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The University of Melbourne is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
located in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb north of Melbourne's central business district, with several other campuses located across Victoria. Incorporated in the 19th century by the colony of Victoria, the University of Melbourne is one of Australia's six sandstone universities and a member of the Group of Eight, Universitas 21, Washington University's McDonnell International Scholars Academy, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Since 1872, many residential colleges have become affiliated with the university, providing accommodation for students and faculty, and academic, sporting and cultural programs. There are ten colleges located on the main campus and in nearby suburbs. The university comprises ten separate academic units and is associated with numerous institutes and research centres, including the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research and the Grattan Institute. The university has fifteen
graduate schools Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and st ...
, including the
Melbourne Business School Melbourne Business School (MBS) is the graduate business school of the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The School offers an MBA program, specialist Masters programs, a doctoral program, and executive education programs. The MBS He ...
, the
Melbourne Law School Melbourne Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of the University of Melbourne. Located in Carlton, Victoria, Melbourne Law School is Australia's oldest law school, and offers Juris Doctor, J.D., Master of Laws, LL.M, Doctor of P ...
and the
Melbourne Medical School Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences of the University of Melbourne has the largest number of post-graduate enrolments in the University of Melbourne and also hosts the most school departments and centres of all University of Melbourn ...
. ''
Times Higher Education ''Times Higher Education'' (''THE''), formerly ''The Times Higher Education Supplement'' (''The Thes''), is a British magazine reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education. Ownership TPG Capital acquired TSL Education ...
'' ranked the University of Melbourne first in Australia and 34th globally in 2023, while the
Academic Ranking of World Universities The ''Academic Ranking of World Universities'' (''ARWU''), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, is one of the annual publications of world university rankings. The league table was originally compiled and issued by Shanghai Jiao Tong Universi ...
places it 35th in the world. In the ''
QS World University Rankings ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
2022'', the university ranks 8th for graduate employability and 2nd in Australia, behind the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
. Four Australian prime ministers and five governors-general have graduated from the University of Melbourne. Eight
Nobel Laureates The Nobel Prizes ( sv, Nobelpriset, no, Nobelprisen) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make ou ...
have taught, studied and researched at the University of Melbourne, the most of any Australian university. The university's coat of arms is a blue shield on which a depiction of "
Victory The term victory (from Latin ''victoria'') originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitutes ...
" in white colour holds her laurel wreath over the stars of the Southern Cross. The motto, ''Postera crescam laude'' ("Later I shall grow by praise" or, more freely, "We shall grow in the esteem of future generations"), is written on a scroll beneath the shield. The Latin is from a line in
Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his ' ...
's '' Odes'': ''ego postera crescam laude recens''.


History


Foundations of the university

The University of Melbourne was established following a proposal by Hugh Childers, the Auditor-General and Finance Minister, in his first Budget Speech on 4November 1852, who set aside a sum of £10,000 for the establishment of a university. The university was established by Act of Incorporation on 22 January 1853, with power to confer degrees in arts, medicine, laws and music. The act provided for an annual endowment of £9,000, while a special grant of £20,000 was made for buildings that year. The foundation stone was laid on 3July 1854, and on the same day the foundation stone for the State Library Classes commenced in 1855 with three professors and sixteen students; of this body of students only four graduated. The original buildings were officially opened by the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham, on 3October 1855. A law school was established in 1857 at the Parkville campus, following which a Faculty of Engineering and School of Medicine were established in 1861 and 1862 respectively. The university's residential colleges were first opened on the northern aspect of the campus in 1872, divided between the four main Christian denominations. The first chancellor, Redmond Barry (later Sir Redmond), held the position until his death in 1880. The inauguration of the university was made possible by the wealth resulting from Victoria's gold rush. The institution was designed to be a "civilising influence" at a time of rapid settlement and commercial growth. In 1881, the admission of women was a seen as victory over the more conservative ruling council. Julia 'Bella' Guerin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1883, and became the first woman to graduate from an Australian University.


1900s–1970s

Early in the 1900s, the university expanded its offerings to more utilitarian courses. In 1901 the number of students enrolled at the University of Melbourne exceeded 500 students for the first time. The university established the Diploma of Education in 1903, following negotiations with the Victorian Education Department. Despite the economic depression of the 1890s and the discovery of a significant fraud by a university registrar in 1901, the university continued to expand during this period. This growth included the construction of several buildings between 1900 and 1906. Such growth was facilitated largely through an increased government funding allocation, and the coinciding university led funding campaign. To accompany the training dentists received by the Melbourne Dental Hospital, a School of Dentistry was established to teach the scientific basis of dentistry at the university. Agriculture was established in 1911 following the appointment of the State Director of Agriculture as the first professor. During this period the university became a notable site for research, emerging as a leader in Australia. Following World War II the demand for higher education increased rapidly, and as a result became a transformative period for the university. In 1940, the first issue of ''Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand'', now '' Australian Historical Studies'', was published by the Department of History.


