Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology facts for kids
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Other name
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RMIT University |
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Former names
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| Motto |
Latin: Perita manus, mens exculta
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Motto in English
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"A skilled hand, a cultivated mind" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established |
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| Founder | Francis Ormond |
| Accreditation | TEQSA |
| Affiliation | Australian Technology Network (ATN) |
| Budget | A$1.62 billion (2023) |
| Visitor | Governor of Victoria |
| Chancellor | Peggy O'Neal |
| Vice-Chancellor | Alec Cameron |
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Total staff
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11,492 (2023) |
| Students | 91,544 (2023) |
| Undergraduates | 54,422 (2023) |
| Postgraduates | 13,553 coursework 2,558 research (2023) |
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Other students
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14,809 VE (2023) 4,355 SDENA (2022) 346 OUA (2023) 1,501 other (2023) |
| Location |
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37°48′30″S 144°57′51″E / 37.8082°S 144.9643°E |
| Campus | Metropolitan with multiple sites |
| Colours | Red Blue |
| Nickname |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Rupert the Redback Spider |
| Website | rmit.edu.au |
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The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, often called RMIT University, is a big public university in Melbourne, Australia. It was started in 1887 by Francis Ormond. RMIT is one of Australia's oldest universities and a key member of the Australian Technology Network.
RMIT began as a night school, teaching art, science, and technology. This was important during Australia's Industrial Revolution. For over 100 years, it was a private college. In 1992, it became a public university. Today, about 95,000 students study there. RMIT is known for its art and design programs, ranking 15th in the world for these subjects.
The main campus is in the heart of Melbourne. RMIT also has two other campuses in Melbourne's northern suburbs, Brunswick and Bundoora. There are also training sites at RAAF Williams base and Bendigo Airport. In Asia, RMIT has two campuses in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi) and teaching partnerships in other countries like Mainland China and Singapore. In Europe, it has a research center in Barcelona, Spain.
Contents
Discovering RMIT's Past
How RMIT Began
RMIT started as the Working Men's College of Melbourne. It was founded by Francis Ormond, a politician and farmer from Scotland, in the 1880s. Ormond wanted to create a college like those he saw in London, England. He gave £5,000 to start the college. Workers' unions in Melbourne also helped by raising money. The Victorian Government gave the land for the college, which was near the State Library of Victoria.
The Working Men's College Years (1887–1960)
The Working Men's College of Melbourne opened on June 4, 1887. It was the fifth college of its kind in Victoria. On its first night, 320 students signed up. It was a night school that taught "art, science, and technology," especially for working men. Ormond believed education was key to Melbourne's growth during the late 1800s. In 1904, it became a private college.
Over time, the college grew, adding new buildings for art, engineering, and radio. It also helped Australia during World War I by training soldiers. In 1934, students asked for a name change, and it became the Melbourne Technical College.
During World War II, the college played a huge role. It trained many of Australia's military personnel, including air force communication officers. It also trained civilians to make ammunition and even built parts for military aircraft, like the Beaufort Bomber.
Becoming RMIT (1960–1992)
After World War II, in 1954, the college received a special honor. Elizabeth II, the Queen, gave it "royal patronage" for its service to education and the war effort. This meant it was renamed the "Royal Melbourne Technical College." It's still the only university in Australia with the "Royal" title and the right to use symbols of the Australian monarchy.
In 1960, its name officially changed to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). During this time, RMIT started offering both higher education degrees and vocational training. It also began working with countries in Southeast Asia. In 1979, the Emily McPherson College joined RMIT.
RMIT Becomes a University (1992)
In 1992, RMIT merged with the Phillip Institute of Technology. The Victorian Government then made it a public university, and its name changed to RMIT University.
In the 1990s, RMIT grew quickly. It joined with other colleges, like the Melbourne College of Decoration and Design in 1993, and the Melbourne College of Printing and Graphic Arts in 1995. It also opened its first campus outside the city center in Bundoora in 1995. In 1999, it took over the Melbourne Institute of Textiles campus in Brunswick for its design schools.
RMIT Today (2000–Present)
At the start of the 21st century, the Vietnamese Government invited RMIT to open the first foreign-owned university in their country. RMIT opened its first international campus in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001, and a second in Hanoi in 2004. In 2013, RMIT also opened a center in Barcelona, Spain, to work with European partners.
