Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

SWINBURNE-THE PROUD PAST
On 1 July 1992 Swinburne was proclaimed a
university by the Parliament of Victoria, a
significant accomplishment in Swinburne's
metamorphosis from a small technical college
in Hawthorn to a University of Technology.
Swinburne was established in 1908 as the
Eastern Suburbs Technical College. The first
students were enrolled in 1909, when classes
began in carpentry, plumbing and
blacksmithing. The institution grew and
prospered. Soon afterwards, a boys junior
technical school and the first girls technical
school in Victoria, were established.
In 1913 the institution changed its name to
Swinburne Technical College, to
commemorate the Honourable George
Swinburne, a former Mayor of Hawthorn and a
member of the Parliament of Victoria who was
largely responsible for the initial establishment
of the college.
In 1965 Swinburne affiliated with the Victoria
Institute of Colleges which was established in
that year by an Act of the Parliament of Victoria
to 'foster the development and improvement
of tertiary education in technical, agriculture,
commercial and other fields of learning
(including the liberal arts and the humanities)
in institutions other than in the universities of
Victoria'.
The range of courses and the various levels at
which they were offered grew to such an
extent that in 1969, the boys and girls
technical schools were taken over by the
Victorian Education Department while the
college remained as an autonomous
instithtion.
An extensive re-organisation of advanced
education took place in Victoria in the period
1976-78 culminating in the passing of the
Victorian Post-Secondary Education Act. Under
the Act the Victoria Institute of Colleges was
dissolved and the Victorian Post-Secondary
Education Commission established. Under the
new arrangements, Swinburne Council was
given power to grant bachelor degrees. The
first of these was awarded at a conferring
ceremony held on Thursday 21 May 1981 at
the Camberwell Civic Centre.
Swinburne has a strong reputation in Australia
and overseas as a provider of career orientated
education and as an institution with
commitment to research. The University
maintains a strong technology base and
important links with industry which are
complemented by a number of innovative
specialist research centres which attract a great
deal of international interest.
A feature of many Swinburne undergraduate
courses is their applied vocational emphasis
and direct industry application through
Industry Based Learning (IBL) programs.
Swinburne was a pioneer of IBL programs
which place students directly in industry for
vocational employment as an integral part of
the course structure.
Swinburne is a unique tertiary institution
providing both higher education and technical
and further education (TAFE) within a well
integrated structure. The multi-sectoral nature
of Swinburne offers a progression of courses
starting from apprenticeships to postgraduate
qualifications of Doctoral degree (PhD).
The creation of study pathways between
courses is firmly in place at Swinburne. This
process of articulation provides students with
greater flexibility to complete tertiary
qualifications.
Swinburne has two teaching divisions under
the control of one Council. They are:
Higher Education Division
This division oPfers professional qualifications
(diploma and degree of Bachelor) and
graduate qualifications (diploma and degrees
of Master and PhD). Enrolments in 1992 were
4580 full-time and 3661 part-time students.
Technical and Further Education Division
This division offers courses at professional and
paraprofessional level, covering associate
diploma, advanced certificate, apprenticeship,
VCE and access programs. A number of
specialist courses are also provided for
industry and the community. Enrolments in
1991 were 2126 full-time and 13434 part-time
students.
Hawthorn Campus
Hawthorn is Swinburne's original campus.
The foundation stone of the first building was
laid in 1908. The city of Melbourne is seven
kilometres away and the campus covers an
area of approximately four hectares. It is close
to Glenferrie railway station, is well served by
other means of public transport and is close to
parklands.
1992 SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY-TAFE DIVISION
PRAHRAN CAMPUS
HANDBOOK