Australian Catholic University
Encyclopedia
Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a national public university. It has six campuses and offers programs in five faculties throughout Australia
.
The institutions that merged to form the University had their origins in the mid-19th century, when religious orders and institutes became involved in preparing teachers for Catholic schools and, later, nurses for Catholic hospitals. Through a series of amalgamations, relocations, transfers of responsibilities and diocesan initiatives, more than 20 historical entities have contributed to the creation of the University.
The University operates as a company limited by guarantee, under the Companies (Victoria) Code and has a constitution which clearly identifies its objects in education, scholarship and research as part of the mission of the Catholic Church.
The University is a member of the publicly-funded national system of Australian universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities
and the International Federation of Catholic Universities. The University's Vice-Chancellor is a member of the Universities Australia and its Board of Directors.
Pro-Vice-Chancellors have delegated responsibility for assigned areas of policy. These areas are Academic, Administration and Resources, Research and Students, Learning and Teaching.
Associate Vice-Chancellors are based in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. They act as the Vice-Chancellor's representative in their local region, as are the Campus Deans at Ballarat and Canberra.
The Vice-Chancellor is also assisted by the Faculty Deans, the Academic Registrar and Directors with national portfolios.
Each faculty is headed by a Faculty Dean and supported by two Associate Deans.
Each campus has a Student Representative Council and there is a national student body, ACUNSA http://www.acunsa.com.au/ (Australian Catholic University National Students’ Association).
Brisbane
The Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) commenced in 2003, replacing the former Brisbane Campus at Mitchelton. The 40-hectare site was formerly the Pius XII Provincial Seminary, with a history extending back to 1863.
Formed in 1955 as McAuley College by the Sisters of Mercy
for the preparation of Sisters of Mercy to teach in Catholic schools, the college soon extended its mission to include members of other religious orders. This mission was further extended in 1973 when lay-students were admitted to the college.
At the end of 1990, the Council of McAuley College formally handed responsibility for the college and its operations to ACU.
North Sydney
Mary MacKillop
founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph in South Australia in 1866 and moved to a cottage in Mount Street, North Sydney, in the 1880s.
In 1913, the Sisters established a training school at North Sydney for the teacher training of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. In 1958, lay students were admitted to the College which in 1971 became the Catholic Teachers' College. In 1982, this College became part of Catholic College of Education. It was at this stage that the name MacKillop was given to this campus to identify it as a discrete part of the College and to recognise the ongoing support of the Sisters of St Joseph.
At the end of 1990, the Catholic College of Education Sydney formally handed over responsibility for the College and its operations, which now rests with ACU. The North Sydney Campus is still known as MacKillop.
Strathfield
The Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) was once the home of Australia’s fourth Prime Minister, Sir George Houston Reid
, before it was purchased by the Congregation of Christian Brothers
in 1907.
The Brothers originally used the site as a provincial headquarters and as a centre for trainee Brothers. Lay male students were admitted in the 1970s and female students were admitted in the 1980s.
In 1981, the Federal Government required specified Colleges in each State to amalgamate, and in 1982 Mount Saint Mary College joined in the amalgamation to become the Catholic College of Education Sydney.
At the end of 1990, the Catholic College of Education Sydney formally handed responsibility for the College and its operations to ACU.
Canberra
In response to the invitation of the Catholic Bishops, the Dominican Sisters came to Australia from Ireland and England in 1867 and established their first teacher training school in Maitland, New South Wales.
After the devastating Hunter Valley floods of 1955, the College was relocated to Sydney, and then to Canberra – where it was opened by the then Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies on 24 March 1963.
At the end of 1990 the Signadou Dominican College of Education formally handed responsibility for the College and its operations to ACU, and it is now known as Signadou.
Ballarat
The Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) is set in the historic gardens of Carn Brea, formerly the property of Cornish miner Cyrus Retallac.
The Ballarat Campus had its beginnings in the establishment of the Aquinas Training College by the Ballarat East Sisters of Mercy in 1909.
The property was later purchased by the Diocese of Ballarat and from 1974 became the new site of the Catholic teachers' college, which was initially known as Aquinas College.
In March 1974, the authorities controlling the Victorian Catholic teachers' colleges relinquished their control to the Institute of Catholic Education. In December 1974, the Institute was admitted as a constituent member of the State College of Victoria.
