User:Avishka Niroshan Fernando/sandbox

==  Victoria University (VU or Vic Uni) is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of only six dual-sector universities in Australia, providing courses in both higher education and Technical and Further Education (TAFE). 2016 marked VU's centenary as an educational institution and its 25th anniversary as a university. The university has several campuses in Melbourne Central Business District, Melbourne Western Region, and in Sydney, comprising six academic colleges, six research institutes, seven research centres and VU's Victoria Polytechnic (providing vocational education and training). It also offers courses at partner institutions throughout Asia. Victoria University Melbourne was ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide (2021Times Higher Education World University Rankings),    and 56th globally (2nd in Victoria) in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings. VU was also ranked 11th in the world (1st in Australia) for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021). ==

History
== The idea for a technical school based in the western suburbs of Melbourne was first proposed in 1910. The Footscray Technical School opened its doors to 220 students and 9 teachers in 1916 after five years of fundraising. Charles Archibald Hoadley was the school's principal from its founding until his death in 1947. His vision was to aid students who had both a sound technical knowledge and an appreciation of the arts, sports, the outdoors and community activities. He believed in educating students "for life as well as for living", wanting students to view education as opening the doors of opportunity. Under Hoadley's leadership, the school expanded rapidly and began offering trade certificate courses, diplomas in architecture, building, and contracting, as well as evening classes. War and the Depression saw a dip in student numbers. However, by 1943, there were 2500 students enrolled in courses taught at the Footscray Park and Footscray Nicholson campuses. The following decades saw gender and cultural shifts. In 1958, the school changed its name to the Footscray Technical College. Ten years later, it changed its name again, this time, to the Footscray Institute of Technology (FIT). Women first enrolled in day diploma courses in 1960, and changes to the federal government's immigration policy resulted in many more European and Asian students entering the school. The secondary school component, now known as Footscray City College, was separated from the rest of the institute in 1972. By the mid-1970s, the expanded curriculum included degree courses and was well beyond the technical focus of the original Footscray Technical School. Further changes occurred in the 1980s, with the technical and trade education section separating from FIT to form the Footscray and Newport Colleges of TAFE. In 1990, FIT merged with the Western Institute, which had been founded three years earlier to provide TAFE and higher education courses to the outlying suburbs in western Melbourne. In 1990, it was established as a university by the Victoria State Parliament as Victoria University of Technology. The university further amalgamation with the Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE in 1998. In 2005, the Victoria University of Technology Act of 1990 was amended to rename the university as Victoria University, reflecting the development of its teaching and research. The institutions that combined to form VU include:


 * Footscray Technical School, renamed Footscray Technical College and later Footscray Institute of Technology
 * Newport Technical College, renamed Newport College of TAFE
 * Melbourne School of Hairdressing
 * School of Painting, Decorating and Sign Crafts
 * Melbourne Technical College of Hairdressing
 * Melbourne College of Decoration
 * Footscray College of TAFE
 * Flagstaff College of TAFE
 * Western Institute
 * Gellibrand College of TAFE, renamed Western Metropolitan College of TAFE
 * Western Melbourne Institute of TAFE
 * Victoria University of Technology
 * Victoria Polytechnic ==

Campuses
== Victoria University has campuses located throughout Melbourne's western region and the city centre. The new VU City Tower will be Melbourne's tallest vertical campus, and is due for completion in 2021. One campus is located in central Sydney. VU courses are also delivered by partner institutes throughout Asia, including in China, India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Two of the largest partners are Sunway University College in Malaysia and Liaoning University in China. ==

Footscray Park
== Footscray Park Campus on Ballarat Road, Footscray is the university's main campus and administrative centre. It offers higher education courses primarily in engineering, education and sport-related disciplines. It occupies a 7 ha site overlooking Flemington Racecourse and the Maribyrnong River. A A$68.5 million sport and learning precinct, including sport and exercise science research labs, was completed in early 2011. The campus also has a 25-metre swimming pool and a childcare centre. ==

Sunshine
== The Sunshine Campus of Victoria Polytechnic is located on Ballarat Road, Sunshine. It offers TAFE courses, focusing mainly on business and the construction industries. The A$44 million high-technology Construction Hub was opened in 2013 for building and construction training. The campus also has a convention centre with a 200-seat auditorium. ==

Sydney
== Victoria University delivers a number of business courses for international students at its campus in central Sydney, which operates in partnership with the Education Centre of Australia (ECA). ==

Whitten Oval
== In late 2010, VU opened an A$8 million Sport and Recreation Learning Centre in partnership with the Western Bulldogs at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray. The Centre contains massage therapy clinics open to the public, as well as a 140-seat lecture theatre, a library, classrooms and offices. ==

== Organisation Several of the university's colleges offer internationally recognized qualifications ranging from certificates and diplomas to degrees, postgraduate certificates and diplomas, and masters and doctoral research degrees (PhD). Victoria Polytechnic and VU College offer vocational education courses and higher education diplomas.


 * The College of Arts and Education offers a range of pre-degree, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses and conducts research in education, youth work, arts, communication, community development, creative arts and industries, psychology, social science, and social work. The college emphasises workplace learning in teacher and youth work education through its partnerships with schools, community organizations, and industry, especially in western Melbourne. VU is one of the few Australian universities to offer a Bachelor of Education (P-12) course, so graduates can teach at any level. The Victoria Institute, which focuses on inclusive education, is part of the College of Education.
 * The College of Business is one of the largest business schools in Australia. Training is provided across various business-related areas including business, management, accounting, finance, supply chain and logistics, marketing and human resources. It conducts research at its associated centres: the Institute for Supply Chain and Logistics and the Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies.
 * The College of Engineering and Science offers architectural, building, civil, mechanical, electrical and sports engineering courses, as well as courses in information technology, building surveying and science.
 * The College of Health and Bio-medicine provides hands-on learning, teaching, and research in nursing and midwifery, dermal therapies, osteopathy, beauty therapy, nutrition, and paramedics. Most courses include use of simulation labs, training clinics and salons.
 * The College of Law and Justice operates through the Victoria Law School at the university's Sir Zelman Cowen Centre. It offers undergraduate and graduate law degrees, as well as continuing legal education, including migration law courses. Second and third-year students participate in real cases at the Melbourne, Sunshine, and Werribee magistrates' courts.
 * The College of Sport and Exercise Science offers courses in aspects of sport, physical education, recreation management, coaching and exercise science. The courses are based mainly at the Footscray Park Campus, the site of the university's new sport and learning precinct, which includes the Institute of Sport, Exercise, and Active Living (ISEAL).
 * VU College provides a range of student support programs for local and international students, including assistance and courses in English language, literacy, and numeracy. It also delivers nationally accredited and customised higher education courses, foundation studies and career development services. ==

Victoria University Polytechnic
== Victoria University Polytechnic is the TAFE division of Victoria University. It delivers accredited courses, apprenticeships, traineeships and customised training programs in: business services, legal and logistics, community services and youth work, communications and music, early childhood and education, English and preparation programs, hair, beauty and make-up, hospitality, tourism and events, sport and wellbeing, digital technologies, and trades. ==

Students
== In 2019, VU had 43,802 students. Approximately 65% student in higher education degree programs, and 35% enrolled in TAFE training courses. Of these students, 5,662 were international students studying at one of VU's Melbourne or Sydney Campuses, and 3,772 were international students studying at VU programs overseas at one of its partner organisations located mainly in Asia. ==