1980s – 2000s: Consolidation and expansion

Expansion of the university increased significantly during the 1980s and 1990s, as the university amalgamated with a number of tertiary colleges. In 1988 the Melbourne Teachers' College was brought into the Faculty of Education, and the amalgamation lead to the formation of a distinctly new Faculty of Education. The College of Advanced Education was incorporated into the university in 1989. During this period, more students than ever had before attended the university. The university had expanded its student population to beyond 35,000 students. Such amalgamations continued into the 1990s, with the Victorian College of the Arts affiliation with the University of Melbourne in 1992. This grew the number of campuses for the University of Melbourne, which would now include a new St Kilda Road location. In 2001, the Melbourne School of Population Health was established, the first of its kind in Australia, and continued the growth of the university. Work at the centre involved contributions from many disciplines, ranging from the social sciences to epidemiology. Health fields such as Indigenous, women's, mental, sexual, and rural health have all been researched at the centre. In 2008, Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis introduced a major restructure of the university's curriculum. The new structure, named the Melbourne Model, replaced traditional undergraduate specialist degrees with a two-degree undergraduate/graduate structure. Over 100 undergraduate degrees were replaced with six generalist degrees, with students taking a general bachelor's degree before specialising in either a professional or research graduate course. The introduction of the model, influenced by North American academia and the Bologna process, was controversial among students and staff. Various groups, including trade and student unions,"Cuts take toll on 'overworked' Melbourne Uni staff"
, ''The Age'', 11 April 2008. Accessed 3 May 2008.
academics, and some students criticised the introduction of the new structure, citing job and subject cuts, and a risk of "dumbing down" content. A group of students produced a satirical musical about the model's adoption. A dean from
Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has ...
rejected the model and argued it led to a reduction in student applications to the University of Melbourne. The
University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany and various other facilitie ...
is the only other Australian university to adopt the structure. Davis also introduced reforms to university governance, making faculty deans more responsible for producing a financial surplus.


2010s – present: Restructure and casualisation

Between 2013 and 2015 Davis introduced a wide-reaching restructure of the university's administration, labelled the Business Improvement Program, which led to the sacking of 500 administrative staff and some administrative responsibilities being transferred to academic staff. At the same time in the ten years to 2018 the university embarked on a large capital works program, spending $2 billion on new buildings across the university's campuses. The Melbourne School of Land and Environment was disestablished on 1January 2015. Its agriculture and food systems department moved alongside veterinary science to form the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, while other areas of study, including horticulture, forestry, geography and resource management, moved to the Faculty of Science in two new departments. In 2019, allegations of a toxic workplace culture within the
Faculty of Arts A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...
were aired, with a number of senior staff leaving their positions. At the same time, there was controversy over the high salaries earned by the Vice Chancellor, with Davis earning $1.5 million in 2019, the most of any university head in Australia. Like other Australian Universities, an extraordinary growth in international students took place at the University of Melbourne and meant the university became increasingly reliant on revenue from its overseas student cohort. In 2020, on-campus teaching was limited to selected clinical placements as a result of social distancing restrictions required by the Victorian State Government in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. The majority of teaching was moved to online delivery during the first semester. Like many other institutions and workplaces, university faculty members elected to use Zoom Video Communications to conduct live tutorials online. In 2020 the university announced it was axing 450 staff in the institution's largest ever layoff of academic staff, despite a planned expenditure of $4.2 billion for capital works over the decade from 2020. Similarly, in semester two of 2021, the majority of teaching was once again moved to online delivery due to the outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and ensuing lockdowns in Victoria. In response the university announced further job losses, despite the university running an $8m surplus in 2020. Eleven subjects were cut as part of the savings measures including a number of specialist scientific subjects, a move criticised by Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty and others. The halting of international student arrivals as part of the Australian pandemic response was projected to cause a major loss in revenue for the university. In 2019 and 2020 the University was also involved in wage theft and underpayment controversies towards its large teaching workforce of
casual staff Temporary work or temporary employment (also called gigs) refers to an employment situation where the working arrangement is limited to a certain period of time based on the needs of the employing organization. Temporary employees are sometimes ...
, and began repaying casual tutors for unpaid marking. The university was accused of owing Faculty of Arts teaching staff an estimated $6 million. In 2021 the Vice-Chancellor issued an apology for systematically underpaying staff, saying there was “a systemic failure of respect from this institution" towards casual staff that resulted in underpaying 1,000 staff members and requiring the university to pay back $9.5 million. The university came under sustained criticism over the poor employment and financial conditions of its highly casualised academic workforce. Over the 2010s the university increasingly casualised its workforce, with reports that between 47 and 72 per cent of its 11,000 employees were on casual contracts by 2020. In 2021 the State Government granted planning approval for a new campus for the university at the urban renewal precinct Fisherman's Bend. The $2 billion campus, set to open in 2025, will focus on engineering and forms part of a large capital works program by the university, which includes the demolition of Union House and the construction of a new student precinct on the south-east corner of the Parkville campus. In June 2021, a new speech policy was implemented to protect and safeguard
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...
individuals within the university.


