Torrens University Australia

Foundation and early years

An application from Laureate Education Asia to found a private university was approved by the Government of South Australia in October 2011.^[5]

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 Dr Michael Mann. Honorary Laureate Chancellor and former US President Bill Clinton publicly endorsed the Australian project.

"The opportunity to learn at the same university across different countries is increasingly important in our ever more connected world. I look forward to visiting the new Laureate campus in Adelaide," former President Clinton said.

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

Torrens University Australia was accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency in 2012.^[6] It was originally expected to open in 2013^[7] but commenced teaching in 2014.

Sydney

There are six campuses in Sydney, including five within the Central Business District. These campuses include the Ultimo campus, The Rocks, Pyrmont, Town Hall, Kent Street (Torrens University Language Centre), and the Blue Mountains campus on the outskirts of metropolitan Sydney^[8].

Melbourne

Melbourne plays host to three campuses, two of which are located on Melbourne’s main drag^[9], Flinders Street (including the Torrens University Language Centre), and the third is located in the inner city suburb of Fitzroy.

Brisbane

Brisbane houses the Fortitude Valley Campus ^[10]which is central to the CBD and within walking distance of Fortitude Valley train station. This campus also comprises of the Torrens University Language Centre.

Adelaide

Adelaide is home to two campuses^[11], the Victoria Square campus and the Wakefield Street campus. Both are located in the heart of the CBD. The Victoria Square campus, a former purpose-built government office building, serves as the headquarters of Torrens University Australia.

Blue Mountains, Leura

The Blue Mountains campus is located in the suburb of Leura^[12], adjacent to Katoomba. The campus is home to Torrens University’s Practical Learning Centre^[13], simulated hotel environment where students learn hotel management as part of their practical development.

Blue Mountains, Suzhou

The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) also has a campus in Suzhou, west of Shanghai in China. It is a joint venture with Suzhou Tourism and Finance Institute (STFI).

Schools

• APM College of Business and Communication - APM was established over 25 years ago ^[14]by a group of industry professionals and offers a flexible and careers-focussed approach to higher education with certified business degrees and vocational diplomas, and the opportunity to pathway into a Master’s degree.

• Billy Blue College of Design - Billy Blue College ^[15]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.. Billy Blue allows its students to work on real-world projects in class and to network with industry contacts and clients.

• Chifley Business School - For over two decades, Chifley ^[16]has provided business education across Australia and internationally through a comprehensive range of industry-recognised post graduate courses for those looking to pursue careers in resources, engineering, and information technology.

• Media Design School - Media Design School is New Zealand’s most awarded tertiary institution for creative and digital technology qualifications. The school was founded to provide trained graduates for digital and technological companies, so they are armed with the skills of informing and transforming the industry.

• Real Madrid Graduate School (Universidad Europea) - The Real Madrid Graduate School was launched in 2006 to address the growing role of sport in global economies, and the need for sports-focused expertise in business, management, finance, and communication. The school trains professional leaders in all disciplines related to sport.

• Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School - For almost 25 years, The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (or BMIHMS) has been launching the careers of thousands of hospitality management graduates in one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The school is known for its internationally recognised hospitality and business courses.

• Torrens University Language Centre (TULC) - The Torrens University Language Centre ^[17]has been delivering English language programs in Australia for more than 20 years. Founded in 1995, the centre offers academic as well as general English courses to students from around the world.

• William Blue College of Hospitality Management - The William Blue College of Hospitality Management ^[18]is a leading Australian private hospitality college offering bachelor degrees, associate degrees and diploma courses that specialise in culinary management, tourism, and hospitality management including work placement with over 80 global industry partners.

Research Institutes and Centres

• Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute & Torrens University Australia - Torrens and Baker Institute are collaborating on the jointly badged Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy programs in Translational Clinical Research. Baker Institute brings a national and international status as a high-quality research centre with a specialisation in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and the opportunity for higher degree research students to work with experienced researchers.

• 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.

