University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne is a major public research university. It is located in Melbourne, Australia. The main campus sits in Parkville, an inner suburb. It is the oldest university in the state of Victoria. It is also the second oldest in all of Australia.

This institution is a member of several important groups. These include the Group of Eight and Universitas 21. It is also part of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Being a sandstone university means it has a long and established history.

Learning at the university happens through many different academic units. There are fifteen graduate schools for specialized study. These include the Melbourne Business School and the Melbourne Law School. Other important schools are the Melbourne Veterinary School and the Melbourne Medical School.

Students also live in residential colleges or university-owned halls. There are nine colleges and five halls of residence. These places provide housing for students and faculty. They also offer academic, sporting, and cultural programs.

The university's history began with a proposal by Hugh Childers. He was the Auditor-General and Finance Minister. In November 1852, he set aside £10,000 for the school. The university was officially established by an Act of Incorporation in January 1853.

The first classes began in 1855. There were only sixteen students at that time. Three professors from Ireland helped start the school. The wealth from the Victorian gold rush helped the university grow. In 1881, the university began admitting women. Julia 'Bella' Guerin became the first woman to graduate from an Australian university in 1883.

The school expanded its course offerings throughout the early 1900s. In 1901, the student population exceeded 500 for the first time. The university also established a School of Dentistry and a Diploma of Education. In 1911, it added agriculture to its studies.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the university grew through amalgamations. It joined with several tertiary colleges. This included the Melbourne Teachers' College in 1988. By this period, the student population had grown beyond 35,000 students.

In 2008, Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis introduced a new curriculum. This system is called the Melbourne Model. It replaced traditional specialist degrees with a two-degree structure. Students first earn a generalist bachelor's degree. Afterward, they take a professional or research graduate course.

This change was controversial among some students and staff. Some people worried it might reduce the depth of the content. However, the University of Western Australia also adopted this model.

Between 2013 and 2015, the university underwent a Business Improvement Program. This was a large restructure of the administration. At the same time, the university started a massive building program. It spent $2 billion on new buildings across its campuses.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed how students learned. Most teaching moved to online platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The university also faced challenges with staff layoffs during this time.

The University of Melbourne is recognized globally for its high standards. In 2026, it was ranked 19th in the world by QS World University Rankings. The ARWU rankings placed it 38th globally. It was also ranked first in Australia by Times Higher Education.

The university is a leader in research. Ten Nobel Laureates have studied or taught here. This is the highest number for any Australian university. Four Australian prime ministers also graduated from the university. This shows the lasting impact of the institution on society.