Booloominbah
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a virtual tour !
The University of New England has undergone two
major changes since 1989. The University of New England Act,
1989, created a network University consisting of: (i) a campus
at Armidale, incorporating the former University of New England
and the former Armidale College of Advanced Education; and (ii)
a campus at Lismore, incorporating the former Northern Rivers
College of Advanced Education. The following year the Orange
Agricultural College joined the network University. The network
also included the UNE-Coffs Harbour Centre, which provided courses
from within academic departments of the Armidale and Lismore
campuses.
The University of New England has been re-formed
once again, with legislation (The University of New England Act,
1993 and the Southern Cross University Act, 1993) passed by both
Houses of the New South Wales Parliament in November, 1993. This
legislation had the effect of dismantling the network University.
The University of New England from 1994 has only one campus,
at Armidale. A new University (Southern Cross University) was
created with campuses in Lismore and Coffs Harbour; the Orange
campus was amalgamated with the University of Sydney.
The University of New England was originally formed
in 1938 as the New England University College, a College of the
University of Sydney. It became fully independent in 1954.
The University of New England has, since 1989,
included the former Armidale College of Advanced Education, which
was amalgamated with the Armidale campus at the time of the creation
of the network University. This process of amalgamation was complete
by the time of the new legislation in 1993, and the dismantling
of the network University had no effect on its status.
The College of Advanced Education began life in
1928 as the Armidale Teachers College and became the Armidale
College of Advanced Education in 1974, prior to amalgamation
with the Armidale campus of the University of New England in
1989.
The University of New England is located on several
sites in Armidale. The northern campus of the University is five
kilometres to the northwest of the city centre, in an attractive
rural and bushland setting. Part of this campus includes the
original property presented by the late Mr T R Forster to the
University of Sydney for the establishment of a University College.
This property comprised the old homestead, 'Booloominbah', together
with several other buildings and 74 hectares of land. Since the
original gift, a number of other generous benefactors have presented
properties to the University, whose Armidale site now comprises
some 260 hectares.
The Newling campus of the University includes
the Newling Centre, home to the New England Conservatorium
of Music, and other buildings associated with the former Armidale
College of Advanced Education.
The University also possesses a number of rural
properties in close proximity to the campus, providing facilities
for teaching and research. In addition, there are the 'Tullimba'
rural research property at Kingstown and the Douglas McMaster
Rural Research Station at Warialda.
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The University of New England was
originally formed in 1938 as the New England University College,
a College of the University of Sydney. It became fully independent
in 1954.
The University of New England has four faculties: Arts; Economics, Business and Law; Education, Health and Professional Studies;
and The Sciences. These faculties incorporate
18 teaching schools with some 473 academic members of staff.
The University commenced external teaching in 1955
and is Australia's most experienced institution in distance education.
In 2000, University enrolments in undergraduate and postgraduate
courses of study at Armidale numbered 13,317 external students
and 3,571 internal students. It also provides continuing education
in a variety of ways to meet the professional educational needs
of students in Australia and overseas.
Since it was established, the University has undertaken
fundamental and applied research in many disciplines.
Its scholars and scientists have established international reputations
through their contributions in areas such as rural science, agricultural
economics, geology, educational administration, linguistics,
archaeology, etc. Collaborative research with other institutions,
such as the CSIRO, has led to many important projects including
participation in four Cooperative Research Centres. It is through
its research activities that the University is able to assist
in the economic, social and cultural advancement of Australia
and in the advanced training of undergraduate and postgraduate
students.
The University seeks to serve regional, national
and international communities through the progressive pursuit
of excellence in scholarship, research and teaching. In committing
itself to this mission, the University of New England uncompromisingly
endeavours to build on its strengths and gladly accepts its responsibility
to serve the educational, cultural, intellectual and social needs
of regional/rural Australia in general, and the New England region
in particular.
A Spirit
of True Learning, a commemorative history of UNE written
by Dr Matthew Jordan tells the story of the University
of New England
- from its birth in 1938 as New England University College
(NEUC) as an affiliate college of Sydney University
- through to its development of a distinctive academic tradition
and autonomy in 1954
- and finally its vision for the future as UNE celebrates 50
years of excellence.
A brochure about the book may be downloaded and
brochures or copies of the book may be ordered through
Publications. Phone Bev Mulligan on +61 2 6773 2819.
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