At the end of 1990 the Institute formally handed responsibility for the Institute and its operations to ACU.
Melbourne
The Melbourne Campus (St Patrick's) at Fitzroy, incorporating Central Hall, was established in 2000 after ACU's existing two Melbourne campuses (Mercy and Christ) were formally amalgamated. Mercy and Christ had both been colleges of the Victorian Institute of Catholic Education between 1975 and 1990.
At the heart of the Fitzroy neighbourhood stands historic Central Hall, previously known as Cathedral Hall, which has stood at 20 Brunswick Street, near the Victoria Parade corner, since 1904.
Central Hall was showing real signs of wear and tear when custodianship was handed to ACU six years ago but it gained state heritage listing in February 2002. From that point, the University embarked on a restoration program to return the Central Hall complex back to its former glory, and it reopened in October 2007.
s and 3,018 postgraduate
students. The student body is 73.90% female and 26.10% male. ACU has more than 15,081 local students - out of which there are 291 Indigenous students - and 2,427 international students.
ACU has 734 academic staff and 647 general staff members.
The University performed particularly well in the area of indigenous participation, with four out of the six campuses receiving the highest ratings in their individual states for this category. Similarly, the University performed strongly in the areas of access and equity and proportion given credit for TAFE studies.
The most recent report by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), commended ACU for its highly supportive student environment, the outcomes it has achieved for Indigenous students and its positive engagement with the community.
In reviewing all aspects of the university’s work, the AUQA report acknowledged the distinctive character and mission of ACU as an open Catholic university accompanied by committed, loyal and dedicated staff. The University’s focus on graduate attributes, its library and learning support systems and its commitment to enhancing its existing planning, quality and management systems were all positively recognised in the report.
In pursuing this goal, the University has research capacity in areas that are strongly aligned with its identity and Mission. The University has a strategy of research concentration and selectivity in four broad focus areas: Theology and Philosophy; Health; Education; and the Common Good and Social Justice. The University has six University Priority Research Centres recognised for their research productivity, and a number of other centres and institutes with emerging research strengths (see below). In addition, the University has an extensive network of collaborative institutions, nationally and internationally to ensure that its research focus is contemporary and driven by the needs of the global community.
Consistent with the Catholic intellectual tradition and arising from its unique contributions to research and research training, the University actively promotes informed debate and community engagement. Achieving knowledge transfer, including interaction with its communities through its research endeavours, is fundamental to the University’s commitment to social justice and furthering the common good.
University Priority Research Centres
- Centre for Early Christian Studies
- Centre for Creative and Authentic Leadership
- Institute of Child Protection Studies
- Mathematics and Literacy Education Research Centre
- National Centre for Clinical Outcomes Research
- Quality of Life and Social Justice Research Centre
Centres
- Centre for Indigenous Education and Research
- Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue
- Centre for Learning and Teaching
- Centre of Physical Activity Across the Lifespan
- Centre for Ethics and Decision-Making in Organisations
- Golding Centre for Women’s History, Theology and Spirituality
- Plunkett Centre for Ethics
Institutes
- Institute for Advancing Community Engagement
- Institute for Catholic Identity and Mission
- Institute of Legal Studies
- Public Policy Institute
Australian Catholic University National Students’ Association http://www.acunsa.com.au/ (ACUNSA) actively supports the six individual Student Associations to ensure that each campus has a vibrant and quality Student Life.
ACUNSA works on a national level to ensure that students have a voice on issues that affect them, and drives a number of projects that improve student life and satisfaction.
ACUNSA works closely with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students, Learning & Teaching) and the Executive Manager of the Office of Student Success in continuing to improve Student Services and Support.
Each year ACUNSA organises a national event - in the past these have included: The Big Event, ACU Alive and ACU Games.
Services
Students at ACU have access to a range of Student Services such as counseling, academic skills development, career development, equity and disability support and campus ministry.
ACU also has three on-campus Indigenous Education Units - Jim-baa-yer in VIC, Weemala in QLD and Yalbalinga in NSW. The staff of these units are Indigenous people, offering a range of services to help Indigenous students achieve their goals.