Campuses

The university has three other campuses in metropolitan Melbourne at Burnley, Southbank, and Werribee. The
Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Br ...
campus is where
horticultural Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
courses are taught.
Performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfo ...
, visual arts, film and television, and music courses are taught at the Southbank campus.
Veterinary science Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
is taught at the
Werribee Werribee is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Wyndham local government area. Werribee recorded a population of 50,027 at the 2021 census. Werribee i ...
campus. In regional Victoria, the
Creswick Creswick is a town in west-central Victoria, Australia, 18 kilometres north of Ballarat and 122 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, in the Shire of Hepburn. It is 430 metres above sea level. At the 2016 census, Creswick had a populati ...
and Dookie campuses are used for
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
and
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
courses respectively. They previously housed several hundred residential students, but are now largely used for short courses and research. The
Shepparton Shepparton () ( Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the estimated population of Shepparto ...
campus is home to the
Rural Health In medicine, rural health or rural medicine is the interdisciplinary study of health and health care delivery in rural environments. The concept of rural health incorporates many fields, including geography, midwifery, nursing, sociology, economi ...
Academic Centre for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. The university is a part-owner of the
Melbourne Business School Melbourne Business School (MBS) is the graduate business school of the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The School offers an MBA program, specialist Masters programs, a doctoral program, and executive education programs. The MBS He ...
, based at Parkville campus, which ranked 46th in the 2012 ''Financial Times'' global rankings.


Parkville

The Parkville campus is the primary campus of the university. Originally established in a large area north of Grattan Street in Parkville, the campus has expanded well beyond its boundaries, with many of its newly acquired buildings located in the nearby suburb of Carlton. The university is undertaking an "ambitious infrastructure program" to reshape campuses. The campus was founded in 1853, and is located just north of Melbourne's central business district. Parkville campus has cafes, gyms, 12 libraries, specialty stores, a small supermarket, and a seasonal farmers market. The campus is located within a broader renowned knowledge precinct, which encompasses eight hospitals, and many other leading research institutes. Several of the earliest campus buildings, such as the Old Quadrangle and Baldwin Spencer buildings, feature period architecture. The old quad underwent extensive restoration in 2019 to return to original design, including a dedicated temporary exhibition space in the Treasury Gallery. The new Wilson Hall replaced the original building which was destroyed by fire. Recipients of the University of Melbourne Award (see below) are acknowledged by bronze
commemorative plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
s along Professors Walk on this campus. The Parkville campus was used extensively to shoot interior and exterior scenes in the MIFF-funded ''
The Death and Life of Otto Bloom ''The Death and Life of Otto Bloom'' is a 2016 Australian mockumentary drama film written and directed by Cris Jones, starring Xavier Samuel, Rachel Ward and Matilda Brown. The film is produced by Alicia Brown, Mish Armstrong and Melanie Coom ...
'' starring ''
Twilight Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this i ...
'' actor Xavier Samuel and
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
nominee Rachel Ward. The Union and Guild Theatres are located within the Union House on the Parkville campus.


Southbank

The Southbank campus is home to the Victorian College of the Arts and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and is situated within Melbourne's creative arts precinct. Theatre and dance stages, film and television studios, visual arts studios, and concert halls are all located at the university's purpose-built creative arts home. A$200 million major capital works project at the campus was completed in 2019. The project includes the construction of a new state-of-the-art conservatorium for music and the conversion of historically important buildings for use as education and research facilities. In 2011, the Victorian State Government allocated $24 million to support arts education at the VCA. This was due in part to it coming together with the Conservatorium to form the then Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.


Burnley

The Burnley Campus is located within the suburb of Burnley in Melbourne, around 5 km east of the Melbourne CBD. The campus is dedicated to both ornamental and environmental horticulture, and is surrounded by nine hectares of heritage-listed gardens. The campus began operating as a learning precinct in horticultural education in 1891. At the campus, students are offered short courses, associate degrees, post-graduate studies, and research. Specifically, training for urban landscape management, landscape design and production, park management, turf management, nursery and cut flower production, and arboriculture are all specialisations of the campus.


Creswick

The Creswick campus is located within the township of Creswick, 120 km north-west of Melbourne. It is situated on 15 hectares of land, in is also connected native and plantation forests. Accommodation is available at the campus to members of the University of Melbourne's student cohorts and teaching staff when engaged at Creswick. Creswick campus has been offering forest science education since 1910, and is Australia's only dedicated forest ecosystem science campus, which focuses on forest industry, conservation, and molecular biology research. Scientists based at the campus include hydrologists, soil scientists, plant geneticists, geomorphologists, fire scientists, ecologists, engineers, and mathematicians.


