Avondale University is an Australian tertiary education provider affiliated with the

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world’s second largest Christian school system. Avondale University has two campuses, the

Lake Macquarie The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local government in Australia, local government area in Greater Newcastle and part of the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The area is situated adjacent ...

campus being the primary campus situated in

Cooranbong, New South Wales Cooranbong ( ;) is a town in a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, Greater Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, west of the town of Morisset off the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. Cooranbong is surrounded by the Watagans National Park. The ...

. The other campus is located at

Sydney Adventist Hospital Sydney Adventist Hospital, commonly known as the San, is a large private hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Fox Valley Road in Wahroonga. Established on 1 January 1903, as a not-for-profit organisation, it was originally named the Sydney ...

in the

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

suburb of

Wahroonga Wahroonga is a suburb in the North Shore (Sydney)#Upper North Shore, Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 18 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia ...

and is the main campus of the nursing school. Avondale University primarily focuses in the areas of

teaching Teaching is the practice implemented by a ''teacher'' aimed at transmitting skills (knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills) to a learner, a student, or any other audience in the context of an educational institution. Teaching is closely re ...

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, and

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

, but also offers

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

s in business, science and the arts as well as certificate studies in outdoor recreation. The nursing program commences at the Cooranbong campus for one or two semesters and is completed at the

with hands-on experience gained in the hospital.

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s are offered in theology, education, nursing, ministry, and some business related fields by distance education, including a one-month on-campus component in the winter semester. Research doctoral (PhD) programs are offered in selected areas. Avondale University runs Avondale Academic Press, a small

academic publisher Academic publishing is the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in academic journal articles, books or theses. The part of academic written output that is not formally publ ...

. Avondale University worked toward full University status from the

Australian government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

for many years. It was granted full University status on 1 July 2021. It is an international affiliate of the

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is a global organization of evangelical Christian colleges and universities. The headquarters is in Washington, D.C. History In 1976, presidents of colleges in the Christian College Cons ...

. Avondale University is an institution of the South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists. The library on its Lake Macquarie campus houses a local research centre of the

Ellen G. White Estate Ellen Gould White ( née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she ...

Educational philosophy

During the 1890s, Ellen White reformed the curriculum to make the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

the center of study, in place of the

classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

. This change soon spread to Adventist schools in the United States.

History

A small Bible school was commenced in Melbourne in 1892,Avondale College
from the

South Pacific Division The United States Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division (SPD) is an United States Army, Army organization providing civil works and military water resource services/infrastructure. It also supports economically viable and environmenta ...

website "AVONDALE COLLEGE" in ''Historical Dictionary of Seventh-day Adventists'' by Gary Land, p. 29–30 on the counsel of

Ellen G. White Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...

. She preferred a rural location, and as a result a search for a rural location was commenced in 1893. A common account is the

furrow A plough or plow ( US; both ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden, iron or ...

story, in which Ellen White was reported to have had a

vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain un ...

concerning the land. Finding land for a college seemed to be an impossible task, as the small church in Australia at the time did not have the finances to support such a project. Eventually the committee searching for the land found a block of land near Cooranbong ( north of Sydney) priced at $3 per acre ($741/km²) because of its "poor, sandy and hungry" land. They asked White to inspect the land, who gave her approval. An

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

expert from the government who was commissioned to look over the land reported that it was of extremely poor quality. The land was purchased in the Spring of 1895, and the Avondale School for Christian Workers was opened there in 1897. In 1911 its name was changed to Australasian Missionary College. The College was a major influence on later Adventist education. Shortly after 1951, students could study a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

through the external program of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

, and a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

through

Pacific Union College Pacific Union College (PUC) is a private university, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Angwin, California. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California, Napa County. It is a coeducational r ...

Renamed Avondale College

In 1964 the institution was renamed to Avondale College and the current men's residence, Watson Hall, and first-year women's residence, Andre Hall, were completed by the following year. In 1974 it received government

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

to offer bachelor degrees of its own. Master's degrees were first offered in the 1970s, through

Andrews University Andrews University is a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists and is the flagship universit ...

, and from Avondale itself in the 1990s.

To University Status

In 2013, the college signed a memorandum of understanding with

Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus public university located in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. Established in 1989, it was named in honour of Captain Charles Napier Sturt, a British explorer w ...

in its bid to attain full university status and, in the academic year 2015, the first students graduated with degrees jointly awarded by both institutions. In 2019,

TEQSA The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia's independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education. The agency's purpose is to protect student interests and the reputation of Australia' ...

approved Avondale College of Higher Education’s change of category application from "Higher Education Provider" to "Australian University College". In 2021,

approved Avondale University's change of category application from "Australian University College" to full Australian University status.