The Institute for Advancing Community Engagement (IACE) was established by ACU to advance the development of mutually beneficial and sustainable community engagement in three ways:
Beyond Disadvantage - Reaching out to people marginalised in society.
Beyond Borders - Reaching out beyond national borders to those communities most in need – focusing specifically on education and health.
Beyond Differences - Addressing the need for engagements across faith traditions, cultures, gender and age.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
Australian Catholic University (ACU) was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamation of four Catholic tertiary institutions in eastern Australia - the Catholic College of Education Sydney in New South Wales, the Institute of Catholic Education in Victoria, McAuley College of Queensland, and Signadou College of Education in the Australian Capital Territory.The institutions that merged to form the University had their origins in the mid-19th century, when religious orders and institutes became involved in preparing teachers for Catholic schools and, later, nurses for Catholic hospitals. Through a series of amalgamations, relocations, transfers of responsibilities and diocesan initiatives, more than 20 historical entities have contributed to the creation of the University.
The University operates as a company limited by guarantee, under the Companies (Victoria) Code and has a constitution which clearly identifies its objects in education, scholarship and research as part of the mission of the Catholic Church.
The University is a member of the publicly-funded national system of Australian universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities
Association of Commonwealth Universities
The Association of Commonwealth Universities represents over 480 universities from Commonwealth countries.- History :In 1912, the University of London took the initiative to assemble 53 representatives of universities in London to hold a Congress of Universities of the Empire...
and the International Federation of Catholic Universities. The University's Vice-Chancellor is a member of the Universities Australia and its Board of Directors.
Organisational structure
The Vice-Chancellor as the chief executive officer of ACU is responsible for representing the University both nationally and internationally and for providing strategic leadership and management of the University.Pro-Vice-Chancellors have delegated responsibility for assigned areas of policy. These areas are Academic, Administration and Resources, Research and Students, Learning and Teaching.
Associate Vice-Chancellors are based in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. They act as the Vice-Chancellor's representative in their local region, as are the Campus Deans at Ballarat and Canberra.
The Vice-Chancellor is also assisted by the Faculty Deans, the Academic Registrar and Directors with national portfolios.
Each faculty is headed by a Faculty Dean and supported by two Associate Deans.
Each campus has a Student Representative Council and there is a national student body, ACUNSA http://www.acunsa.com.au/ (Australian Catholic University National Students’ Association).
Campuses
ACU has six campuses located in the state capital cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, the national capital, Canberra, and the regional centre of Ballarat.Brisbane
The Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) commenced in 2003, replacing the former Brisbane Campus at Mitchelton. The 40-hectare site was formerly the Pius XII Provincial Seminary, with a history extending back to 1863.
Formed in 1955 as McAuley College by the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
for the preparation of Sisters of Mercy to teach in Catholic schools, the college soon extended its mission to include members of other religious orders. This mission was further extended in 1973 when lay-students were admitted to the college.
At the end of 1990, the Council of McAuley College formally handed responsibility for the college and its operations to ACU.
North Sydney
Mary MacKillop
Mary MacKillop
Mary Helen MacKillop , also known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on...
founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph in South Australia in 1866 and moved to a cottage in Mount Street, North Sydney, in the 1880s.
In 1913, the Sisters established a training school at North Sydney for the teacher training of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. In 1958, lay students were admitted to the College which in 1971 became the Catholic Teachers' College. In 1982, this College became part of Catholic College of Education. It was at this stage that the name MacKillop was given to this campus to identify it as a discrete part of the College and to recognise the ongoing support of the Sisters of St Joseph.
At the end of 1990, the Catholic College of Education Sydney formally handed over responsibility for the College and its operations, which now rests with ACU. The North Sydney Campus is still known as MacKillop.
Strathfield
The Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) was once the home of Australia’s fourth Prime Minister, Sir George Houston Reid
George Reid (Australian politician)
Sir George Houstoun Reid, GCB, GCMG, KC was an Australian politician, Premier of New South Wales and the fourth Prime Minister of Australia....
, before it was purchased by the Congregation of Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
in 1907.
The Brothers originally used the site as a provincial headquarters and as a centre for trainee Brothers. Lay male students were admitted in the 1970s and female students were admitted in the 1980s.
In 1981, the Federal Government required specified Colleges in each State to amalgamate, and in 1982 Mount Saint Mary College joined in the amalgamation to become the Catholic College of Education Sydney.
