Avondale University

ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Avondale University is a private Australian university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and forms part of the global Seventh-day Adventist education system, the second largest Christian school system in the world. The university has two campuses: the primary campus in Cooranbong, New South Wales, near Lake Macquarie, and another at Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga, which serves as the main hub for nursing education. Avondale primarily focuses on disciplines such as teaching, theology, and nursing, but also offers bachelor's degrees in business, science, arts, and certificate programs in outdoor recreation. The nursing program typically begins in Cooranbong and finishes with practical experience at Sydney Adventist Hospital. It also provides master's degrees in education, theology, nursing, ministry, and some business-related fields through distance learning, often involving a short on-campus component. Doctoral research degrees (PhDs) are available in selected fields. The university operates Avondale Academic Press, a small academic publishing house. Formerly known as Avondale College, the institution pursued full university status for many years and officially achieved it on July 1, 2021. It is an international affiliate of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and is governed by the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Lake Macquarie campus library also houses a local research centre of the Ellen G. White Estate. Avondale's educational philosophy was significantly shaped by Ellen G. White in the 1890s, who shifted the curriculum focus to the Bible rather than classical subjects. Avondale’s origins trace back to a small Bible school established in Melbourne in 1892. In 1895, a 1,450-acre property in Cooranbong was purchased despite its poor soil quality, following White’s approval. The school opened in 1897 as the Avondale School for Christian Workers and was renamed Australasian Missionary College in 1911, playing a key role in shaping Adventist education in the region.