Adventist Heritage Centre

Information and records of the

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...

region are kept at the Adventist Heritage Centre, which is located within the library of the University campus.

Heritage architecture

There are a number of historic buildings that have been preserved on the Cooranbong campus. These include Bethel Hall and College Hall (which formerly functioned as the College Chapel), both of which are unique multi-storey wooden buildings. The refurbished Chan-Shun Auditorium is based on the original auditorium. Photographs and memorabilia of the College in its early years are housed in the Sunnyside Museum located at the nearby EG White Estate.

Today

The Cooranbong shopping district and Freemans Drive now occupy some of the land that was part of the Avondale Estate, creating a disjointed estate. Avondale School, which once shared facilities with the university, and the Cooranbong Aerodrome (which up until 2006 was used as part of the aviation certificate training) are located on one section and the university on the other. FEE-HELP was introduced to the College in 2005. PhD degrees have been offered since 2006 upon approval from the

New South Wales Department of Education and Training The New South Wales Department of Education, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsible for the delivery and co-ordination of early childhood, primary school, secondary school, vocational education, adult, migrant and hig ...

. In 2010, the college council voted to change its name to "Avondale College of Higher Education" as an interim step to achieving full university status. For 30 years the college operated a school of aviation, first at Cooranbong and then at

Cessnock Airport Cessnock Airport is a civil airport located North of Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia. History Built by the Department of Main Roads during World War II named as RAAF Base Pokolbin, as part of a system of parent and satellite aerodromes ...

in the

Hunter Valley The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and so ...

after the Cooranbong airport closed. In 2008 the school was closed due to concerns over its long-term financial sustainability. Enrollment for the school reopened in January 2009. However, the school was sold during 2010.,. The University maintains close links with many colleges and universities within the

Seventh-day Adventist education The Seventh-day Adventist educational system, part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is overseen by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists located in Silver Spring, Maryland. The educational system is a Christian school-based syste ...

system and international students have an option of spending the semester or year at Avondale. It also has mutual agreements with the University of Newcastle, University of New England and the nearby branch of Charles Sturt University, where students have had the option to do "cross-credit" courses online.

List of presidents

* Cassius B. Hughes: 1897–98; 1900–02 * Edwin R. Palmer: 1899 * Charles W. Irwin: 1903–08 * John H. Paap: 1909 * Benjamin F. Machlan: 1910–12 * George Teasdale: 1913–14 * Joseph Mills: 1915 * Johan M. Johanson: 1916–17 * Ludwig D. A. Lemke: 1918–20 * Henry Kirk: 1921 * William W. Prescott: 1922 * Lynn H. Wood: 1923–27 * Erwin E. Cossentine: 1928–29 * Hubert K. Martin: 1930–32 * Albert E. Speck: 1933–35 * Cyril S. Palmer: 1936–37 * Albert H. Piper: 1938–39 * Thomas C. Lawson: 1940–43 * Benjamin H. McMahon: 1944 * Edward E. Rosendahl: 1945–46 * William G. C. Murdoch: 1947–52 * Edward E. White: 1953–58 * E. Gordon McDowell: 1959–70 * Eric A. Magnusson: 1971–81 * James J. C. Cox: 1981–84 * Bryan W. Ball: 1984–90 * Geoffrey A. Madigan: 1990–2003 * John F. Cox: late 2003–08;
"New president for Avondale College" by Brenton Stacey. ''Record'' 113:36 (20 September 2008), p5 * Ray C. W. Roennfeldt: 2009–20 * Kevin Petrie: 2020– Source (1897–1990): ''

Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia The ''Seventh-day Adventist Commentary Reference Series'' is a set of volumes produced primarily by Seventh-day Adventist scholars, and designed for both scholarly and popular level use. It includes the seven-volume ''Seventh-day Adventist Bibl ...

Academic organisation

The university is organised into four schools: *School of Arts and Business *School of Ministry and Theology *School of Nursing and Health *School of Education and Science

Undergraduate

All courses are taught on the Lake Macquarie campus. The nursing school is primarily located on the grounds of

. Nursing students have the option of spending their first year on either campus. The subjects Christian Studies I and II (or substitutes) are required for all students. The first covers salvation and Christian belief and lifestyle, while the second has a more specifically Adventist focus. A three-year study of student grades by faith tradition showed "little statistical variation", meaning " ptised Adventists are not advantaged and those of other faith traditions are not disadvantaged".

