Torrens University Australia

Torrens University is an Australian international private, for-profit university and vocational registered training organisation, with campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Blue Mountains, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Suzhou, China. It began teaching in 2014 and it had about 19,000 enrolled students in 2022. Torrens predominantly offers career-focused courses in business, design, health and hospitality, both online and on campus.

History

An application from Laureate Education Asia to found a private university was approved by the Government of South Australia in October 2011. Upon commission, Torrens University became the 33rd university in Australia and the first new university for 20 years.

The go-ahead for the new university was given by the South Australian Cabinet following Premier Mike Rann's negotiations in Australia and in Cancun, Mexico, with Laureate Chairman Douglas Becker and Chancellor Michael Mann. Honorary Laureate Chancellor and former US President Bill Clinton publicly endorsed the Australian project.

The founding President and Vice-Chancellor was Fred McDougall, former deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president of the University of Adelaide.

Torrens University Australia was registered as a university by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency in 2012. It was originally expected to open in 2013 but commenced teaching in 2014.

In 2020 Torrens University Australia was bought by Strategic Education Inc., a public education services company based in Virginia, USA.

Campuses

, Torrens University has campuses across five cities in Australia, one in New Zealand and one in China. There are about 19,000 enrolled students.

Adelaide

Adelaide was the first location in the country, opening its first campus in the heritage-listed Torrens Building on Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga, in the CBD, in 2013.

On 3 August 2015 the University opened a new campus just along the road in the old Menz Biscuits factory on Wakefield Street, and no longer lists Torrens Building as another campus. The Pulteney Street, Adelaide campus hosts the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, delivering the Master of International Hotel Management program.

Brisbane

Brisbane is home to two campuses: the Fortitude Valley Campuses, which is central to the CBD and within walking distance of Fortitude Valley train station; the Torrens University Language Centre on Bowen Terrace, and the Gotha Street campus.

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast campus is a large centrally located campus in Southport near other educational facilities and international recruitment agencies. Classes run in the afternoon and in the evening.

Melbourne

The Melbourne campus is on Flinders Street in the CBD, with The Practice Wellbeing Centre being located in nearby Fitzroy.

Sydney and Blue Mountains

There are three campuses in the Sydney region. These campuses include the Ultimo campus and Surry Hills (which includes the Torrens University Language Centre), and the Blue Mountains campus on the outskirts of metropolitan Sydney. The Blue Mountains campus is located in the suburb of Leura, adjacent to Katoomba. The campus is home to Torrens University's Practical Learning Centre, simulated hotel environment where students learn hotel management as part of their practical development. The Ultimo campus is a home for the Design & Creative Technology students, while the Surry Hills campus is the Sydney Central Campus.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Media Design School is situated in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter, at 10 Madden Street.

Suzhou, China

This campus is in close proximity to Shanghai, and offers training in restaurant service, front office management, guest relations and housekeeping.

Organisation and academics

Schools

* APM College of Business and Communication - APM was established over 25 years ago and offers business degrees and vocational diplomas, and the opportunity to pathway into a master's degree.
* Billy Blue College of Design - Billy Blue College was created by designers for designers, offering appropriate courses for aspiring design professionals. The College started off as a magazine and later moved into a design agency. It then went on to develop into a school and now finally, a university.
* Chifley Business School - For over two decades, Chifley has provided business education across Australia and internationally through a range of postgraduate courses for those looking to pursue careers in resources, engineering, and information technology.
* Media Design School - Media Design School was founded to provide trained graduates for digital and technological companies.
* Real Madrid Graduate School (Universidad Europea) - The Real Madrid Graduate School was launched in 2006 to train in all disciplines related to sport.
* Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (or BMIHMS) - was opened in 1991 and focuses on hotel management education. It is number 1 in Oceania by subject 2019 according to QS World University rankings Hospitality and Leisure Management, and number 1 Hotel Management School in Australia and Asia-Pacific’s in 2020 according to Kantar.
* Torrens University Language Centre (TULC) - The Torrens University Language Centre has been delivering English language programs in Australia for more than 20 years. Founded in 1995, the centre offers academic and general English courses to students from around the world.
* William Blue College of Hospitality Management - private hospitality college offering bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and diploma courses that specialise in tourism and hospitality management including work placement with industry partners.

