Swinburne University of Technology

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Swinburne University of Technology
Logoswin.png
Swinburne University Logo
Motto Factum per Litteras "Achievement through learning"[1]
Established 1908[2]
Type Public
Chancellor Bill Scales, AO
Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson
Academic staff 614 (2011)[3]
Admin. staff 1,084 (2011)[3]
Undergraduates 15,150 (2011)[3]
Postgraduates 3,293 (2011)[3]
Doctoral students 678 (2011)[3]
Other students 30,632 (2011)[3]
Location Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Campus Urban
Affiliations ACU, ASAIHL, ECIU, OUA
Website www.swinburne.edu.au

Swinburne University of Technology is an Australian public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. The institution was founded by the Honourable Silvio Matas in 1908. It achieved university status in June 1992. In 2011 there were 18,134 students enrolled in Higher education and an estimated 13,786 students enrolled in TAFE, including nearly 7500 international students from over 100 different countries.[2]

Swinburne has five campuses in Melbourne at Hawthorn, Prahran, Lilydale, Wantirna, Croydon – and one in Sarawak, Malaysia. Swinburne offers both vocational and higher education qualifications.

Contents

Rankings and Ratings[edit]

  • The 2011 Good Universities Guide has awarded Swinburne more 5-star ratings than any other university in Melbourne, including for teaching quality and graduate satisfaction.
  • Internationally, Swinburne is named amongst the top 500 universities in the world by the prestigious Academic Rankings of World Universities 2011, top 450 by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011 and top 3% by the QS World University Rankings 2011.[2] Swinburne is ranked 301-400 in the 2012 Academic Ranking of World Universities and granted third place in Victoria, Australia after University of Melbourne and Monash University.[4][5]
  • Swinburne has consistently rated in the top ten Australian universities by the student-driven Rate Your Uni website. The same site rates Swinburne first in Victoria for access to practical work experience, quality of teaching, and quality of career/employment support.[6]

Discipline areas and qualifications[edit]

Swinburne is a multidisciplinary institution offering vocational, undergraduate, postgraduate and research qualifications.

The main discipline areas are:

  • Apprenticeships
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Aviation
  • Business, Commerce and Management
  • Design and Film & TV
  • Digital Media
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Health and Community Services
  • Horticulture and Environment
  • Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • Media and Communications
  • Psychology
  • Preparatory and English Language Programs
  • Science
  • Sustainability
  • Visual, Performing and Circus Arts

Swinburne offers qualifications across vocational and higher education sectors:

  • Short courses
  • Certificate I
  • Certificate II (includes Pre-apprenticeships)
  • Certificate III (includes Apprenticeships)
  • Certificate IV
  • Diploma
  • Advanced Diploma
  • Associate degree
  • Bachelor degree
  • Bachelor degree (honours)
  • Graduate Certificate
  • Graduate Diploma
  • Masters degree (course work)
  • Masters degree (research)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Personalisation[edit]

Students can choose subjects across the six faculties to suit their interests and career objectives, adding the breadth and depth they want to personalise their degree through a combination of major and minor studies.

Flexibility[edit]

Swinburne offers a number of flexible study options for students. These include online study, part-time classes in the evening and intensive weekends, as well as summer and winter terms. Swinburne Online is a partnership between the university and Seek Learning that launched a suite of completely online undergraduate degrees in 2012.

Higher Education has the two traditional intake periods in February and August, with the option of summer and winter terms. TAFE has a number of different intakes throughout the year.[7]

Vocational Education[edit]

Swinburne delivers vocational education to close to an estimated 15,000 students, a majority of which complete their training in the workplace.[8] For the students who study on-campus, work-based learning is integrated into courses through practical placement or by working on real work projects.