Dookie

The Dookie campus has been the university's rural home to agriculture and agricultural teaching and learning since its inception in 1886. It is based between Shepparton and Benalla, about 220 km north east of Melbourne. Dookie campus is situated on 2440 hectares of land that houses student and staff accommodation, an orchard, winery, merino sheep, robotic dairy, and a natural bush reserve. Agriculture students are able to access the city campus in addition to a semester at the Dookie campus. Subjects in agriculture, science, commerce, and environments are available at the campus.


Shepparton

The Shepparton Medical Centre campus is located in Shepparton, nearly 200 km north of Melbourne. The campus is part of the Melbourne Medical School, and the Shepparton base is home to the Shepparton Rural Clinical School. It provides fully furnished, subsidized, self-catered student on site at the Clinical School. The University of Melbourne Shepparton Medical Centre was the first purpose built teaching clinic in Australia, and services Shepparton and surrounds with comprehensive primary healthcare.


Werribee

The Werribee campus is located about 30 km south west of the city, and is home to research and teaching for the Melbourne Veterinary School. Recently the campus undertook an AU$63 million redevelopment to enhance facilities for pet treatment and the training of future veterinarians at the University of Melbourne. Victoria's only accredited veterinary course is based at The University of Melbourne, at both the Werribee and Parkville campuses. Kendall Hall offers self-catered accommodation for 76 residents in single bedrooms with shared facilities at the University of Melbourne Werribee campus.


Former campuses

The university had a number of former campuses, including Glenormiston (now Glenormiston College), Longerenong (now Longerenong College), McMillan (based in Leongatha and Warragul) and the Werribee-based Gilbert Chandler Campus.


Organisation and administration


Governance

Governance of the university is grounded in an act of parliament, the University of Melbourne Act 2009. The peak governing body is the "Council" the key responsibilities of which include appointing the vice-chancellor and principal, approving the strategic direction and annual budget, establishing operational policies and procedures and overseeing academic and commercial activities as well as risk management. The chair of the council is the "chancellor". The "academic board" oversees learning, teaching and research activities and provides advice to the council on these matters. The "committee of convocation" represents graduates and its members are elected in proportion to the number of graduates in each faculty. The University of Melbourne's operations are governed through a hierarchy of delegations framework. A 13-member council is the university's governing body. It establishes the university's council, determines its core functions, and allows the university to enact subordinate legislation through statutes and regulations. Under legislative elements associated with the council, university policies exist as a formal statement of principle to regulate university operations. Under university policies, university processes exist to support workplace agreements, policy, and relevant legislation by noting day-to-day operation tasks and activities to be performed by staff. The academic board is held responsible to the council for quality assurance in activities such as the maintenance of high standards in teaching, research and learning. The University of Melbourne Executive is the university's principal management committee. The university consists of academic and administrative structures. University leadership encompasses the chancellor, vice-chancellor and senior executives, who are responsible for the strategic vision of the university.


Endowment

The University of Melbourne has an endowment of approximately $1.335 billion, the largest of any Australian tertiary institution. The university's endowments recovered after hardship following the 2008
Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
, which shrank its investments by 22%. This required restructuring of the university, including cutting 220 full-time positions.Battered Melbourne Uni slashes 220 jobs
, ''The Age'', 29 July 2009
A further round of cuts, driven by lingering concerns about finances and declining Federal contributions to the tertiary sector, took place under the 'Business Improvement Program' from 2014 to 2016 and resulted in the cutting of 500 jobs. Under former vice-chancellor Glyn Davis, the university publicly launched a fundraising campaign titled ''Believe'' in 2013. The campaign raised $500 million by 2016 and sought to raise a further $1 billion by 2021.


Faculties and present deans

The University of Melbourne is divided into 10 faculties, which encompass all major departments of both research and teaching. *Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning: Julie Willis. *
Faculty of Arts A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...
: Russell Goulbourne. *Faculty of Business and Economics: Paul Kofman and Ian Harper (co-deans). *Melbourne Graduate School of Education: Jim Watterston. * Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology: Mark Cassidy. * Faculty of Fine Arts and Music: Marie Sierra. *
Melbourne Law School Melbourne Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of the University of Melbourne. Located in Carlton, Victoria, Melbourne Law School is Australia's oldest law school, and offers Juris Doctor, J.D., Master of Laws, LL.M, Doctor of P ...
: Pip Nicholson. * Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences: Jane Gunn. *
Faculty of Science Faculty may refer to: * Faculty (academic staff), the academic staff of a university (North American usage) * Faculty (division), a division within a university (usage outside of the United States) * Faculty (instrument), an instrument or warrant ...
: Moira O'Bryan. * Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences: John Fazakerley.


