academic colleges, six research institutes, seven research centres and VU's Victoria Polytechnic (providing vocational education and training). It also offers courses at partner  institutions throughout Asia. Victoria University Melbourne is a globally recognised institution, ranking in the top 2% of universities worldwide (2021"Times Higher Education" World University Rankings), and 56th globally (2nd in Victoria) in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings. VU was also ranked 11th in the world (1st in Australia) for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021). History. The idea for a technical school based in the western suburbs of Melbourne was first proposed in 1910. The Footscray Technical School opened its doors to 220 students and 9 teachers in 1916 after five  years of fundraising. Charles Archibald Hoadley was the school's principal from its founding until his death in 1947. His vision was to aid students who had both a sound technical knowledge and an appreciation of the arts, sports, the outdoors and community activities. He believed in educating students "for life as well as for living", wanting students to view education as opening the doors of opportunity. Under Hoadley's leadership, the school expanded rapidly and began offering trade certificate courses, diplomas in architecture, building, and contracting, as well as evening classes. War and the Depression saw a dip in  student numbers. However, by 1943, there were 2500 students enrolled in courses taught at the Footscray Park and Footscray Nicholson campuses. The following decades saw gender and cultural shifts. In 1958, the school changed its name to the Footscray Technical College. Ten years later, it changed its name again, this time, to the Footscray Institute of Technology (FIT). Women first enrolled in day diploma courses in 1960, and changes to the federal government's immigration policy resulted in many more European and Asian students entering the school. The secondary school component, now known as Footscray City College, was separated from  the rest of the institute in 1972. By the mid-1970s, the expanded curriculum included degree courses and was well beyond the technical focus of the original Footscray Technical School. Further changes occurred in the 1980s, with the technical and trade education section separating from FIT to form the Footscray and Newport Colleges of TAFE. In 1990, FIT merged with the Western Institute, which had been founded three years earlier to provide TAFE and higher education courses to the outlying suburbs in western Melbourne. In 1990, it was established as a university by the Victoria State Parliament as Victoria University of  Technology. The university further amalgamation with the Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE in 1998. In 2005, the Victoria University of Technology Act of 1990 was amended to rename the university as Victoria University, reflecting the development of its teaching and research. The institutions that combined to form VU include: VU Block Model. In 2018, Victoria University became the first university in Australia to adopt the block model style of teaching for all undergraduate courses. Under VU’s Block Model, students study and complete one unit at a time over a four-week period (a block), working collaboratively in smaller classes . Unlike the standard model of tertiary education in Australia, students studying under VU’s Block Model focus on learning one unit every four weeks, rather than juggling multiple units and assessments at the same time within a semester. Since introducing the VU Block Model, pass rates amongst onshore undergraduate students have increased, with over 90% of students passing their enrolled units in 2020. Overall grades for this cohort has also grown, with over 60% receiving distinction levels or higher in the same year. This improvement in academic results is complemented by higher levels of learner engagement amongst its students. The  latest Australian Government 2020 Student Experience Survey (SES) has Victoria University now ranked by students as the top University in Victoria, and third overall in Australia, for learner engagement. In 2021, the VU Block Model expanded to encompass VU’s entire higher education course offering, with all postgraduate courses now taught under the block model. The VU Block Model has been internationally recognized and awarded, receiving a 2018 International Education Association of Australia award for innovation, and an Excellence in International Education award in the 2018 Victorian International Education awards. In 2021 VU’s First Year College (established during the  launch of Block Model, to provide additional support for secondary school students transitioning to university) received an “Excellence in Higher Education Teaching” award at the 2021 Australian Awards for University Teaching. Campuses. Victoria University has campuses located throughout Melbourne's western region and the city centre. The new VU City Tower will be Melbourne's tallest vertical campus, and is due for completion in 2021. One campus is located in central Sydney. VU courses are also delivered by partner institutes throughout Asia, including in China, India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Two of the largest partners are Sunway University College in  Malaysia and Liaoning University in China. Footscray Park. Footscray Park Campus on Ballarat Road, Footscray is the university's main campus and administrative centre. It offers higher education courses primarily in engineering, education and sport-related disciplines. It occupies a site overlooking Flemington Racecourse and the Maribyrnong River. A A$68.5 million sport and learning precinct, including sport and exercise science research labs, was completed in early 2011. The campus also has a 25-metre swimming pool and a childcare centre. St Albans. St Albans Campus on McKecknie Street, St Albans, is the university's health and education hub, with  a focus on psychology, nursing, arts, and paramedic and biomedical sciences. It is set on of native grasslands and sugar gums. The new St Albans Health and Fitness Centre was opened in 2013. Footscray Nicholson. Footscray Nicholson Campus is in central Footscray, on the corner of Nicholson and Buckley Streets. It delivers TAFE, VCE and