Structure[edit]

Swinburne has six faculties and five TAFE schools.[9]

Faculties[edit]

TAFE Schools[edit]

  • School of Creative and Service Industries
  • School of Business
  • School of Engineering, Technology and Trades
  • School of Health and Community
  • School of Sustainable Futures

Research[edit]

Research Centres and Institutes:[10]

Research Groups:[11]

The university is a member of five Australian Research Council (ARC) "Centres of Excellence":

The university is a member of 5 Cooperative Research Centres (CRCS):

Swinburne is a member of seven Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). CRCs play an important role in the Australian innovation system, bringing together researchers and research users from universities, the public sector and business.[12]

  • CRC for Spatial Information
  • CRC for Low Carbon Living
  • CRC for Smart Services
  • CRC for Advanced Manufacturing
  • CRC for CAST Metals Manufacturing
  • CRC for Polymers
  • CRC for Advanced Automotive Technology

Other centres and groups

World class research findings[edit]

With an investment of $250 million over four years, Swinburne has begun to make research findings.[13]

  • Swinburne researchers discovered that around a quarter of the globular star clusters in our Milky Way are invaders from other galaxies
  • Swinburne researches co-discovered 14 new galaxies in two nights
  • Swinburne was the first in the world to develop a small, portable, endoscopic two-photon microscope making the technology more accessible for diagnosing cancer
  • Swinburne researchers analysed an ‘odd couple’ of stars to confirm that Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity still stands up almost 100 years after it was originally produced
  • Swinburne researchers have successfully developed a CD that can hold an amount 20,000 times greater than that on a Blu-ray disc.
  • Swinburne researchers have developed a method of in-situ laser resurfacing on power station turbines.

Venture magazine[edit]

Swinburne publishes Venture, a magazine about university research and collaboration in the areas of science, technology and innovation. The magazine, distributed three times a year, aims to communicate some of the great news stories coming out of Swinburne and increase the awareness of research at the institution.

Notable researchers[edit]

  • Professor Min Gu:

Swinburne University’s world-class photonics researcher Professor Min Gu was awarded an Australian Laureate Fellowship from the Australian Federal Government in July 2010. Professor Min Gu will use the fellowship to research a ground-breaking petabyte data storage technology which will allow us to dramatically increase the storage capacity of compact discs.

The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme is administered by the Australian Research Council which will provide $239 million over five years to up to 75 talented researchers.[14]

  • Professor Warrick Couch, Professor Karl Glazebrook and Professor Jeremy Mould:

Jeremy Mould, Karl Glazebrook and Warrick Couch, all members of Swinburne’s Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing.[15] are in the top .5 per cent of frequently cited researchers in their field worldwide.[16][17]

Campuses[edit]

Hawthorn[edit]

About

The Hawthorn campus is Swinburne’s main campus. It hosts a range of undergraduate and vocational courses, postgraduate programs, short courses and research.

The Hawthorn campus is home to Australia's first Graduate School of Entrepreneurship[18] which is the only school in Australia of its kind dedicated to the development of entrepreneurs.

The campus is also the hub of Swinburne’s research activity and training centres and houses research tools including one of the fastest supercomputers in Australia,[19] a 3D Virtual Reality Theatre,[20] and Australia’s first baby-friendly neuroscience laboratory.

Courses available

Students can study in the areas of commerce, engineering and technology, information and communication technologies, aviation, arts and social sciences, sustainability, digital media and many more.

Accommodation

There is a range of on-campus accommodation facilities for students at the Hawthorn campus including Swinburne Place Apartments, Swinburne Student Apartments and Swinburne Residential College as well as private student housing providers.[21]

Developments and facilities

'The George', named for the university's founder, is the Student Services building opened in 2011, providing students with state-of-the-art facilities and services including a multi-faith room, computer labs, health service, careers and employment, and wi-fi learning and relaxation spaces.[22]

The Advanced Technologies Centre (ATC) is a 5-Star Green Rating building and home to 20,000 square metres of research and teaching spaces. It opened in 2011 and includes a 500-seat lecture theatre and exhibition space, laboratory and testing facilties. It is a focal point for industry and academic research and collaboration.

The Advanced Manufacturing Centre (AMC) commenced constriction in 2011 and is due to be completed by 2013. The building is designed by Melbourned based Sinclair Knights Merz Architects and Engineers in partnership with UK Based Wilkinson Eyre Architects.[23]

Other facilities on campus include a library, bookshop, cafes, gym, child care, and 24-hour access to computers, learning and recreational spaces.

Prahran campus buildings

Prahran[edit]

About

The Prahran campus is known as Swinburne’s ‘creative campus’ and is located right in the heart of cosmopolitan Prahran. The campus is home to the Faculty of Design, Australia's only faculty dedicated to design alone, and the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA). Cultural and creative courses are offered across vocational and university levels.