Academic profile


Admissions

The university has 11 academic units, some of which incorporate a graduate school. The overall attrition and retention rates at the university are the lowest and highest respectively in Australia.Does this model have legs?
, ''The Age'', 15 August 2009.
The university has one of the highest admission requirements in the country, with the median ATAR of its undergraduates being 94.05 (2009). 50% of the Premier's VCE Top All-Round High Achievers enrolled at the University of Melbourne. For domestic applications, an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is generally required for bachelor's degrees. For undergraduate degrees in 2019, guaranteed entry scores into degrees were: Agriculture 70, Arts 85, Biomedicine 96, Commerce 94, Design 85, Science 85, Oral Health 85 (indicative only), Fine Arts and Music were not applicable. Domestic applicants who have a disadvantaged financial background, are from rural or isolated areas, are from underrepresented schools, experienced difficult circumstances, have a disability or medical condition, are from a non-English speaking background, identify as an Indigenous Australian, or are applying through a non-school leaver entry pathway may be eligible for the Access Melbourne program. The program offered guaranteed entry in 2023 for students with ATARs of: Agriculture 72, Arts 88, Biomedicine 95, Commerce 93, Design 88, and Science 88. Minimum International Baccalaureate Diploma scores for undergraduate guaranteed entry in 2019 were: Agriculture 25, Arts 31, Biomedicine 38, Commerce 36, design 31, Science 31, Oral Health 31 (indicative only), Fine arts and Music were not applicable. International students compose 44% of the university's student body.


Teaching structure

The University of Melbourne differs from other Australian universities in its course structure, as it offers nine generalised three-year degrees instead of more traditional specialised undergraduate degrees. This system, described as the "Melbourne Model", was implemented in 2008 Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis in 2008. change from the former curriculum, which offered many single and joint degrees, was described by the university as the "Melbourne Model". The university also offers postgraduate courses (including professional-entry master's degrees) that follow undergraduate courses with greater specialization. Several professional degrees are available only for graduate entry. These degrees are at a masters level according to the Australian Qualification Framework, but are named "masters" or "doctorate" following the practice in North America. The university's faculties often have a corresponding
graduate school Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and ...
to offer these degrees.


Rankings

''Times Higher Education'' ranked Melbourne 33rd globally (1st nationally) in the 2021-2022 iteration of its annual ''World University Rankings''. In the ''QS World University Rankings 2023'', the University of Melbourne was ranked 33rd globally (2nd in Australia). In 2022, it ranked 33rd among the universities around the world by ''
SCImago Institutions Rankings The SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) since 2009 has published its international ranking of worldwide research institutions, the SIR World Report. The SIR World Report is the work of the SCImago Research Group,CSIRO The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research. CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...
). The university is a leading Australian research university, with the largest cohort of research students in Australia. The Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities is released by National Taiwan University (NTU Ranking), and placed the University of Melbourne as the 29th highest internationally and 1st domestically in 2018. It evaluates the performance of scientific papers, and the indicators used are designed to compare both the quantity and quality of published scientific works by each university. Similarly, the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) ranks universities on variables, including both research output and citations. For 2018/19 it ranked the University of Melbourne at number 57 in the world, and number1 within Australia. The university is connected to more than 100 research centres and institutes. In 2010 the university spent $813 million on research. In the same year the university had the highest numbers of federal government
Australian Postgraduate Awards The Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) was a scholarship, founded by the Australian Federal Government, designed to support postgraduate research training, which was awarded to students of "exceptional research potential". The allocation each ter ...
(APA) and International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS), as well as the largest totals of Research Higher Degree (RHD) student load (3,222 students) and RHD completions (715).


Entrepreneurship

The university has an entrepreneurship arm, named the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC). The university also has an accelerator program for start-ups, which has produced a number of small companies. The university also has an entrepreneurial training centre called the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship based at Ormond College, one of the university's residential colleges.


Libraries

The University of Melbourne's libraries have over three million visitors performing 42 million loan transactions every year.About Us – Library
, University of Melbourne website
The general collection comprises over 3.5 million items including books, DVDs, photographic slides, music scores and periodicals as well as rare maps, prints and other published materials. The library also holds over 32,000 e-books, hundreds of databases and 63,000 general and specialist journals in digital form.


Museums


Grainger Museum

The Grainger Museum is located at the university's Parkville campus, and is the only purpose built autobiographical museum in Australia. It is home to a diverse collection of over 100,000 items including photographs, costumes, art, music scores and instruments. The items were collected by Percy Grainger and span his life and career. Grainger was an eccentric and famous composer, arranger and pianist whose career played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century.


Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology

The Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology, located at the Parkville campus, is one of Australia's largest collections of both historical anatomical models and real human tissue specimens. It provides students at The University of Melbourne educational resources for the medical and related anatomical disciplines. The museum is not normally open to the public, though tours of the museum are available for medical students and health professionals.


Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum

The Henry Forman Atkinson Dental Museum is located at the Melbourne Dental School on the Parkville campus. It is the oldest dental collection in Australia, with over 3500 objects, photographs, documents, and catalogues.


Ian Potter Museum of Art

The Ian Potter Museum of Art is located at the university's Parkville campus, and is the university's main art museum. Since being founded in 1972, the museum has hosted more than 500 exhibitions. The Potter's collection exceeds 16,000 objects, with works ranging from antiquity to contemporary art.


Margaret Lawrence Gallery

The Margaret Lawrence Gallery is located at the university's Southbank campus in the heart of Melbourne's Arts Precinct. It provides a space for members of the Victorian College of the Arts community to showcase new work, playing an educational role for the institution. The gallery was opened in 2001 to link the Victorian College of the Arts with the University of Melbourne, and to the wider communities of Victorian and national arts. The space facilitates and encourages connections between professional artists, academics, students, and the wider public.


Medical History Museum

The Medical History Museum is located within the Brownless Biomedical Library at the university's Parkville campus. Exhibitions and educational programs are offered by the museum.


Noel Shaw Gallery

The Noel Shaw Gallery is located within the Baillieu Library at the university's Parkville campus. It opened in 2014, following a bequest by university alumna, Noel Shaw. Each year two exhibitions are presented in the Noel Shaw Gallery, which focus on the opportunities for curriculum engagement.


Ed Muirhead Physics Museum

The Ed Muirhead Physics Museum is located at the university's Parkville campus in the School of Physics building. The museum is named in honour of Ed Muirhead, who was the Chairman of the School of Physics from 1980 to 1986, and initiated the museum during that time. The collection comprises items that are of historical and scientific interest, predominantly scientific apparatus constructed by former professors and staff for research purposes.


Dax Centre

The Dax Centre is located at the university's Parkville campus in the Kenneth Myer Building. The centre is named after
Eric Cunningham Dax Eric Cunningham Dax, AO, FRACP, FRANZCP, HonFRCPsych (18 May 1908 – 29 January 2008) was a British-born Australian psychiatrist. Career In England during the 1930s and 1940s, Dax worked with John Rawlings Rees, Francis Reitmann and other ...
, who pioneered the use of art to promote clinical insights and mental health improvements. Exhibitions and educational programs hosted by the centre seek to promote mental health. The Dax Centre consists of educational programs and a gallery space and also houses the Cunningham Dax Collection.


Tiegs Museum

The Tiegs Museum is located at the university's Parkville campus in the BioSciences building. The museum hosts a collection of zoological specimens accumulated over 120 years, and is named after a former professor and faculty dean,
Oscar Tiegs Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
. Specimens included in the collection range from small invertebrates to the whole mounts and skeletons of vertebrates including an African Lion, and a moa (an extinct emu-like bird from New Zealand).


Buxton Contemporary

Buxton Contemporary is an art museum located at the university's Southbank campus, in Melbourne's Arts precinct. The museum was opened in 2018 and comprises four public exhibition galleries, teaching facilities and an outdoor screen for moving image art. The museum was the result of a gift to the university by the art collector and property developer Michael Buxton.


Science Gallery

Science Gallery Melbourne opened in 2021 at the university's Parkville campus. The 3,500 square metre gallery is in the university's new Melbourne Connect building and presents exhibitions that seek to combine art and science. The gallery forms part of the Global Science Gallery Network, based on the Science Gallery at
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.


Herbarium

The
University of Melbourne Herbarium The University of Melbourne Herbarium is a teaching and research herbarium within the School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne in Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Its Index Herbariorum code is MELU.Union House: the Union and
Guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...
Theatres.


Student life


Residential colleges

Melbourne University currently has 10 residential colleges in total, seven of which are located in an arc around the
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
oval at the northern edge of the campus, known as College Crescent. The other three are located outside of university grounds. Most of the university's residential colleges also admit students from
RMIT University RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1887 by Francis Ormond, RMIT began as a night school offering classes in art, scien ...
and Monash University, Parkville campus, with selected colleges also accepting students from the
Australian Catholic University Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a public university in Australia. It has seven Australian campuses and also maintains a campus in Rome. History Australian Catholic University was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamatio ...
and Victoria University. Graduate House (1972-) is a residential college for graduates located in Parkville's graduate precinct, which began its affiliation with the university in 1972.
Whitley College Whitley College is a Baptist theological institute in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The college is associated with the Baptist Union of Victoria ( Australian Baptist Ministries) and is one of the theological schools of the University of Divinit ...
(1965-2017) was a former college of the university, though it was sold to a redeveloper in 2016.
Ridley College Ridley College (also known as RC, Ridley) is a private school, private boarding school, boarding and day university-preparatory school located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, 20 miles (32 km) from Niagara Falls. The school confers the On ...
(1965-2005) was an affiliated residential college of the University of Melbourne and was the first college of the university to be co-residential for men and women.


