The University of Divinity is over a century old, having been established in 1910 as the Melbourne College of Divinity to provide Australian theology degrees and other qualifications that support the growth and vitality of Christian churches and their leadership.
1910: The Melbourne College of Divinity (MCD) is founded by an Act of the Victorian Parliament. The College is constituted by a group of churches based in Victoria, and its awards overseen by its President and Registrar. The founding degrees are the BD and the DD
1913: The first degrees are awarded.
1972: The Act is revised to introduce the Roman Catholic Church into the College. The Act allows the recognition of Colleges or ‘Associated Teaching Institutions’ that teach the degrees of the MCD. The role of Dean is created. A BTheol is created as a new undergraduate degree.
2012: The University of Divinity (UD) begins operation as a University, following approval in 2011 by the Victorian Government. The first Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor are appointed.
2021: The School of Indigenous Studies is established, as Australia’s first University program in theology led by and for Indigenous people.
The University Badge represents its Vision, Mission, and collegiate identity.
The Badge is a star, formed by a constellation of open books. The star is a biblical symbol that appears in the heavens to point wise ones on earth towards the Christ. It is also an Australian symbol, as shown by the federal star and the Southern Cross on the Australian flag.
The books which make up the star represent wisdom, and are open to critical interpretation. The gathering of these many parts into a whole expresses the collegiate shape of the University.
The gold represents excellence. The distinctive accent is red, representing passion and sacrifice which facilitate and flow from the study of divinity.
The constellation of books creates two stars, one on the outside and one on the inside, illustrating the University’s commitment to tradition and innovation. Through critical study, the University brings ancient truths into dialogue with the issues of the contemporary world.
The University Mace
The University Mace was commissioned in 2017 from F. J. Rocca Silversmiths in Carlton, Victoria. The Mace is based on the University Badge, which appears at the tip of the Mace on a head of brass. The Mace was first used at the ceremony to confer the Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) on Dr John Behr DD in August 2017 at the Eporo Tower campus of St Athanasius College.
The University Robes
The Chancellor’s Robe and Vice-Chancellor’s Robe were commissioned in 2014 from the Revd Kenneth Crawford, an alumnus of the Melbourne College of Divinity. The Robes are made from red ‘St Margaret’ damask and display the University Badge embroidered on the sleeves and over the shoulders. The Chancellor’s Robe is highlighted in red and gold, while the Vice-Chancellor’s Robe is primarily black and silver. The Robes were first used at the Adelaide Graduation Ceremony in December 2014 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. A detailed description is available in the Academic Dress Policy.
The University of Divinity promotes the highest standards of scholarship in theology, philosophy, and ministry. Through scholarship, the University aims to address the issues of the contemporary world. Founded in 1910 as the Melbourne College of Divinity, the University has a long history of pursuing and achieving these aims.
All students and staff join the University through one of its Colleges. Based in the Australian cities of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney, each College is a unique learning community. The Colleges are supported by a wide range of churches and religious orders that together resource the University as a whole.
The University’s work is further resourced by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, which provides support to the Colleges and the University’s Council and Academic Board.
Our Vision
- Together we empower our learning community to address the issues of the contemporary world through critical engagement with Christian theological traditions.
Our Mission
We fulfill our vision through:
- excellence in learning, teaching, and research;
- growth of our resources and capacity; and
- engagement with the churches and community in Australia and internationally.
Strategic Plan 2016-2025
On 25 November 2015, the University Council approved the Strategic Plan 2016-2025. This articulates the University’s aspirations for its identity and activities in 2025 and establishes a series of goals to be achieved from 2016-2018. New goals will be added progressively, with a major review every three years.
Graduate Ratings
#1 Australian ranking
- Divinity has the highest graduate satisfaction rating of any Australian university. 92% of recent Divinity graduates are more than satisfied with their course experience overall.
