Today's Victoria University is a direct descendant of Footscray Technical School (the School), which first opened its doors to students in February 1916.
It was intended by local businesses and community to offer students an education that would fit them for a role in the skilled workforce and raise students out of the ranks of unskilled labourers. The School adopted the image of the 'Door of Opportunity' as a means of expressing to the entire community its purpose and reason for existence.
Victoria University proudly inherits that spirit and tradition.
Our vision to be open and excellent, creating exceptional value for any student from any background and uplifting the communities in which we operate, is based in strong foundations laid nearly a century ago.
TIMELINE
1916 - Footscray Technical School formed.
1958 - Footscray Technical School is renamed Footscray Technical College.
1960 - Melbourne School of Hairdressing formed.
1965 - The School of Painting, Decorating and Signcrafts formed.
1968 - Footscray Technical College renamed Footscray Institute of Technology (F.I.T).
1973 - Footscray Technical College ( A division of F.I.T) formed.
1975 - The Melbourne School of Hairdressing renamed as Melbourne Technical College of Hairdressing.
1976 - The School of Painting, Decorating and Signcrafts becomes the Melbourne College of Decoration.
1979 - Newport Technical College,a division of Footscray Institute of Technology (F.I.T), formed.
1982 - Footscray Technical College renamed as Footscray College of TAFE.
1982 - Newport Technical College renamed as Newport College of TAFE.
1984 - The Melbourne Technical College of Hairdressing changes its name to the Flagstaff College of TAFE.
1987 - The Western Institute is established.
1991 - The Western Metropolitan College of TAFE is formed out of the mergers of Footscray and Newport Colleges of TAFE (briefly called Gellibrand College of TAFE in 1991).
1992 - Victoria University of Technology opens. Formed out of the merger of Footscray Institute of Technology and Western Institute.
1993 - Flagstaff College of TAFE and the Melbourne College of Decoration (painting, decorating and signwriting programs) merge with the Western Metropolitan College of TAFE.
1996 - Western Metropolitan College of TAFE is renamed Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE.
1998 - The Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE merges with Victoria University of Technology.
2005 - Victoria University of Technology formally renamed to Victoria University.
2016 - Victoria University, Celebrating a Centenary of Opportunity.
2018 – VU Block Model is implemented – disrupting Australian higher education by introducing the entirely new model of student learning, where students undertake one unit at a time.
2022 – Victoria University’s 32-level VU City Tower opens in the heart of the business and legal district, ushering in an exciting new era for the University.
In 2016, Victoria University celebrated a Centenary of Opportunity.
The Centenary coincided with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Victoria University, with the first Vice-Chancellor being appointed in 1991. To mark this significant milestone in the institution’s history, the Centenary Project was established with the primary aim of enabling the University to proudly and publicly support its ambitious vision to become a university that is relevant to the needs and aspirations of contemporary learners and the community of the 21st century.
A secondary aim of the Centenary Project is to provide a vehicle through which the university can reconnect with the VU Family Tree and lay a strong foundation for a major capital campaign to deliver inspiring and ambitious projects to benefit VU students and the community.
VISION
As the University of Opportunity and Success, we will be open and excellent, creating exceptional value for any student from any background and uplifting the communities in which we operate.
MISSION
We will achieve this vision by:
• Education
Providing high quality, engaging career-based tertiary education at all levels of vocational and higher education with flexible entry and exit points, appropriate pathways, engaging and rigorous curriculum and contemporary delivery; while maintaining rigorous standards and ensuring that all students are supported to meet those standards.
• Research and Engagement
Undertaking high quality and innovative applied and translational research which results in healthier, smarter and sustainable communities in the West of Melbourne and beyond, and connecting deeply with industry and the community, in turn enhancing the quality of teaching
and learning.
The University of Opportunity & Success
2016 was an opportune time to reflect on our heritage and share our vision for the future – as we strive to create education and training opportunities for students in the West of Melbourne and beyond.
Beyond 2016 however, there are opportunities to use the Centenary to aid us in driving our strategic goals and objectives.
In celebrating our Centenary, we set the following seven objectives:
- be excellent, engaged and accessible
- reinvigorate a sense of pride and belonging for all VU staff, past and present
- shine a spotlight on 100 years of student success
- highlight our areas of strength and difference
- build our capacity to transform lives and help more students fulfil their potential
- demonstrate our commitment to industry and community
- bring the university community together to celebrate our achievements.
- We will continue using the above objectives beyond 2016 to drive initiatives that have impact on the ongoing and various external engagement and fundraising activities of the University.
QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
We jumped five bands from #601-650 in the world in 2020 to #551-560 in 2021 in the QS World University Rankings, placing us in the top half of all ranked institutions. The report highlights VU’s improvements in the categories of 'research citations' and 'international students'.
RESEARCH RANKINGS
VU researchers were recognised for their global standing in the latest Australian Research Council Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) results.
VU achieved:
the highest rating of 5 (well above world standard) in six research areas
a rating of 4 (above world standard) in nine areas
a rating of 3 (world standard) in thirteen areas.
Read more about our research excellence.
WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH AREAS
The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRankings) ranked Victoria University:
in the world’s top 7 places to study Sport Science (take a look at why we're leaders in the field of sport)
#35 in the world for Hospitality and Tourism Management research.
We are also ranked 19th globally accounting-education research in the Brigham Young university research rankings, making us the top-ranked Australian university in this area.
QILT EMPLOYER SATISFACTION SURVEY
QILT EMPLOYER SATISFACTION SURVEY
The independent Australian Government funded QILT Employer Satisfaction Survey measures more than 3000 employer views on the attributes of recent graduates to assess the quality of Australia’s higher education sector.
In the 2022 QILT Employer Satisfaction Survey, VU graduates are:
^number 1 in Australia for technical skills (the application of technical and professional knowledge and standards) according to Australian employers
in the top 10 in Australia for overall employer satisfaction
number 1 in Australia for foundation skills (general literacy, numeracy and communication skills).
Our rankings in Australia (as assessed by employers) in 2019–21 included the impressive:
1st for employability skills
=2nd for foundation skills
=4th for collaborative skills
=5th for technical skills.
Our rankings in Victoria (as assessed by employers) in 2019–21 included the impressive:
1st for employability skills
1st for collaborative skills
1st for technical skills
1st for overall satisfaction.
QILT STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY
The Australian Government’s authoritative QILT Student Experience Survey (SES) is the only comprehensive survey targeting how satisfied current Australian students are with their student experience.
Our rankings in Australia in 2020 (as assessed by students) included:
1st in Victoria and 3rd in Australia for learner engagement
5th in Australia for skills development