Exploring RMIT's Campuses
Australian Campuses
Melbourne City Campus
The City campus is RMIT's main and oldest campus. It's right in the middle of Melbourne. This campus is famous for its cool, modern buildings and its well-kept old buildings from the Victorian era.
The City campus started in 1887. Its first building is on the corner of Bowen Street and La Trobe Street. Today, the campus has 87 buildings. It doesn't have walls around it, so its buildings blend right into the city. The campus covers about 720,000 square meters across six city blocks. It's often called the "RMIT quarter" of the city.
The campus is close to the State Library of Victoria and the Melbourne Central shopping center. It's also easy to get to by tram, with its own tram stop.
Some parts of the campus used to be a justice area for over 100 years. The Old Melbourne Gaol was here. Today, some original buildings from that time are still used by the university. For example, the old chapel and gatehouse are now a multi-faith worship place. The former Melbourne Magistrates' Court is now used for university offices.
Other important buildings on the City campus include Storey Hall, Capitol Theatre, Emily McPherson College, and the modern RMIT Design Hub.
Bundoora Campus
The Bundoora campus opened in 1992. It's about 18 kilometers from the City campus in a northern suburb called Bundoora. Unlike the busy City campus, the Bundoora West campus is surrounded by nearly 400,000 square meters of parkland.
Students can study subjects like aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, medical sciences, and social sciences at Bundoora.
Brunswick Campus
The Brunswick campus joined RMIT in 1999. It's a special place for design schools. It's about 6 kilometers from the City campus in Brunswick. Before RMIT, it was the campus for the Melbourne Institute of Textiles for almost 50 years.
Here, students can study product design, fashion design, graphic design, printing, publishing, and textiles.
Asian Campuses
Ho Chi Minh City Campus
In 1998, the Vietnamese Government asked RMIT to open a university there. In 2001, RMIT bought and fixed up an old French Colonial building in Ho Chi Minh City. This building is still part of the campus.
The main Ho Chi Minh City campus is in the Phu My Hung area. New academic buildings opened there in 2005. Later, a recreation complex and student housing were added in 2011.
Hanoi Campus
The Hanoi campus started in 2004. It moved to a new tower overlooking Ngọc Khánh Lake in 2010.
Other Partners
RMIT also works with other schools in Asia. It teaches or approves programs for schools in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.
European Campus
Barcelona Campus
In 2013, RMIT opened a center in Barcelona, Spain. This center helps RMIT work with partners in Europe. For example, it offers a special master's degree in architecture. This program helps RMIT students join in the rebuilding of Antoni Gaudí's famous church, Sagrada Família.
How RMIT Works
RMIT University is a public university. It was created by the Victorian Government. It is run by the RMIT Council and managed by the RMIT Chancellery.
Main Sections
RMIT University has two main parts: the Higher Education Division and the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Division. These parts oversee RMIT's 17 academic schools. These schools are grouped into three main colleges. The higher education schools offer university degrees, while the VET schools offer certificates and diplomas for specific jobs.
The RMIT Council
RMIT is guided by a council of 21 members. This council is in charge of the university's overall direction. The RMIT Chancellor leads the council. The vice-chancellor and president is also part of the council.
Some council members are elected by students and staff. Others are chosen by the Chancellor or by other council members. These chosen members must be experts in education or finance.
The Vice-Chancellor
The RMIT Council gives the vice-chancellor and president power over all of the university's academic and administrative matters. The vice-chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university. They are responsible for how the university is run.
Academic Board
The RMIT Academic Board decides what students need to do to earn a degree. This board includes university leaders and elected staff and students.
Colleges and Schools
RMIT has four main academic colleges, which contain many different schools:
- College of Business and Law
- College of Design and Social Context
- STEM College (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
- College of Vocational Education
These colleges offer a wide range of subjects, from accounting and fashion design to engineering and health sciences.
Learning and Research at RMIT
University Rankings
| University rankings | |
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| RMIT University | |
| QS World | 123 |
| THE World | 251–300 |
| ARWU World | 301–400 |
| US News World | 209 |
| CWTS Leiden World | 380 |
| Australian rankings | |
| QS National | 10 |
| THE National | 16= |
| ARWU National | 16–21 |
| US News National | 16 |
| CWTS Leiden National | 16 |
RMIT is considered a "five-star university" by QS World University Rankings. This means it's excellent in areas like research, teaching, and helping students get jobs.