Faculty clubs and societies

Clubs and societies offered by the university range from cultural, course-related, political, language exchange, spiritual and community focuses. There are currently over 200 clubs affiliated to the University of Melbourne Student Union, with the total membership exceeding 25,000. There are currently more than 100 groups affiliated with the Graduate Student Association (GSA), with the total membership of the GSA exceeding 36,000 students. Specific faculty-based clubs and societies are also offered at the university.


Student unions and associations

There are two student organisations within the University of Melbourne, the University of Melbourne Student Union, and the Graduate Student Association. The University of Melbourne Student Union, formerly known as the Student Union was founded in 1884. Originally, it was formed to promote common interests of students, to assist social interactions between members, and provide resources for pursuing public life. The union's mission is to create a quality experience on campus by establishing a community for students, staff and visitors from a range of backgrounds and experiences. The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is an independent association that automatically provides all enrolled graduate students at the university with support, representation, events, and training. Some features of the GSA include welcoming students to the graduate school with orientation events, hosting an Annual Art Prize, and a formal Graduate Ball.


Melbourne University Sport

Sport at The University of Melbourne is overseen by Melbourne University Sport (MU Sport), which is a department of the university. The department provides the management of all sports, fitness and recreation facilities, programmes and activities of the university. MU Sport also manages the university's designated entry scheme for elite athletes. Membership to the Melbourne University Sport Fitness Centre is open to University of Melbourne students, staff, alumni, and the greater community at large for those above the age of 17. Melbourne University Sport offers access to a range of sporting clubs: aikido, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cricket, cycling, dancesport, dragon boat, fencing, men's football, women's football, futsal, gridiron, hockey, inline, karate, kendo, lacrosse, mountaineering, netball, quidditch, rowing, rugby union, skiing, snowboarding, soccer, softball, squash, surf riding, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo-rhee, taekwondo-wtf, tai chi and wushu, tennis, touch football, underwater (SCUBA), ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water polo, waterski and wakeboard, and weightlifting and powerlifting. The Melbourne University Football Club was established in 1859 and is the world's second oldest Australian rules football club and the second oldest football club in Australia. It achieved prominence by being admitted to what is now the Australian Football League competition in 1908, and in 1914 becoming the first in the league's history to depart the competition, due to the club's strict stance on amateur sport, amateurism. The Melbourne University Lacrosse Club (MULC) was established in 1883 and is the List of the oldest lacrosse teams, oldest continually operational lacrosse club in the world. The Melbourne University Cycling Club (MUCyc) is associated with Cycling Australia and competes regularly at local and national races. In 2008 MUCyc won its seventh consecutive AUG championship (2002–2008). The Melbourne University Tennis Club was one of the original five clubs established for the students and staff of the university, with various tennis competitions and social tennis events held on campus as early as 1882. The facilities that The University of Melbourne offers include a gym, fitness programs, group fitness classes, cardio theatre, strength zone, group cycling studio, MindBody studio, Cardio Box studio, two multipurpose stadiums, indoor heated 25m lap pool, personal training studio, group fitness room, squash courts, and change rooms.


People


Vice-chancellors

The following have led the university as its vice-chancellor: *Duncan Maskell: 1 October 2018 – present * Glyn Davis: 10 January 2005 – 30 September 2018 *Kwong Lee Dow: 1 February 2004 – 9 January 2005 *Alan Gilbert (Australian academic), Alan Gilbert: 1 January 1996 – 31 January 2004 *David Penington: 1 January 1988 – 31 December 1995 *David Caro: 1 June 1982 – 31 December 1987 *Sir David Derham: 1 March 1968 – 31 May 1982 *Sir George Whitecross Paton, George Paton: 1 July 1951 – 29 February 1968 *Sir John Medley: 1 July 1938 – 1 July 1951 *Sir Raymond Priestley: 1 January 1935 – 30 June 1938 *Sir James Barrett (academic), James Barrett: 7 December 1931 – 17 December 1934 *Sir John Monash: 2 July 1923 – 8 October 1931 *Sir John Grice: 6 May 1918 – 18 June 1923 *Sir John Henry MacFarland, John MacFarland: 7 March 1910 – 8 April 1918 *Sir Henry Wrixon: 20 December 1897 – 7 March 1910 *Sir John Madden (judge), John Madden: 3 June 1889 – 20 December 1897 *Martin Howy Irving, Martin Irving: 2 May 1887 – 27 May 1889 *Sir Anthony Brownless: 31 May 1858 – 4 April 1887 *William Haines: 15 May 1857 – 31 May 1858 * Hugh Childers: 17 May 1853 – 12 March 1857


