The university's foundation dates back to the opening of the Gordon Memorial Technical College in 1887, later renamed as the Gordon Institute of Technology in 1921. It would then merge with the Geelong State College in 1974 to form Deakin University.[14] Its main campuses are inMelbourne's Burwood suburb,GeelongWaurn Ponds,Geelong Waterfront, andWarrnambool.[15][16]
Deakin University consistently ranks highly in student satisfaction. Deakin has had the highest undergraduate student satisfaction ratings and in the top two for highest postgraduate student satisfaction out of all Victorian universities every year since 2010.[23]
The Gordon Technical College circa 1910, the predecessor of Deakin University
Deakin University was established as a merger between State College of Victoria, Geelong (formerly Geelong Teachers College), and the higher education courses of theGordon Institute of Technology, which originally opened in 1887 as the Gordon Memorial Technical College. The vocational part of the Gordon Institute of Technology continues separately as the Gordon Institute of TAFE nowadays.
Deakin University was formally established with the passage of the Deakin University Act 1974.[24] Deakin University's first campus was established atWaurn Ponds, previously a campus of the Gordon Institute of Technology.
The Burwood campus is on the site of the former Burwood Teachers' College, and also takes in the former sites of the Bennettswood Primary School and the Burwood Secondary School. The teachers' college conducted two-year training courses for Primary School teachers, and three year courses for Infant Teachers (females only). It provided live-on-site accommodation for country students.
Alfred Deakin, Prime Minister of Australia – The Namesake of the University
The Rusden Campus was closed in 2003 and all courses were transferred to the Melbourne Burwood campus. Rusden was subsequently acquired byMonash University for its student accommodation purposes.
The former Toorak Campus, located inMalvern, was offered for sale in 2006 as the university considered the campus surplus to its requirements.[27] The courses and resources were relocated to the Melbourne Burwood campus in November 2007.[28] As a Deakin campus, it was home to theDeakin Business School, Deakin University English Language Institute (DUELI), and theMelbourne Institute of Business and Technology,[27] which have now become the Deakin College.
The main building on the site was the 116-year-oldStonnington Mansion[29] The sale ofStonnington Mansion by Deakin provoked public outrage as it involved the mansion which was at risk of redevelopment by property developers.[29] The Stonnington Stables art gallery and the university's contemporary art collection were located here,[27] but has since relocated to the Deakin University Art Gallery at the Melbourne Burwood campus. The Deakin University Art Gallery has a wide collection of work by Australian artists including the Sydney based artistRox De Luca.[30] The university's action of offering the campus, including the mansion, provoked public outrage over the potential privatization of what had been public space.[29] In December 2006, the three-mansion was sold for $33 million to a joint venture between Hamton Property Group and Industry Superannuation Property Trust.[31]
The campus is home to the Geelong Technology Precinct, which provides research and development capabilities and opportunities for university–industry partnerships and new enterprises in the region. TheElite Sports Precinct is home to theDeakin Ducks Football Club, and is used by theGeelong Football Club as an alternate training facility.[34]
The Waurn Ponds Deakin Residence houses 800 students in shared dorms, shared units, town houses and studio apartments.[35]
The Deakin Medical School opened in 2008 and is the first regional-focused medical school in Victoria. Deakin's Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) is a four-year, graduate-entry program which prepares students for practice in a range of health care settings.[37]
There is an on-campus student population of more than 520 (2020) pursuing courses in arts, business, education, environment, health sciences, law, management, marine biology, nursing and psychology.[citation needed]
More than 5,362 (2020) students are based at the Geelong Waterfront Campus, which hosts the schools of Architecture and Built Environment, Health and Social Development, Psychology, and Nursing and Midwifery, as well as the Faculty of Business and Law.[citation needed]
A $37 million redevelopment of the Dennys Lascelles Building has increased the capacity of this campus, allowing the university to provide an expanded range of courses. The building houses the Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library[39] and theAlfred Deakin Institute.[citation needed]
This campus houses Costa Hall, a 1422-seat concert auditorium, which is used for the university's graduation ceremonies and is part ofGeelong Arts Centre.[citation needed]
Aerial photo of Deakin University's Building C in Burwood
The Deakin University Council is the governing body of the university and is chaired by thechancellor,John Stanhope AM. The council is responsible for the general direction and oversight of the university and is publicly accountable for the university's actions. The vice-chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university and is responsible to the council. Professor Iain Martin is vice-chancellor and president of Deakin University and is Deakin's 7th vice-chancellor.[40]
The university is divided into four faculties, covering arts and education, business and law, health, and science, engineering and built environment.[42] Within the Faculty of Arts and Education the three schools cover education, social sciences, humanities, communication and the creative arts.[43] The Institute of Koorie Education also falls under the Faculty of Arts and Education. The Faculty of Health has the School of Medicine, along with schools covering nursing and midwifery, exercise and nutrition sciences, psychology, and incorporates subjects such as occupational therapy, social work, and health economics into the School of Health and Social Development.[44] TheDeakin University School of Law and theDeakin Business School both fall under the Faculty of Business and Law,[45] and the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment encompasses architecture, information technology, engineering, and life and environmental sciences.[46]
The Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library is named after the early Australian Prime Minister and statesman, Alfred Deakin (1856–1919), and provides opportunities for research and learning.[39]
In the 2024Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which measures aggregate performance across the QS, THE and ARWU rankings, the university attained a position of #196 (12th nationally).[74]
The Australian Government's QILT[b] conducts national surveys documenting the student life cycle from enrolment through to employment.[81] These surveys place more emphasis on criteria such as student experience, graduate outcomes and employer satisfaction[81] than perceived reputation, research output and citation counts.[82]
In the 2023 Employer Satisfaction Survey, graduates of the university had an overall employer satisfaction rate of 84.2%.[83]
In the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey, graduates of the university had a full-time employment rate of 80.1% for undergraduates and 90% for postgraduates.[84] The initial full-time salary wasA$69,300 for undergraduates andA$98,100 for postgraduates.[84]
In the 2023 Student Experience Survey, undergraduates at the university rated the quality of their entire educational experience at 81.1% meanwhile postgraduates rated their overall education experience at 81.2%.[85]
Between 2011 and 2016 the university reported there were 40 officially cases of sexual abuse and harassment on campus, resulting in 12 staff members being disciplined or sacked for sexual misconduct and no student expulsions or suspensions.[103] The 2017Australian Human Rights Commission report on sexual assault and harassment surveyed 649 Deakin students,[104] and reported somewhat higher figures than this, finding that 2.8% of those surveyed claimed to have been assaulted on campus, and 21% had been sexually harassed.[105]
