Victoria University Melbourne

ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Victoria University (VU), also known as Vic Uni, is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is a dual-sector institution offering both higher education and technical and further education (TAFE) courses. The university operates across multiple campuses in Melbourne’s Central Business District, the Western Region of Melbourne, as well as in Sydney, Brisbane, and online. Its origins date back to 1916 when the Footscray Technical School opened with 220 students after years of fundraising. Led by principal Charles Archibald Hoadley until 1947, the school expanded its programs to include trade certificates, diplomas, and evening classes. Over the decades, it underwent several name changes, becoming Footscray Technical College in 1958 and Footscray Institute of Technology (FIT) in 1968. The curriculum broadened to include degree courses, and various structural changes separated TAFE and secondary education components. In 1990, FIT merged with the Western Institute and was established as Victoria University of Technology. Further mergers, including with the Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE in 1998, strengthened its dual-sector model. In 2005, it was renamed Victoria University to reflect its expanded teaching and research focus.