Nobel laureates

Many Nobel laureates have taught, studied and researched at the University of Melbourne. Graduates include: * Elizabeth Blackburn, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2009) * Sir John Eccles (neurophysiologist), John Eccles, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1963) * Sir Macfarlane Burnet, Frank Macfarlane Burnet, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1960) * Joshua Lederberg, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1958) * Howard Florey, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1945) * Sir James Mirrlees, Nobel Prize in Economic Science (1996) * Bert Sakmann, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1991)


Notable alumni

The University of Melbourne has produced many notable alumni, with graduates having been Governor-General of Australia, Governor of Victoria, Prime Minister of Australia, justices of the List of High Court of Australia Justices, High, Federal Court of Australia, Federal, Family Court of Australia, Family and Supreme Court of Victoria, Victorian Supreme courts, Premier of Victoria, Premiers of Victoria and elected leaders of States and territories of Australia, other states and territories, Nobel Prize, Nobel laureates, a First Lady of East Timor, ministers of foreign countries, Lord mayors, academics, architects, historians, poets, philosophers, politicians, scientists, physicists, authors, industry leaders, defence force personnel, corporate leaders, community leaders, as well as numerous artists. Frances Dorothy Gray became Australia's first female Bachelor of Dental Science graduate, when she graduated from the Australian College of Dentistry at the University of Melbourne in 1907. File:RUEDA DE PRENSA CONJUNTA ENTRE CANCILLER RICARDO PATIÑO Y JULIAN ASSANGE (cropped).jpg, Julian Assange, activist File:Elizabeth Blackburn CHF Heritage Day 2012 Rush 001.JPG, Elizabeth Blackburn, biologist File:Cate Blanchett 2011.jpg, Cate Blanchett, actress File:Frank Macfarlane Burnet.jpg, Frank Macfarlane Burnet, virologist File:Portia de Rossi 1999.jpg, Portia de Rossi, actress File:AlfredDeakin.jpeg, Alfred Deakin, Prime Minister of Australia File:Elizabeth Debicki 3 (cropped).jpg, Elizabeth Debicki, actress File:Sir John Eccles Wellcome L0026812.jpg, John Eccles (neurophysiologist), John Eccles, neurophysiologist File:Julia Gillard 2010.jpg, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia File:Germaine Greer, 28 October 2013 (portrait crop).jpg, Germaine Greer, public intellectual File:HaroldHoltPortrait1953.JPG, Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia File:Randeep Hooda BIG Star Entertainment Awards.jpg, Randeep Hooda, actor File:Barry Humphries July 2001.jpg, Barry Humphries, comedian File:Portrait Menzies 1950s.jpg, Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia File:John Monash 1.jpg, John Monash, military commander File:Peter Singer no Fronteiras do Pensamento Porto Alegre (9620101528).jpg, Peter Singer, philosopher File:Dave Warren with BlackBox Prototype.jpg, David Warren (inventor), David Warren, inventor File:Feliks Zemdegs at Swisscubing Cup Final 2018.jpg, Feliks Zemdegs, speedcuber


Awards

* The University of Melbourne Award "recognises individuals who have made an outstanding and enduring contribution to the University and its scholarly community". Recipients of the award are acknowledged by bronze
commemorative plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
s along Professors Walk on the University of Melbourne#Parkville, Parkville campus. *The Patricia Grimshaw Awards for Mentor Excellence are awarded annually to staff at the University of Melbourne to recognise mentoring skills and behaviours. The award was launched by the university in March 2008 to honour historian Patricia Grimshaw's "contribution as a mentor of postgraduate students and younger colleagues".


Gallery


See also

*Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) – within the School of Biosciences *List of universities in Australia * NICTA – national information and communication technology research centre, co-supported by Melbourne University * University of Melbourne Academic Dress * Victorian School of Forestry


References


Citations


Sources

; Books * Macintyre, S. & Selleck, R.J.W. (2003). ''A short history of the University of Melbourne''. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. . * Selleck, R.J.W. (2003). ''The Shop: The University of Melbourne, 1850–1939''. Melbourne: University of Melbourne Press. 930pp * Poynter, John & Rasmussen, Carolyn (1996). ''A Place Apart – The University of Melbourne: Decades of Challenge''. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. . * Cain J II and J Hewitt. (2004). ''Off Course: From Public Place to Marketplace at Melbourne University''. Melbourne: Scribe
review
; Newspaper * McPhee, P. 2005. "From the Acting Vice-Chancellor." Uni News. The University of Melbourne. 03/10/05, p. 3.


External links


University website


{{DEFAULTSORT:Melbourne, University Of University of Melbourne, Australian vocational education and training providers Educational institutions established in 1853 Universities in Melbourne 1853 establishments in Australia Group of Eight (Australian universities) Universities established in the 19th century Landmarks in Melbourne City of Melbourne