Victoria University (VU) is going through a major transformation – to be an agile, innovative and growing University of Opportunity and Success.

We aim to be a great university of the 21st century by being inclusive rather than exclusive.

Our diverse community of students will receive:

  • guidance to achieve their career aspirations

  • personalised, flexible, well-supported and industry relevant learning opportunities.

Graduate employability and entrepreneurship will demonstrate success.

VU wants to reshape the Australian tertiary system by promoting the importance of active, collaborative, engaged and flexible education for all. This is The VU Way.

Snapshot of our vision & mission

Vision

As the University of Opportunity and Success, we will be open and excellent, creating exceptional value for any student from any background and uplifting the communities in which we operate.

Our mission

We will achieve this vision by:

Education

Providing high quality, engaging career-based tertiary education at all levels of vocational and higher education with flexible entry and exit points, appropriate pathways, engaging and rigorous curriculum and contemporary delivery; while maintaining rigorous standards and ensuring that all students are supported to meet those standards.

Research & engagement

Undertaking high quality and innovative applied and translational research which results in healthier, smarter and sustainable communities in the west of Melbourne and beyond, and connecting deeply with industry and the community, in turn enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

The VU Way at a glance

VU is a dual-sector institution with a powerful moral purpose: to provide vocational and higher education that transforms the lives of students and the communities it serves. It has a culturally diverse population of students and staff from a wide range of backgrounds.

In 2018, VU implemented a revolutionary approach to learning and teaching in response to changes to traditional industries and workforces in its core constituency.

Large impersonal lectures and passive learning in semester-long units of study were replaced with small group lectures and students studying one subject at a time over a four week period. With a greater focus on the individual and their learning success, many students, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and non-English speaking backgrounds, have seen improved pass rates and better grades. As a result, VU is seeing increased student satisfaction and higher retention rates.

This is the VU Way.

In 2019, Block Mode will be implemented across all second year undergraduate units.

By 2022, it will be implemented across all VU’s vocational and higher education courses.

Engaged learning

Small classes, focus on one unit at a time, supportive educators, active collaboration and assessment.

Flexible

Rolling enrolments, time and place flexibility, accelerated & dual-sector study options, blended learning.

Future-ready grads

Building our students' 21st century knowledge and skills to graduate work, tech and life ready.

Student experience

Transformative and enriching learning that will ensure students succeed on their terms, during & after study.

VU Block Model - an Australian first

First Year Model explained in 60 seconds - Transcript

The VU Block Model (formerly the 'First Year Model'), an Australian first, was introduced in 2018 and will be extended beyond first year in 2019.

This revolutionary model allows students to study their degree in sequential blocks, completing one unit at a time, over three to four weeks, before moving to the next.

The Australian newspaper says block model ‘a winner’

VU's new way of doing uni has been called “a winner” by Australia’s national newspaper, The Australian.

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Victoria University reveals The VU Way

Our bold plan to apply the revolutionary Block Mode across all higher education and VU Polytechnic courses by 2022.

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Engaging with our heartland, the west of Melbourne

VU was born in, and proudly remains part of, the west of Melbourne. While our reach and our aspirations are now global – we remain focussed on our vision – to uplift the communities where we operate.

We have a particular focus on engaging with industries and communities which live and operate in Melbourne’s west. For VU, an institution that is deeply connected with our region, fostering interdisciplinary problem solving is a distinctive feature of our approach to learning and teaching, and research and translation.

We ensure our graduates are prepared to address contemporary and emerging challenges. We give them skills that can be used in their future workplaces in the west and beyond.

Our research, leveraging from its local context, is known for generating outcomes of national and global significance.

Focussed on strengthening economic development in the west, WoMEDA is a collaboration between Victoria University, State Government and key stakeholders in the west of Melbourne, including local government and the business community.

Footscray University Town is a bold and innovative partnership between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council to revitalise Footscray as a hub of knowledge, learning, creativity and opportunity, with benefits for the whole community.

Engagement with key partners such as Sunshine Hospital will provide opportunities to establish Sunshine as an employment hub.

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