short courses. Its new learning commons was opened in 2012 offering a broad range of educational and student services. City Flinders and City Flinders Lane. Situated in two buildings at 300 Flinders Street and 301 Flinders Lane in central Melbourne. The Flinders Lane building focuses  on osteopathy and English language training (VU English, quality endorsed by NEAS Australia), and is also the university's administrative centre for international student recruitment and support. The 19-storey Flinders Street building overlooks Melbourne's historic Flinders Street station, the Yarra River and the Southbank precinct. The university's postgraduate business courses and many of its courses in graphic design, visual art and multimedia are taught at this campus. The Flinders Street building also contains convention facilities. City King. The City King Campus is located in a high-rise building close to Southern Cross station. It provides health and  beauty courses, and includes a hair and beauty salon that is open to the public. City Queen. The City Queen Campus occupies two heritage buildings at 283 and 295 Queen Street in the heart of Melbourne's legal precinct. The campus houses the university's College of Law and Justice, a law library, the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre and two moot courts. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate law courses, including continuing legal education courses for legal professionals. Werribee. The Werribee Campus is located in the Werribee agricultural research and tertiary education precinct. It offers trades training as well as facilities  for water, food and fire safety research. Sunshine. The Sunshine Campus of Victoria Polytechnic is located on Ballarat Road, Sunshine. It offers TAFE courses, focusing mainly on business and the construction industries. The A$44 million high-technology Construction Hub was opened in 2013 for building and construction training. The campus also has a convention centre with a 200-seat auditorium. Sydney. Victoria University delivers a number of business courses for international students at its campus in central Sydney, which operates in partnership with the Education Centre of Australia (ECA). Whitten Oval. In late 2010, VU opened an A$8  million Sport and Recreation Learning Centre in partnership with the Western Bulldogs at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray. The Centre contains massage therapy clinics open to the public, as well as a 140-seat lecture theatre, a library, classrooms and offices. Organisation. Several of the university's colleges offer internationally recognized qualifications ranging from certificates and diplomas to degrees, postgraduate certificates and diplomas, and masters and doctoral research degrees (PhD). Victoria Polytechnic and VU College offer vocational education courses and higher education diplomas. Victoria University Polytechnic. Victoria University Polytechnic is the TAFE division of Victoria University. It delivers accredited  courses, apprenticeships, traineeships and customised training programs in: business services, legal and logistics, community services and youth work, communications and music, early childhood and education, English and preparation programs, hair, beauty and make-up, hospitality, tourism and events, sport and wellbeing, digital technologies, and trades. Students. In 2019, VU had 43,802 students. Approximately 65% student in higher education degree programs, and 35% enrolled in TAFE training courses. Of these students, 5,662 were international students studying at one of VU's Melbourne or Sydney Campuses, and 3,772 were international students studying at VU programs overseas at one of its partner organisations  located mainly in Asia. Academia. Rankings. Victoria University ranked in 351–400 in the world in the "Times Higher Education World University Rankings" 2021. 28 VU research disciplines were ranked at or above world standard in the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) assessments 2018. Victoria University emphasises research that is relevant to the community, industry and government – both nationally and internationally, but particularly in the western region of Melbourne. VU Research conducts research across seven Areas of Research Focus: Victoria University has six research institutes and seven research centres. Partnerships. Victoria University has developed partnership agreements with several organisations, with the  aim of strengthening the university's community and industry relationships. These include: Student accommodation. VU owns and operates student accommodation for students, staff, and guests of the university. In February 2016, the Student Village in Maidstone was replaced with the newly built UniLodge Victoria University, a 13-story apartment building across the road from the Footscray Park Campus on Ballarat Road, Footscray. International House, a traditional residential college located at the University of Melbourne, also offers places to Victoria University students. Sexual offence statistics. A report released by the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria in 2015 incorrectly highlighted statistics regarding  reported on-campus sexual offences had occurred on a Victoria University campus. As a result, an article by Beau Donelly appeared in The Age newspaper which included incorrect data. When the error was brought to their attention, The Age removed the article from online, however an incorrect cached version remains. Compared to eight other Victorian universities, six containing a larger body of students than Victoria University, the university had the highest number of sexual offences recorded from 2004 to 2015. From 2004 to 2015, 31 sexual offenses and 10 reports of sexual harassment, stalking, and threatening behaviour were recorded by  the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria. The Crime Statistics Agency has issued a letter of correction stating: Victoria University had 17 not 31 sexual offences and 8 cases not 10 of stalking, harassment/threatening behaviour. Victoria University does not have the highest number of sexual offences recorded from 2004 to 2015. VU has a zero tolerance policy toward sexual assault and harassment and has partnered with Universities Australia in the "Respect. Now. Always" program.