• Torrens Centre of Positive Ageing and Wellbeing - In late 2016, Laureate Australia established this centre with a key focus on addressing how societies will be able to achieve and maintain positive ageing and wellbeing for older people, both now and into the future. The vision for the Torrens Centre of Positive Ageing and Wellbeing ^[19]is to build a national and international profile of excellence in innovative education, training and industry-based research in positive ageing.

Initiatives

On Monday 2nd April 2018, Torrens University Australia launched a free online course called ‘the Voices of Autism’ ^[20]to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day. Course co-designer Paul Micallef said he believes the course will help the wider population better understand the often-misunderstood condition. “As a person on the autism spectrum, I’ve always found it challenging to get people to understand things from my perspective. For them, it may sound too strange. By sharing our stories and our approach to life situations, I believe we can create an impact on people’s understanding of our day-to-day experiences and bring real positive change for people living with autism,” Mr Micallef said.

The Voices of Autism is a 5-week course created for anyone interested in learning more about the day-to-day needs of a person with autism and their family. The course officially commenced at Torrens University on Monday 30th April 2018.

Vice-chancellors

• Professor Fred McDougall (2012–2015)^[22]
• Professor Justin Beilby (2015–present) - Professor Justin Beilby ^[23]was appointed Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences in July 2005. As Executive Dean, he oversees all undergraduate training in medicine, nursing, dentistry, health sciences, psychology and public health at the University of Adelaide. Prior to that, Professor Beilby held the position of Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice, at the University of Adelaide from 2002 - 2005. He has been involved in research and evaluation with workforce planning, primary care financing, chronic illness and the quality use of medicines for over 20 years, in both urban and rural settings. He has published widely in asthma, diabetes, point- of- care testing and primary care financing. He has been intimately involved in national and state health policy research, chairing the General Practice Item Restructuring Working Group and evaluating the Medical Benefits Scheme asthma item numbers. He is currently a member of the Medical Services Advisory Committee, Economic Sub-Committee. Professor Beilby has been a member of the Strategic Research Initiatives Working Group of the NHMRC. He was a Commissioner in National Hospital and Health Reform Commission in 2008 - 2009. He has extensive experience in the health system reform having been a member of the Clinical Senate and SA Health Performance Council.

Chancellors

• Dr Michael Mann AM (2012–present)^[22]

MBA Director

• Dr Justin Pierce (2015–present)

President

• Linda Brown - Linda was appointed President of Torrens University Australia and CEO^[24], Laureate Australia and New Zealand in 2014. Linda is a member of Laureate International Universities’ global OPCOM Board, with operational responsibility for 78,000 employees, over 70 universities in 29 countries, and a member of the IP board, where she is driving the Internationalisation Strategy.

Linda has 25 years of management experience in the education sector in Australia and the United Kingdom. Her background is diverse, incorporating leadership experience in government, the private sector, social enterprise and education. Linda is an acknowledged educational leader in the Asia Pacific region. She has represented Australia for six years at APEC Women Leaders’ Conference in Asia Pacific and was identified by Management Today as one of "25 Australian women to watch”.

Prior to joining Laureate, Linda was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director TAFE at Swinburne University, Melbourne where she was responsible for maximizing the dual sector advantage, driving the sustainability and social inclusion strategies across the University and managing the TAFE Division. She was part of the senior executive team which facilitated a highly successful joint venture between SEEK and Swinburne to create Swinburne Online.

Previously, Linda held the position of Director of Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE where she amalgamated three TAFEs in Brisbane and was a senior Queensland Government executive with the Department of Education, Training and the Arts.

Her global business and educational experience include Corporate CEO, Futures Stockbroker; Managing Director, Dartington, UK; and Director of Stoke-on-Trent FE College. Linda was also part of the UK Government's rapid response team for the Further Education Funding Council, utilised to turn around failing colleges, and was part of the UK 'think tank' on education as a global business. Linda’s qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma in Education management awarded at the Manchester Metropolitan University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education awarded under the Royal Charter of Council for National Academic Awards.