Torrens University Australia

Torrens University Australia is an Australian private, for-profit university and vocational education provider with campuses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, the Blue Mountains, and Auckland, New Zealand. Together with Think Education and Media Design School, it forms Torrens Global Education, which is part of Strategic Education, Inc. The university’s establishment began in 2011 when the South Australian Government approved an application from Laureate Education Asia to establish a private university. Following negotiations involving South Australian Premier Mike Rann, Laureate chairman Douglas Becker, and Chancellor Michael Mann, the South Australian Cabinet approved the project. Former US President Bill Clinton also publicly supported the initiative. Fred McDougall, formerly deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president of the University of Adelaide, became Torrens University’s founding President and Vice-Chancellor. The university received accreditation from the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) in 2012. Although it was initially expected to open in 2013, teaching commenced in 2014. In September 2019, TEQSA reaccredited the university for five years, until September 2024. In 2020, Strategic Education, Inc. became the new owner, creating a global education network serving more than 100,000 learners worldwide. Torrens University has since developed into an internationally focused institution offering higher and vocational education across multiple locations.