In 2021, RMIT was ranked 15th in the world for art and design subjects. This makes it the top art and design school in Australia and Oceania. It's also ranked highly among universities that are less than 50 years old.
Research Focus
RMIT focuses on practical research that helps solve real-world problems. It works closely with governments and businesses. Its research mainly covers design, technology, health, global issues, and sustainability.
RMIT has over 50 research centers and many smaller research groups. These groups work within the university's colleges and schools.
RMIT's Collections and Galleries
Libraries
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RMIT Library is the university's main library system. It has four locations across RMIT's Australian campuses. The biggest is Swanston Library at the City campus. It's one of the top five libraries in Melbourne.
The City campus is also very close to the State Library of Victoria, which is Melbourne's largest public library.
RMIT's schools also have their own special collections. For example, the AFI Research Collection is great for film and TV research.
The two campuses in Vietnam also have libraries: Beanland Library in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Library.
Online Resources
You can find research by RMIT academics and students in the RMIT Research Repository. This is an online database of articles, papers, and books. It's open to everyone.
RMIT also owns and runs Informit, a huge online library database. It has a lot of research from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Galleries
RMIT Gallery is the university's main public art gallery. It's at the City campus. The gallery shows amazing Australian and international art, focusing on modern art and design. It's in the old part of Storey Hall and is known as one of Melbourne's lively art galleries.
RMIT First Site Gallery is another gallery at the City campus. It shows work by new artists. The university's campus union also runs the Artland program at the Brunswick campus, which displays student design work.
Many of RMIT's schools also have their own galleries related to their subjects. For example, the School of Art has its own galleries.
Art Collection
RMIT Gallery looks after RMIT's permanent art collection. This includes the large Linsday Edward Collection of fine art. It has works by famous Australian artists like Howard Arkley and John Olsen.
Student Life at RMIT
RMIT Link (Campus Union)
RMIT Link is like the university's student activities center. It helps plan and support social, cultural, educational, and sports activities for students. Link has two main parts: Arts & Culture and Sports & Recreation.
- Arts & Culture helps with art groups, workshops, and even has a free cinema program.
- Sports & Recreation manages the university's sports teams, called the Redbacks. It also helps fund student sports clubs and runs community sports events. It even has a gym at the City campus and a ski lodge!
RUSU (Student Union)
RMIT's University Student Union (RUSU) is an independent group that speaks for RMIT students. It was started in 1944. RUSU works to protect students' rights and improve their education, well-being, and social life. RUSU has different departments that focus on various parts of student life. It also supports many student clubs and societies.
Some RUSU Departments:
- Activities – organizes events, festivals, and parties.
- Education – campaigns for student education rights.
- Environment – promotes being eco-friendly on campus.
- International Students – supports students from other countries.
- Realfoods – RUSU's organic, fair-trade vegetarian cafe.
Student Media:
- Catalyst – A free student magazine published monthly.
- RMITV – A student television company that broadcasts on C31.
- Student Youth Network (SYN) – A student radio station.
Where Students Live
RMIT has several student housing options, like RMIT Village and College Square at the City campus, and Walert House at the Bundoora campus. These are apartment-style buildings where students can live.
Some traditional colleges at the nearby University of Melbourne also have spots for RMIT students.
Spiritual Centre
RMIT's Spiritual Centre is a multi-faith place for worship and quiet reflection at the City campus. It's in the historic Old Melbourne Gaol chapel, built in 1860. The center welcomes all staff and students, no matter their faith. It has chaplains representing different religions.
People of RMIT
RMIT graduates are known for being very good at finding jobs. In a 2011 survey, RMIT was ranked 51st in the world for how easily its graduates found work. In 2011, about 280,000 people who studied at RMIT lived in 130 different countries.
Many famous people have studied at RMIT, including:
- Lydia Lassila – Olympic gold medalist in skiing.
- Jim Stynes – Irish Australian rules footballer and charity worker.
- James Wan – Film director and writer.
- Travis Fimmel – Actor.
- Rove McManus – Comedian and TV host.
- Judith Durham – Singer.
- Mai Phương Thúy – Miss Vietnam 2006.
Graduation Traditions
A special tradition at RMIT is its graduation parade. Students and teachers, dressed in their graduation robes, march from the City campus down Swanston Street to Federation Square. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne welcomes them. Then, the graduation ceremony takes place at the Docklands Stadium.
See also
- List of universities in Australia
