Our history
For over a century ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app has committed to innovative education, strong industry engagement and social inclusion.
In 1908, the Honourable George and Ethel ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app founded ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app (then known as the Eastern Suburbs Technical College) with a simple premise in mind: to provide technical education to a sector of society otherwise denied further education. The first students enrolled in classes including woodwork, science and mathematics. In 1963, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app led the way with one of the first industry-based learning programs and from the 1970s offered degrees in engineering, accounting, chemistry and arts. On 1 July 1992, by an Act of the Victorian Parliament, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app gained university status.
Throughout our history, we have demonstrated our ability to be innovative and responsive to change. We continue to focus on emerging technologies, industry engagement and flexible learning options. We ensure we adapt and evolve with the times and deliver relevant education for our students — today and tomorrow.
1908
Year founded
1992
Gained university status
7
Teaching locations worldwide
George and Ethel ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app
Our founders, George and Ethel ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app, were people of strong ideals. They arrived in Australia as migrants in 1886 and George quickly established himself as a businessman and civic leader. In 1908, they established the Eastern Suburbs Technical College in Hawthorn, which later became ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Technical College. Students studied a range of subjects that represented the interests of the time, such as carpentry, plumbing and gas fitting.
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"I see no other method of giving equal opportunity than by increasing the facility of education."
George ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app , Founder of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app University of Technology
Our evolution
The curriculum expanded after the Second World War to include mechanical and electrical engineering, later adding chemistry, film and television, and computer programming also. The first international transition course began in 1960 to cater for the arrival of increasing numbers of overseas students. Our highly regarded Industry-Based Learning program started in 1963, combining academic study and industrial experience. In response to Federal Government reforms in the 1980s, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app became an inter-sectoral university of technology, providing TAFE education and higher learning. We gained university status on 1 July 1992 and began operating from Wantirna campus and Croydon campus in 1998.
Since 2000, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app has undergone a process of rapid change and development. Continuing to focus on innovation, industry engagement and high-quality, personalised teaching has secured us a position in the top 400 universities in the world.
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Rankings and ratings
Our standing in prestigious world academic rankings reflects our commitment to high-quality teaching, research and graduate outcomes.
Designing the future
Our commitment to increasing access to tertiary education builds on George and Ethel ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app’s original vision of equal opportunity education. We established to help us engage with a more diverse range of students. In 2000, the introduction of our has enhanced our student base across South East Asia.
The completion of the Hawthorn campus’ state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre in 2014 also means new opportunities. It fosters collaboration between design and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app's existing strengths in engineering, ICT, business and the social sciences.
Year |
Event |
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1908 |
Eastern Suburbs Technical College founded |
1909 |
Classes began at Eastern Suburbs Technical College |
1911 |
Commenced offering vocational education to women |
1913 |
Renamed ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Technical College |
1934 |
McPherson Engineering School building completed and opened |
1945 |
Curriculum expanded to include science streams |
1949 |
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Chemistry School opened |
1956 |
Students' Representative Council established |
1960 |
Entered international education market with first courses catering to overseas students |
1963 |
Commenced Industry-Based Learning program, one of the first in Australia |
1966 |
Council approved the first ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app-specific forms of academic dress |
1968 |
Purchase of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app's first computer |
1975 |
Completion and opening of the Business and Arts Building |
1992 |
Gained university status |
1998 |
Commenced operating from campuses at Croydon and Wantirna |
1999 |
Established the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), Prahran campus |
2000 |
Opened campus in Sarawak, Malaysia |
2006 |
Created ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app College as pathway provider for international students |
2010 |
Named as one of the world’s top 500 universities by Academic Ranking of World Universities |
2011 |
Opened $140 million Advanced Technologies Centre, Hawthorn campus |
2012 |
Launched ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Online, a new provider of online degrees as joint venture with Seek Limited |
2012 |
Named as one of the world’s top 400 universities by Academic Ranking of World Universities |
2014 |
Opened $100 million Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre, Hawthorn campus |
2015 |
Named as one of the world’s top 100 universities for Physics by the Academic Ranking of World Universities |
2015 |
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Law School established. |
2016 |
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app partnered with the Richmond Football Club to establish the Richmond Institute of Sports Leadership |
2017 |
Celebrated 25 years of university education |
2017 |
Named as one of the world’s top 350 universities by Academic Ranking of World Universities |
2017 |
Relaunch of the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship |
2017 |
First university in Australia to achieve ‘Elevate status’ for our second Reconciliation Action Plan |
2018 |
Launch of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Innovation Precinct |
2018 |
Opening of MindSphere Centre in partnership with Siemens |
2019 |
Our business programs achieved accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. |
2019 |
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app launches in Sydney, offering a suite of postgraduate programs in Parramatta, New South Wales |
2019 |
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app becomes Australia’s first Adobe Creative Campus |
Our Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors
A university with a strong vision for the future needs true visionaries at its helm. Here are the key people who have helped shape and propel ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app to be the world-class university it is today.
Vice-Chancellors
- Iain Wallace | Principle Director: 1986–1992 / Vice-Chancellor: 1992 - 2003
- Ian Young | Vice-Chancellor: 2003 - 2011
- Linda Kristjanson | Vice-Chancellor: 2011 - 2020
- Pascale Quester | Vice-Chancellor: 2020 - present
Chancellors
- Richard Pratt | Chancellor: 1993 - 2002
- Douglas Mitchell | Chancellor: 2002 - 2005
- Bill Scales | Chancellor: 2005 - 2014
- Graham Goldsmith | Chancellor: 2014 - 2019
- John Pollaers | Chancellor: 2019 - present
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app coat of arms
A link between ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app's founders and their family endures through the modified version of his family's coat of arms. The coat of arms offers an intriguing insight into the foundation, values and motto of the university:
- The arms — the colours of red and white and the cinquefoils on the shield commemorate the arms of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app family, and the four mullets in the cross symbolise the Southern Cross.
- The crest — the demi-boar and the cinquefoil perpetuate the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app connection, as the book is symbolic of learning.
- The motto — the College of Arms’ translation of the motto is 'achievement through learning'.
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app stories
Over the decades we’ve had visionaries, trailblazers, connectors and challengers who embody these values and have made ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app the proud university it is today.Â
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Dr Kath Watson AM
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Professor Matthew Bailes
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Michael and Terence Yap
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ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app stories
Explore more of our history
The contains over 8,000 items featuring the people, places and events that are significant to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app University. This includes photographs, videos, audio, speeches, maps and building plans.