Prahran Mechanics' Institute - established in 1854; the above building opened in 1915

Courses available

The Faculty of Design, a national leader since the early 1960s, offers undergraduate courses across the areas of communication, industrial, interior and digital media design. The Faculty also offer a degree in film and television and a range of postgraduate programs.

Vocational courses available at Prahran span across the areas of costume for performance, makeup, film and television, performing arts, community services, hospitality, business and many more. The campus is also home to the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA). In collaboration with Swinburne it is the only institute in Australia to offer a degree in circus arts .[24]

Developments and facilities

Facilities on the Prahran campus include the David Williamson Theatre, a 119-seat theatre for student productions and exhibitions. The campus has one of Swinburne’s two training restaurants, The Apprentice, which is open to the general public and allows Swinburne’s hospitality students to put their skills into practice in a real restaurant environment.[25]

Other facilities on campus include careers and employment services, library, child care, study support, cafes, study and recreational areas.

Lilydale[edit]

Lilydale campus.

About

Swinburne’s Lilydale campus is just off the busy Maroondah Highway shopping strip located in Melbourne’s East. The campus is home to the Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, which is also responsible for delivering Swinburne’s online courses through Open Universities Australia. The campus also offers a range of TAFE courses, including Swinburne’s new TAFE nursing qualification, the Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled/Division 2 nursing) which has its first intake in 2010.

Courses available

Sporting facilities on the Lilydale campus.

The Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale offer undergraduate degrees across the areas of social science, business and communication. There are also a number of postgraduate programs in business, arts and technology.

There is a wide range of TAFE courses available at the Lilydale campus covering areas such as horticulture and environment, health and community services, hospitality, tourism, and event management.

To assist regional students, The Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale introduced a 5-point ATAR (formally ENTER) bonus for VCE applicants in nominated postcodes when they apply for an undergraduate degree at the Lilydale campus. The 5 point bonus is automatically applied when students apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).[26]

Accommodation

The Lilydale Student Village has been built specifically for students and consists of 25 self-catering apartments.[27]

Developments and facilities

The campus has recently[when?] undergone a transformation with an upgrade to the Lilydale Atrium, a central location within the campus. The Atrium now boasts plenty of student space, including new study rooms, social space and recreational activities.

Facilities on campus include cafes, after hours computer access, student lounges and entertainment areas, facilities hire for conferences and exhibitions, and another of Swinburne’s training restaurants, Mitchell’s View.[28]

Croydon[edit]

About

The Croydon campus is a TAFE specific campus located 27 kilometres east of Melbourne city. The campus has a particular focus on youth programs such as the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), VET in VCE and First Stop, a free advisory service relating to further education. The campus also offers purpose built facilities for apprenticeship students.

Courses available

Croydon campus offers TAFE courses in business, building and construction, children’s services, community services, computing, recreation and social sciences.

Developments and facilities

Swinburne’s $10m Green Trades Complex at the Croydon campus was completed in June 2010. It allows Swinburne to provide leadership in green training and help Australian industries transition to a low-carbon economy.[29]

Croydon is also home to the Building Barns, built specifically for practical training, where students gain get hands-on experience in painting and decorating, carpentry and bricklaying.

The Centre for Health and Wellbeing is also located at Croydon. The Centre provides flexible training in health and wellbeing throughout Victoria.

Wantirna[edit]

National Centre for Sustainability at the Wantirna campus.

About

Wantirna is being established as a ‘green campus’ and is home to the TAFE Department of Horticulture and Environment and the National Centre for Sustainability. The campus is also well known for its beautiful gardens, green houses and the new landscape building. Like Croydon, Wantirna is a TAFE specific campus.

Courses available

Courses range from apprenticeships to advanced diploma level and are delivered in areas such as arts, business, commerce and management, engineering and technology, horticulture and environment and information and communication technologies.

The TAFE Arts Department at Wantirna offers visual art, fine art, visual merchandising and product design exclusively at the Wantirna campus, as well as multimedia and graphic design.

The Department of Horticulture and Environment offer courses for a range of careers such as arborists, landscape designers and nursery, parks and gardens staff. The campus is also home to mechanical and automotive courses which use the latest in automotive and training equipment.