Postgraduate

The university offers Master's degrees (taught and research) and graduate certificates/diplomas in education, nursing, leadership and management, arts, theology and ministry. The PhD programme is offered predominantly in the fields of Education, Arts and Theology.

Student life

Avondale University fosters a wide variety of students from varying cultural backgrounds and beliefs. Over the years, the college has hosted students from all continents. The majority of students are from Australia, New Zealand,

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

and

Pacific Islands Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...

. Exchange or transfer students from Adventist tertiary institutions in Europe and Asia make up the bulk of foreign students not from the aforementioned countries. On campus, social activities form a part of student life outside academics. The auditorium, gym, library, College Hall, and cafeteria all provide meeting places for students. Both Indoor and Outdoor students have ready access to on campus events and services. In common with the Seventh-day Adventist community, Avondale University ceases secular activities on a Friday afternoon. Over the

Sabbath In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as G ...

hours students are encouraged, though not required, to attend a variety of religious programs. There student-led Bible study groups and evening worship services open to students and staff alike. The men's and women's residences also host their own worship services during the weekday. Evangelical author

Philip Yancey Philip Yancey (born November 4, 1949) is an American author who writes primarily about spiritual issues. His books have sold more than 15 million copies in English and have been translated into 40 languages, making him one of the best-selling con ...

gave a presentation at Avondale College Church on 20 October 2001, which was broadcast throughout the

. He returned to speak again at Avondale in 2007.

Residential

The Lake Macquarie campus has three halls of residence: Watson Hall for males, Ella Boyd Hall for females and Andre Hall for guest visits. Students also have the option of renting a College View residence, an off-campus housing estate owned by the university. The Sydney campus (nursing school) has a single large hall of residence mainly for female students. Male students reside in a separate section of the building.

Avondale University Church

"University Church" is situated on the main (Lake Macquarie) campus. Seating 900, it is one of the largest Adventist churches in Australia.The Avondale, Australia, Church Recognizes Tensions
by James Stirling. ''Adventist Today'' 10:5 (September 2002) Its main services are "7:28" (formerly "First Church") on Friday evenings; as well as small group Bible study or "

Sabbath School Sabbath School is a function of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh Day Baptist, Church of God (Seventh-Day), some other sabbatarian denominations, usually comprising a song service and Bible study lesson on the Sabbath. It is usually held b ...

", children's Sabbath School and a main church service on Saturday mornings. The church regularly hosts major college events, such as an annual presentation on church-related topicsThe ''Being Adventist'' Conference in Retrospect
, a report and consensus statementbrief news article on p.3 of th
20 August 2005
issue of '' Record'' Arthur Patrick. ''Adventist Studies: An Annotated Introduction for Higher Degree Students'', May 2006. Prepared for Avondale College.
Online version
– without footnotes; probably an earlier version) and other creative arts events or concerts. Keynote speakers at the presentation have been Fritz Guy at the 13–15 September 2002 conference, "Being Adventist in 21st Century Australia"

available online), Bill Johnsson in the 22–24 August 2003 conference, "Hebrews for Aussies in Century 21",

Alden Thompson Alden Lloyd Thompson is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian theologian, author, and seminar presenter. He is also a professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla University in Washington, United States. Biography He graduated from Walla Walla Co ...

in 2004, and Kendra Haloviak in 2005. The 2006 conference included

president

Niels-Erik Andreasen Niels-Erik Andreasen (born 1941) was the president of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, from 1994 to 2016. Work Born in Fredensborg, Denmark, Andreasen lived in Denmark for his first 19 years. He then studied at Newbold College, ...

as a presenter. It was initiated by the " Membership and Relational Issues Committee" which formed in 2001. The annual Avondale College Murdoch Lecture started in 1997.

Publications

Student publications include the ''Orana'', "a means of introducing students and staff to each other" early in the semester, and the

yearbook A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a type of a book published annually. One use is to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. The term also refers to a book of statistics or facts published annually. A yearbook often ...

''Jacaranda''. There is also a student newspaper called "The Voice", which is published twice a month. The weekly campus newsletters is named ''Connections''.Avondale Publications
, from the Avondale College website. Retrieved 27 May 2007

Notable alumni

* David Down, archaeologist and author who studied theology there in 1941, and later taught there in the academic year 1964/5 while on furlough from India *

Michael Chamberlain Michael Leigh Chamberlain (27 February 1944 – 9 January 2017) was a New Zealand-Australian writer, teacher and pastor falsely implicated in the August 1980 death of his missing daughter Azaria, which was later demonstrated to be the result ...