Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne
A proud history
The 1992 proclamation by the Parliament of Victoria of
Swinburne University of Technology Act, marked not only
recognition of its distinguished history, but signalled as well
the beginning of a new period of growth and innovation for
Swinburne. From its establishment in 1908 in Melbourne's
eastern suburb of Hawthorn, Swinburne has grown from a
local provider of technical education into a multidisciplined,
multicampus provider of higher education of national and
international significance.
Swinburne was established as the Eastern Suburbs Technical
College, and its 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 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, agricuttural,
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 institution.
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 Cambewell Civic Centre.
Swinburne University of Technology was proclaimed on 1
July 1992, representing the final step in a series of events
which began when George Swinburne founded the Eastern
Suburbs Technical College.
In accordance with the Swinburne University of Technology
Act, 'The Council must elect as prescribed a person to be
the Chancellor of the University'. Noted Australian
businessman, Mr. Richard Pratt A0 was installed as
Swinburne's Foundation Chancellor on the 15 March 1993.
Swinburne today
Swinburne has a strong reputation in Australia and overseas
as a provider of career orientated education and as an
institution with a 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 the
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 now one of a few Australian universities whose
responsibilities span the range of programs from
apprenticeships to PhDs. In keeping with this breadth of
involvement the University continues to play a leading role in
creating new approaches to integration between sectors.
The creation of study pathways between sectors and courses
is firmly in place at Swinburne. Current pathways involve
mwing either from the TAFE sector into Higher Education or
from TAFE based VCE studies into full TAFE courses. A
limited number of pathwarj are available for students to
move from degree courses into TAFE studies, and this will
increase in the future. This process of articulation provides
students with greater flexibility to complete tertiary
qualifications.
Teaching and learning enhancement is a strategic priority for
the University, and Swinburne is committed to the transfer
of lifelong learning skills.
An Associate Degree in Social Science is an exciting initiative
in Higher Education. This new qualification offers choice and
diversity to students and is exclusive to Swinburne University
of Technology. The two-year Associate Degree is a
recognised and relevant qualification designed to prwide
students with the necessary skills to work in a range of
administration and service areas.
Swinburne was founded to provide expanded and more
convenient educational opportunities to the residents in the
'outer east' of Melbourne. Due to expansion of the city
during the intervening years between establishment and
transition to university status, Swinburne's operations are
now conducted across three campuses Hawthorn,
Mooroolbark and Prahran. At the same time as it focuses on
its regional responsibilities, Swinburne is heavily involved in
international initiatives, playing a significant part in the
internationalisation of Australia's tertiaty education system.