Developments and facilities

The campus offers facilities such as careers and employment services, study support, child care, library, and sport and recreation.

Sarawak, Malaysia[edit]

Main article: Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus

The Sarawak campus is located in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. There are nearly 3000 students currently enrolled at Swinburne Sarawak. The degrees offered are similar to those offered by Swinburne's home campuses in Melbourne making it easy for students to study abroad across the Melbourne and Sarawak campuses.[30]

Internationalisation[edit]

Swinburne offers students the opportunity to gain an international experience as part of their studies, though study tours, exchange programs, overseas internships, or a semester spent at the Sarawak campus. Swinburne has one of the highest student mobility rates of any university in Australia.[31]

In 2000, Swinburne partnered with the State Government of Sarawak, Malaysia to form an international branch campus in Kuching. In May 2010, the Sarawak campus was awarded self-accreditation status by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, confirming Swinburne’s reputation as an internationally recognised provider of higher education.[32] Swinburne Sarawak is ranked in the top tier of universities in Malaysia according to the MQA Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (Setara).[33]

Overseas students began studying at Swinburne in the 1950s. Approximately 7,500 international students from more than 100 different countries studies at Swinburne in 2011.[2]

Swinburne abroad[edit]

Swinburne has exchange arrangements with over 90 institutions around the world.[34] Swinburne offers a range of study abroad scholarships and travel grants.

Some of Swinburne’s partner institutions include:

Global Leadership Program and Global Financial Management Program[edit]

Swinburne has also established partnerships with Northeastern University in Boston, USA and Northumbria University in the United Kingdom to offer an international dual master qualification, known as the Global Leadership Program. These programs are a landmark agreement which gives students a unique opportunity to earn two masters degrees in two years, one from each institution.[35][36]

In-country offices[edit]

Swinburne has offices in China, Vietnam and India where staff can provide information on courses, support and one-to-one counselling.[citation needed]

European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU)[edit]

In 2004, Swinburne was accepted into the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) and is the only Australian member. The ECIU is a consortium of research universities who have a focus on collaboration in innovative teaching and learning, enhancement of university-society interaction, internationalisation of student and staff experience and active engagement in policy development and practice.[37]

Community Colleges for International Development (CCID)[edit]

In 2006, Swinburne became a member of the Community Colleges for International Development (CCID). This membership provides a range of opportunities primarily for TAFE, including access to far-reaching networks, programs and services. The membership also looks at the development and delivery of international capacity building projects and student mobility programs.[38]

Connections with industry[edit]

Swinburne has a long reputation and strong links with business and industry. Representatives from industry and professional associations sit on the course advisory committee of every program. Swinburne pioneered the Industry-Based Learning (IBL) program in 1963 and became the first education institution to introduce a program which placed undergraduates in vocational paid employment as part of their course. The IBL program is the longest running in Australia and in 2009 there were over 700 IBL students working across 350 businesses.[31]

Swinburne has engaged with a number of businesses and industry such as:

Sustainability and sustainable practices[edit]

Swinburne is embracing sustainability and is exploring initiatives and opportunities through research and education. The university has developed a Sustainability Strategy and an Environmental Management System to set the direction for best practice standards across all campuses and curriculum. Currently, Swinburne has embedded sustainability practices into the teaching of 52 TAFE qualifications, with more to come.

Part of Swinburne’s commitment to sustainability can be seen through the National Centre for Sustainability (NCS), a collaboration of several education institutions dedicated to the development and promotion of sustainability and education, hosted by Swinburne. The $12.2 million NCS building includes a 90,000 litre water tank for harvesting rain water, solar panels and natural ventilation and lighting systems. Swinburne was the first Australian university to sign a sustainability covenant with the Environmental Protection Authority, Victoria. The university has also embedded sustainability in teaching and learning through the Diploma of Sustainability, a course which can be undertaken concurrently on top of existing study.[39]

In 2010, Swinburne was awarded a 5 Star Green Rating for the new Advanced Technologies Centre (ATC) currently under construction at the Hawthorn campus, recognising environment al design and performance.[40] The Green Trades Complex is also currently under construction at the Croydon campus which will have the capability to train 10,000 new apprentices to meet the demand for green trades.