At the end of 1990, the Catholic College of Education Sydney formally handed responsibility for the College and its operations to ACU.
Canberra
In response to the invitation of the Catholic Bishops, the Dominican Sisters came to Australia from Ireland and England in 1867 and established their first teacher training school in Maitland, New South Wales.
After the devastating Hunter Valley floods of 1955, the College was relocated to Sydney, and then to Canberra – where it was opened by the then Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies on 24 March 1963.
At the end of 1990 the Signadou Dominican College of Education formally handed responsibility for the College and its operations to ACU, and it is now known as Signadou.
Ballarat
The Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) is set in the historic gardens of Carn Brea, formerly the property of Cornish miner Cyrus Retallac.
The Ballarat Campus had its beginnings in the establishment of the Aquinas Training College by the Ballarat East Sisters of Mercy in 1909.
The property was later purchased by the Diocese of Ballarat and from 1974 became the new site of the Catholic teachers' college, which was initially known as Aquinas College.
In March 1974, the authorities controlling the Victorian Catholic teachers' colleges relinquished their control to the Institute of Catholic Education. In December 1974, the Institute was admitted as a constituent member of the State College of Victoria.
At the end of 1990 the Institute formally handed responsibility for the Institute and its operations to ACU.
Melbourne
The Melbourne Campus (St Patrick's) at Fitzroy, incorporating Central Hall, was established in 2000 after ACU's existing two Melbourne campuses (Mercy and Christ) were formally amalgamated. Mercy and Christ had both been colleges of the Victorian Institute of Catholic Education between 1975 and 1990.
At the heart of the Fitzroy neighbourhood stands historic Central Hall, previously known as Cathedral Hall, which has stood at 20 Brunswick Street, near the Victoria Parade corner, since 1904.
Central Hall was showing real signs of wear and tear when custodianship was handed to ACU six years ago but it gained state heritage listing in February 2002. From that point, the University embarked on a restoration program to return the Central Hall complex back to its former glory, and it reopened in October 2007.
Academia
ACU has 17,508 total students, with 14,490 undergraduateUndergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
s and 3,018 postgraduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
students. The student body is 73.90% female and 26.10% male. ACU has more than 15,081 local students - out of which there are 291 Indigenous students - and 2,427 international students.
ACU has 734 academic staff and 647 general staff members.
Rankings
Australian Catholic University achieved a number of coveted 'five-star' performance ratings in the 2010 edition of The Good Universities Guide.The University performed particularly well in the area of indigenous participation, with four out of the six campuses receiving the highest ratings in their individual states for this category. Similarly, the University performed strongly in the areas of access and equity and proportion given credit for TAFE studies.
The most recent report by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), commended ACU for its highly supportive student environment, the outcomes it has achieved for Indigenous students and its positive engagement with the community.
In reviewing all aspects of the university’s work, the AUQA report acknowledged the distinctive character and mission of ACU as an open Catholic university accompanied by committed, loyal and dedicated staff. The University’s focus on graduate attributes, its library and learning support systems and its commitment to enhancing its existing planning, quality and management systems were all positively recognised in the report.
Research
Australian Catholic University is committed to excellence in research quality, productivity and knowledge transfer for the welfare and benefit of the community.In pursuing this goal, the University has research capacity in areas that are strongly aligned with its identity and Mission. The University has a strategy of research concentration and selectivity in four broad focus areas: Theology and Philosophy; Health; Education; and the Common Good and Social Justice. The University has six University Priority Research Centres recognised for their research productivity, and a number of other centres and institutes with emerging research strengths (see below). In addition, the University has an extensive network of collaborative institutions, nationally and internationally to ensure that its research focus is contemporary and driven by the needs of the global community.
Consistent with the Catholic intellectual tradition and arising from its unique contributions to research and research training, the University actively promotes informed debate and community engagement. Achieving knowledge transfer, including interaction with its communities through its research endeavours, is fundamental to the University’s commitment to social justice and furthering the common good.