Research institutes and centres

* The Centre of Artificial Intelligence Research and Optimisation (AIRO) focuses on cutting-edge research in two ground-breaking areas of science in the current century: Artificial Intelligence and Optimisation.
* The Centre for Organisational Change and Agility (COCA) spans research topics from accounting, finance, global project management, global supply and value, leadership, business systems, commercial services, tourism, strategy, management and organisational behaviour.
* The Centre for Healthy Futures (CHEF) aims to prevent and treat chronic diseases and improve individual wellbeing. Through research on environmental, lifestyle and economic factors that impact health and quality of life, and with a particular focus on health and wellbeing throughout the lifespan, this research also contributes to a better understanding of healthcare systems and the development of technology for both individual and whole of population health.
* The Centre for Cardiopulmonary Health (CCPH) conducts multidisciplinary research to develop and apply innovative strategies to improve the heart and lung health of vulnerable individuals and communities; thereby improving and prolonging the quality of life of those affected and reducing the burden imposed by cardiopulmonary disease at the whole population level.
* Public Health Information Development Unit (PHIDU) – Since its establishment with funding from the Australian Government in 1999, the PHIDU has been committed to providing information on a broad range of health and other determinants across the lifespan. Located at Torrens University Australia since November 2015, the emphasis continues to be on the publication of small area statistics. Since 2008, PHIDU has offered free online access to a range of data for researchers to reference.

Initiatives

On 2 April 2018, Torrens University Australia launched a free online course called "the Voices of Autism" to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day.

In July 2021, Torrens University Australia launched another free online course, the Thin Ice VR short course. Co-designed by environmental scientist Tim Jarvis AM and lecturer James Calvert, it goes behind the scenes of the "Thin Ice" virtual reality production to teach about the creative technologies used to recreate Antarctic locations in realistic 3D.

On 25 January 2022, Torrens University Australia launched a 9-part podcast series featuring researchers from Torrens University, who are working towards solving complex global problems and propelling innovation. The podcast was recorded across Australia and New Zealand.

In February 2022, Torrens University launched the Sport for Good free online course that has been developed in collaboration with Australian soccer player and human rights activist Craig Foster. It teaches how to facilitate and support the sporting industry’s role in promoting global good. It is delivered in four parts, each designed to emphasise the increased focus of the industry on a certain aspect of social responsibility.

Rankings

Torrens University Australia was not ranked by the QS or ''Times Higher Education'' global rankings in 2022. Torrens was ranked 40th out of 40 universities in Australia and 3,425 globally by UniRank as of 2019.

It was ranked in '' CEO Magazines 2022 Global MBA Rankings as number 27 in the world for online MBA degrees.

In the 2019 Student Experience Survey, Torrens University ranked twelfth in student satisfaction amongst all Australian universities, with an overall satisfaction rating of 80.4.

Notable people

Vice-chancellors

* Alwyn Louw (2020–present)
*Justin Beilby (2015–2019)
*Fred McDougall (2012–2015)

Chancellors

* Jim Varghese AM (2022-present)
* Michael Mann AM (2012–2021)

President

* Linda Brown (2014–present)

Notable staff

* Darren Peters
* Victoria Pendergast
* Anya Beyersdorf

Notable alumni

* Golgol Mebrahtu
* Alex Wilkinson
* Jonathon Giles  
* Oscar McInerney
* Paul Seedsman
* Hana Lowry
* Daniel Menzel
* Mackenzie Arnold
* Caitlin Foord
* Reilly O’Brien
* Leah Kaslar
* Casey Grice
* Adam Vonthehoff
* Matthew Duldig
* Brent Reilley
* John Haly
* William Thomson
* Jake Pettit-Young

See also

* APM College of Business and Communication
*Billy Blue College of Design
*Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School
* Chifley Business School
*Jansen Newman Institute
*Media Design School
* Southern School of Natural Therapies
* William Blue College of Hospitality Management
*List of universities in Australia

References

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Educational institutions established in 2012
2012 establishments in Australia
Universities in Australia
Universities in Sydney
Universities in Melbourne
Universities in Brisbane
Universities in Victoria (Australia)
Universities in New South Wales
Universities in Queensland
Universities in South Australia