Victoria University

Our University

Victoria University (VU), based in Melbourne, Australia, is a world-class university celebrated for its inclusive environment, industry connections, and innovative approach to education. As an Australian public university, VU offers internationally recognised qualifications ranging from vocational courses to postgraduate degrees.

With a history dating back over a century, Victoria University provides an exceptional experience to over 40,000 students currently enrolled on campuses in Melbourne and beyond. VU is ranked in the top two percent of all universities worldwide (THE World University Rankings 2024).

With over 4,000 industry partners, VU ensures that courses are kept up to date with the latest technology and trends. Students benefit from work placements, employability programs to kick-start their careers, and the award-winning VU Block Model® teaching method, which offers increased focus and flexibility to enable students to achieve their best and balance study with other commitments.

VU offers a wide range of internationally recognised, industry-focused qualifications from vocational education to research. Subject areas include arts, business, education, engineering, health, biomedicine, IT, nursing, hospitality, law, social work and sports science.

VU is renowned as a welcoming and inclusive university, with students from over 175 different countries at cutting-edge campuses in Melbourne, Australia’s number one student city. The university provides a positive student experience, offering a wide range of events and opportunities to enrich social and learning experiences both on and off-campus.

Students at Victoria University benefit from the award-winning VU Block Model, a smarter style of higher education involving smaller, more interactive classes. The VU Block Model is an Australian first, offering enhanced focus and flexible timetables to enable students to balance study with other commitments. An innovative and internationally recognised teaching and learning model, the Block Model is a proven success with students, educators and employers.

The VU Block Model is different to other learning methods as it allows students to focus on one or two subjects at a time, rather than studying multiple subjects at once. Learning in interactive, workshop-style classes, students get to know their classmates and teachers, apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios and receive timely feedback.

Students generally learn in three-hour classes, three days a week, with flexible timetable options, enabling focused learning and the flexibility to balance study with other commitments. It’s a more connected and engaging way of learning that encourages students to build personal and professional networks and develop the skills and knowledge to succeed in their future careers.

At Victoria University, research with impact is the development and sustained application of ethical knowledge in all its forms, done in partnership and collaboration, to address the challenges of people, place and planet. 

VU strives to be a global solutions hub based in the west of Melbourne, working with our partners in co-defining and co-creating research to address the needs of our communities locally, nationally and globally. The University’s strategic commitment to Protecting Country means we are guided by our inherent responsibility to First Nations Peoples in caring, knowing and protecting people, place and planet. Underpinning this is the commitment of VU to pursuing epistemic justice in research that is led by and agreed to by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and researchers. Our focus on Protecting Country addresses many of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.  

As an outstanding dual-sector University, VU embraces research which is strongly aligned to industry and society. Collaboration, including ongoing relationship building, mutual learning and interaction, inclusivity, and responsiveness, are keys to success and to guide future paths.  

The allocation of resources to support our research impact will be achieved through a consistent, enlightened, egalitarian and fair approach. The ‘what people do together’ to create knowledge is crucial – this is the VU Real-World Researcher.  

For VU, research with impact is about taking that next step:  

• more than knowledge but ethical knowledge; 
• more than strengths but solutions; 
• more than the western suburbs of Melbourne but the world; 
• and more than us but together.

Five key thematic areas give us focus, purpose, and reflect who we are and the impact we want to have on the world.  

Health, sport and wellness 

Interdisciplinary approaches to transform health, sport, social inclusion and community wellbeing, in particular building on core strengths in translational health research by leveraging key assets such as the co-location with the new Footscray Hospital.  

First Nations knowledge  

Connecting the deep knowledge, insights, and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to solve contemporary challenges.  

New generation skills and workforce impact 

Creating solutions for developing the skills of the future to impact advanced manufacturing and service industries.  

Green research translation

Developing translational sustainable solutions to challenges in the natural environment.

New frontiers in policy, advocacy and justice

Improving education, health, law, social inclusion and the economy by developing policy and thought leadership locally, nationally, and internationally.