University Priority Research Centres
- Centre for Early Christian Studies
- Centre for Creative and Authentic Leadership
- Institute of Child Protection Studies
- Mathematics and Literacy Education Research Centre
- National Centre for Clinical Outcomes Research
- Quality of Life and Social Justice Research Centre
Centres
- Centre for Indigenous Education and Research
- Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue
- Centre for Learning and Teaching
- Centre of Physical Activity Across the Lifespan
- Centre for Ethics and Decision-Making in Organisations
- Golding Centre for Women’s History, Theology and Spirituality
- Plunkett Centre for Ethics
Institutes
- Institute for Advancing Community Engagement
- Institute for Catholic Identity and Mission
- Institute of Legal Studies
- Public Policy Institute
Student life
OrganisationsAustralian Catholic University National Students’ Association http://www.acunsa.com.au/ (ACUNSA) actively supports the six individual Student Associations to ensure that each campus has a vibrant and quality Student Life.
ACUNSA works on a national level to ensure that students have a voice on issues that affect them, and drives a number of projects that improve student life and satisfaction.
ACUNSA works closely with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students, Learning & Teaching) and the Executive Manager of the Office of Student Success in continuing to improve Student Services and Support.
Each year ACUNSA organises a national event - in the past these have included: The Big Event, ACU Alive and ACU Games.
Services
Students at ACU have access to a range of Student Services such as counseling, academic skills development, career development, equity and disability support and campus ministry.
ACU also has three on-campus Indigenous Education Units - Jim-baa-yer in VIC, Weemala in QLD and Yalbalinga in NSW. The staff of these units are Indigenous people, offering a range of services to help Indigenous students achieve their goals.
Community engagement
Through community engagement, ACU aims to honour its "commitment to serving the common good", expressed in its Mission. In partnership with other organisations, the staff and students of ACU work to bring about change, through their own research, learning, attitudes and actions, and in the lives of others.The Institute for Advancing Community Engagement (IACE) was established by ACU to advance the development of mutually beneficial and sustainable community engagement in three ways:
Beyond Disadvantage - Reaching out to people marginalised in society.
Beyond Borders - Reaching out beyond national borders to those communities most in need – focusing specifically on education and health.
Beyond Differences - Addressing the need for engagements across faith traditions, cultures, gender and age.
Notable faculty
- Frank Brennan SJ, AOOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, professor of law, Institute of Legal Studies and Living National TreasureAustralian Living TreasuresAustralian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
. - Raimond GaitaRaimond GaitaRaimond Gaita was until 2011 Foundation Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University and Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College London...
, professor of philosophy at ACU National and King's College LondonKing's College LondonKing's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
and author of Romulus, My FatherRomulus, My FatherRomulus, My Father is a biographical memoir, first published in 1998, by Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita, which outlines the life of his father, Romulus Gaita . A film adaptation of the same name was released in 2007, starring Eric Bana, Franka Potente and Kodi Smit-McPhee.-Plot...
.
Notable alumni
Notable alumni of ACU and its predecessor colleges include:- Matthew Burke, Australian rugby union player
- Des HaslerDes HaslerDes Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships...
, former rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player and coach of Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesManly-Warringah Sea EaglesThe Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... - Justin MaddenJustin MaddenMadden was 206 cm tall, and one of the tallest men ever to play Australian Rules football, and his potential in this area was fully utilized by Carlton, who used him as their main ruckman. Over the next fifteen seasons, Madden became a mainstay of the Carlton side, and one of the most...
, former AFL player and VictorianVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
state minister - Melina MarchettaMelina MarchettaMelina Marchetta is an Australian writer and teacher. She is the middle child of three daughters. Melina is best known as the author of Looking For Alibrandi. She has twice been awarded the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers, in 1993 and 2004.- Biography :Melina Marchettaborn in Sydney on 25...
, bestselling author of Looking for AlibrandiLooking for AlibrandiLooking for Alibrandi is a 1999 Australian film written by Melina Marchetta based on the novel of the same name. The film sets in the 1990s Sydney, New South Wales and starring Australian actors, including Pia Miranda as Josephine Alibrandi, the film's main character, Anthony LaPaglia as her... - Morris WestMorris WestMorris Langlo West AO was an Australian novelist and playwright, best known for his novels The Devil's Advocate , The Shoes of the Fisherman , and The Clowns of God . His books were published in 27 languages and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide...
, Australian writer - Alan WhitickerAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
, published author and rugby league historian