Student life[edit]

Students on campus

Swinburne Student Amenities Association (SSAA)[edit]

The Swinburne Student Amenities Association (SSAA) provides services and activities at Swinburne to encourage socialisation between all students across all Swinburne campuses.

The SSAA is runs orientation activities, and organises clubs and societies to represent the student body. It provides academic advice and advocacy, along with entertainment, free lunches and other activities throughout the year.[41]

Student clubs[edit]

Swinburne has over 80 student clubs and societies to suit a wide range of student interests. The SSAA supports clubs and also assists students who want to set up a new club or society.

The Swinburne Celtic Club, Swin Labor Club and Swinburne Punjabi Club are three of the most active clubs at Swinburne. 3SSR Swinburne Student Radio is one of the oldest clubs, running for over 35 years. Among the clubs and societies representing students from certain countries, include clubs relating to study areas, such as the Swinburne Aviation Club and the Swinburne Undergraduate Psychology Association (SUPA).

Swinburne sporting clubs[edit]

Swinburne University Sport and Recreation run sporting clubs for all students in the following areas:

Swinburne Student Union (SSU)[edit]

Swinburne Student Union (SSU), is the independent student representative body of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. Membership is opt-in for all students.

Swinburne Student Union has not been funded by the University since 2006 which has resulted in the unusual situation of the University operating student advocacy itself through a wholly owned subsidiary, the Swinburne Student Amenities Association.

In 2011 Swinburne Student Union enjoyed a resurgence, with over 700 members joining in the first half of the year.[citation needed] SSU offers its members free printing, free breakfast, parties and events as well as representation and advice by students, for students.

History[edit]

Wiki letter w.svg This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (March 2013)

Notable alumni[edit]

Arts[edit]

Film & Television[edit]

Sports[edit]

Other[edit]

See also[edit]

Portal icon University portal

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Faculty of Business and Enterprise Prize Ceremony 2008". Swinburne University. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  2. ^ a b c d Quick Facts (About Swinburne website)
  3. ^ a b c d e f "2011 Council Report". Swinburne University. Retrieved 2012-06-20. 
  4. ^ http://www.shanghairanking.com/Country2012Main.jsp?param=Australia
  5. ^ http://www.swinburne.edu.au/chancellery/mediacentre/media-centre/news/2012/08/world-university-rankings
  6. ^ Communicating Swinburne: Facts and Figures
  7. ^ Flexible Learning
  8. ^ Why Swinburne for Undergraduate and TAFE, 2009 Swinburne publication
  9. ^ Faculties and Schools
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ [2]
  12. ^ Swinburne Research website
  13. ^ Communicating Swinburne:
  14. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  15. ^ Swinburne Astronomy
  16. ^ Highly cited researchers
  17. ^ Highly cited researchers
  18. ^ Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship
  19. ^ Swinburne’s Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
  20. ^ Swinburne Astronomy
  21. ^ Future Students website
  22. ^ Swinburne Facilities and Services Group
  23. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  24. ^ National Institute of Circus Arts website
  25. ^ The Apprenctice website
  26. ^ Regional bonus
  27. ^ Lilydale Student Village
  28. ^ Mitchell's View website
  29. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  30. ^ About Swinburne Sarawak
  31. ^ a b Communicating Swinburne
  32. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  33. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  34. ^ Swinburne Abroad website
  35. ^ Global Financial Management Program
  36. ^ Global Leadership Program
  37. ^ International and Development
  38. ^ International and Development
  39. ^ About Swinburne website
  40. ^ Swinburne Media Centre
  41. ^ MYSSAA Swinburne Student Amenities Association
  42. ^ Swinburne Alumni - Philomena Tan
  43. ^ "Laurence Scott Pendlebury (1914–1986)". Kew Gallery. Retrieved 16 November 2012. 
  44. ^ Alumnus John Raciti
  45. ^ "Student Achievements - Persuading, changing and influencing: Mark Hartley". Swinburne. Retrieved 20 April 2010. 
  46. ^ "Student Achievements - Persuading, changing and influencing: Kylie Matulick". Swinburne University of Technology. Retrieved 20 April 2010. 
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Coordinates: 37°49′16″S 145°2′18″E / 37.82111°S 145.03833°E / -37.82111; 145.03833

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