Victoria University celebrates unprecedented growth

Victoria University’s (VU) 2024 Annual Report shows a sustained lift in student numbers to the highest overall level in more than a decade, and a number one ranking in Victoria for student experience.  

VU closed out the year in a strong financial position, recording a surplus of $66.1 million — a significant turnaround following the previous year’s reported deficit of $18.1 million. 

Chancellor The Hon. Steve Bracks AC noted: “The VU Block Model® has gone from strength to strength and is certainly one of the most important factors in our success. As a result, total student enrolments have gone from 41,584 in 2022 to 49,106 in 2024 — a 10% increase on enrolments year-on-year.”  

VU has maintained its position as the number one metropolitan university (and top six nationally) for Quality of Entire Education, Peer Engagement and Skills Development in the government-led QILT Student Experience Survey. Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker explained:

More than 40% of all of our wonderful students are the first in their family to attend university, with a phenomenal 93.4% success rate. And in VU TAFE, more than half of our students come from various Equity backgrounds — nearly 70% from Melbourne’s west — and their outcomes and success rates are extremely strong.

2024 was a year of opportunity for VU.

Highlights include:  

• Unprecedented growth in Early Childhood Education with enrolments surging from 600 in 2020 to 4,000 in 2024, addressing critical workforce demand. 
• A $20 million joint-commitment from VU and State Government to launch Australia’s first Centre of Excellence in Paramedicine. 
• A landmark partnership with Orgyen, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS) to launch an integrated care model through Victoria’s first on-campus headspace centre, located at VU’s Werribee Campus.  

In research, VU also sits in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education Young University rankings, coming in at number 70, one of the highest ever rankings for the University.  

“2024 was a remarkably successful year for VU, but our work continues in the context of the University Accord and the skills revolution. We still have so much to do,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said.