Madison Soutar was part of a very special bunch of 18-year-olds. Beginning uni in 2018 at Victoria University, she was part of the first cohort of students to study within VU’s Block Model – also an Australian first.

Madison Soutar started uni in 2018 with the VU Block Model.
First year of uni & the VU Block Model
“Madison was my first child to start university. People might not realise it can also be a very daunting experience for the parent,” says Sharon.
VU’s Block Model is alleviating those fears for first-year students and their families, setting them up for future success.
"The Block Model ensured Madison received one-on-one attention from teaching staff and the support from her classmates,” says Sharon.
I knew that if Madison found her first year of uni relatively stress free, she would be more inclined to succeed and gain more satisfaction from her studies.
Through the globally-successful ‘block mode’ learning structure, students complete one subject at a time before moving on to the next – all in a smaller, workshop-style class setting. And with a focus on hands-on learning and gaining skills for the workforce, students become more confident and attractive to employers.
Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice) student Madison says: "VU's Block Model is a great idea to help first year students adjust to uni life.
I’ve told my friends [attending other unis] about it and they actually sounded a bit jealous!

Madison Soutar (right) with her mother, Sharon Walker (left).