University of Melbourne

University Information, Campus and History
(Melbourne, Victoria - VIC, Australia)

Melbourne University, one of Australia's oldest universities, is located in the city of Melbourne in the state of Victoria. Its main campus is in Parkville, which is a suburb north of the city's centre. It also has eight other campuses that were former independent institutions of higher learning which the university had acquired. Melbourne University is also part-owner of the Melbourne School of Business.

The university was established in 1853 by Hugh Childers, and it started with only three professors and less than 20 students. Redmond Barry was the first Chancellor, and he held the position for almost 30 years until he passed away in 1880. The university prospered due to the wealth from the Victoria gold rush, and it was a civilising influence during a time of settlement and growth.

Melbourne University has had its share of controversies. It was bankrupted in 1902 due to a massive fraud by Frederick Dickson, its Bursar at that time. This experience changed the university's funding structures. It also caused the addition of new academic disciplinary areas such as agriculture and education.


Today, Melbourne University is highly regarded worldwide for providing quality education in the arts, humanities, and medicine. It has almost 40,000 students and more than 6,000 full- and part-time staff members. In 2003, the university celebrated its 150th anniversary and instituted reforms to its academic aims in the coming years. Over the next 10 years, its new projects will entail a decrease in the student population. Critics think that this is going to be detrimental to the university. However, the university stands by its decision, saying that the course programmes it will offer and the graduates it will produce are going to be invaluable globally.

The University has 11 academic faculties, and they are:

• Architecture, Building, and Planning
• Arts
• Economics and Commerce
• Education
• Land and Food Resources
• Law
• Science
• Veterinary Science

Each faculty offers undergraduate to doctoral level degrees.

Facilities

The museums and galleries at Melbourne University include the Grainger Museum, the Ian Potter Museum of Art, and the George Patton Gallery. It has its own theater group and literary magazine called the Meanjin.

The student services at Melbourne University include assistance with housing and financing, advice on traveling about the city, and special orientations for foreign students. The university has a library with full Internet connectivity and a bookshop located on Grattan Street.

As the defending champion in the Australian University Games, Melbourne University has many sports training facilities like pitches for Australian-rules football and rugby, an Olympic-size swimming pool, an 850-square foot strength and fitness gym, and a fully equipped Sports Centre. Students can have their health and fitness levels examined by one of the university's trainers.

Famous Students

Melbourne University has produced many great politicians, scholars, artists, and poets. Some of the university's famous students are First Lady of East Timor Kirsty Sword Gusmão, several Governors General of Australia such as Sir Ninian Stephen and Peter Hollingworth, and poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe who is currently Harvard's Visiting Professor of Australian Studies.

Contact University of Melbourne:
Address: Academic Registrar, The University of Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), 3010, Australia
Tel: +61 (0)3 8344 4000 Fax: +61 (0)3 8344 5104 Email: use website enquiry form Website: http://www.unimelb.edu.au