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Edith Cowan University

Coordinates: 31°55′11″S 115°51′59″E / 31.919783°S 115.866449°E / -31.919783; 115.866449
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Edith Cowan University
Edith Cowan University(ECU)
Motto"Freedom Through Knowledge"
TypePublic
Established1991
Endowment$772.8 million AUD(inc. devises)[1]
ChancellorHendy Cowan
Vice-ChancellorKerry O. Cox
Academic staff
1,758[1]
Undergraduates16,711[1]
Postgraduates5,563[1]
Location
Perth
,
WA
,
Australia
CampusUrban
AffiliationsASAIHL
Websitehttp://www.ecu.edu.au

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is located in Perth, Western Australia. It was named after the first woman to be elected to an Australian Parliament, Edith Cowan, and is the only Australian university named after a woman.

ECU is Western Australia's second largest university with approximately 20,000 students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, approximately 4000 of whom are international students originating from over 90 countries outside Australia[2].

ECU was granted university status in 1991 and was formed from an amalgamations of teachers' colleges with a history dating back to 1902 when the Claremont Teachers College was established[3]; making ECU the modern descendant of the first institution of higher education in Western Australia [4].

The university offers more than 400 courses across two metropolitan campuses, in Mount Lawley and Joondalup, and a regional campus in the South West, Bunbury, 200km south of Perth [5]; with some courses also offered for study off-campus (Distance Education) [6]. Additionally, the university has partnerships with several education institutions to conduct courses and programs offshore[7]

Divisions of note include the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), recognised as one of Australia's prestigious performing arts training academies[8]; the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Postgraduate Medicine which offers the largest undergraduate nursing program in WA [9]; and the School of Education which offers the widest range of secondary teaching specialisations within WA [10]. The university is the largest provider of Psychology and Community Studies courses in Western Australia[11].

History

Edith Dircksey Cowan

The origins of Edith Cowan University date back to 1902 with the establishment of Claremont Teachers College, the first tertiary education institution in Western Australia[4]

Other teacher training colleges were formed over the years, including Graylands Teachers College (GTC), the Western Australian Secondary Teachers College (WASTC), Nedlands College of Advanced Education (NCAE), Mount Lawley Teachers College (MLTC) and Churchlands Teachers College[3].

In 1982 these colleges were all merged to form the Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE) - with campuses in Churchlands, Nedlands, Claremont, Bunbury and Joondalup[3].

Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE) was granted university status on 1 January 1991[12] and changed its name to Edith Cowan University [13].

Edith Cowan University was named after the first woman to be elected to an Australian Parliament, Edith Dircksey Cowan, and is the only Australian university named after a woman. Edith Dircksey Cowan worked tirelessly to raise funds for students to attend universities in other states, prior to a university being built in Western Australia, obtaining government support for her scheme[14]. Her work in this area was acknowledged by naming Western Australia's oldest education institution and newest university after her, as well as her image being added to the Australian $50 note[14].

Edith Dircksey Cowan believed education was the key to growth, change and improvement and her contribution to the development of Western Australian education was significant. She strove to achieve social justice and campaigned for the rights of women, children and families, for the poor, the poorly educated and the elderly[14]. She promoted sex education in schools, migrant welfare and the formation of infant health centres as well as being instrumental in obtaining votes for women in Western Australia[14].

In 1991, the university purchased the house that Edith Cowan, her husband and family resided in for approximately 20 years[15]. The house was reconstructed on the university's Joondalup Campus with the assistance of the West Coast College of TAFE, with the reconstructed house was opened in 1997[15]. Edith Cowan House, Building 20 on the university's Joondalup Campus, currently plays host to the Peter Cowan Writer's Centre[16].

Organisation

Faculties

Main Library on the Joondalup Campus

The university has four faculties:

Faculty of Business and Law

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

Faculty of Education and Arts

The Faculty of Regional Professional Studies

  • School of Regional Professional Studies

Research Centres

The university has a number of research centres within its areas of research strength: Health and Wellness; Education; Environment and Sustainability; Electronic Engineering and ICT; Social and Community; Business and Society; Communications and Creative Arts; and Security, Law and Justice [17]. With several research centres categorised as Major National Research Facilities and WA Centres of Excellence in Science and Innovation [18].

Business and Society

Communications and Creative Arts

Education

Engineering and ICT

Environment and Sustainability

Health and Wellness

Security, Law and Justice

Social and Community

Vice-Chancellors

Since 2006, Professor Kerry O. Cox has been the university's Vice-Chancellor [19]. Previous Vice-Chancellors include Professor Millicent Poole (from 1997 to 2005) and Professor Roy Lourens (from 1991 to 1997).

Governing council

The University Council is the governing body of the organisation which controls and manages the operation, affairs, concerns and property of the university, in accordance with its Corporate Governance Statement[20].

The membership of the council is composed of people across various disciplines and groups as mandated under Part III, Sect. 9 of the Edith Cowan University Act 1984[21].

Its membership includes persons appointed by the Governor of Western Australia, co-opted members, members of the academic and general staff of the university as elected by the members of these groups, and alumni and student guild representatives. With the exception of the Chancellor and students, members of council are elected for three-year terms, or in the case of a by-election for the balance of the current term. An elected member of the council may serve for up to three consecutive terms, after which they are subject to a twelve month break before they may be reconsidered for council. Students may serve only a single year term and are not eligible to renominate.

Campuses

ECU has three campuses, consisting of two metropolitan campuses at Joondalup and Mount Lawley, and one at Bunbury, in Western Australia's South West Region. Programs are also offered at regional centres throughout Western Australia.

File:ECU.jpg
Joondalup Campus Entrance

The Joondalup Campus is the University's headquarters[5]. Facilities on the campus include a new Health and Wellness Building, a multi-million dollar sport and fitness centre, a new award winning library and student hub, an outdoor cinema screening Perth International Arts Festival Lotterywest Festival Films during the summer months and on-campus accommodation[5]. The campus also forms part of the Joondalup Learning Precinct, which includes the West Coast College of TAFE and the Western Australian Police Academy [22]. It is serviced by the Joondalup CAT and is close to the Mitchell Freeway.

The Mount Lawley Campus is close to Perth's central business district. Facilities on the campus include Perth Graduate School of Business, a range of performing arts facilities, a sport and fitness centre and on-campus accommodation[5]. The campus also forms part of the Mount Lawley education precinct with the Mount Lawley Senior High School and is home to one of Australia's most successful and well known arts training institutions, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts(WAAPA)[23].

The South West Campus is located in Bunbury, two hours drive south of Perth[5]. The South West Campus (Bunbury) is the largest university campus outside the metropolitan area and is part of an educational precinct comprising South West Regional College of TAFE and the Bunbury Health Campus[5] which includes St John of God Hospital and South West Area Health Services. The campus has modern facilities, small class sizes, a comprehensive range of courses and on-campus accommodation[5].

The university offers selected programs at various regional centres, including Broome, Geraldton and Margaret River. The Margaret River Education Campus opened in 2004 and is a collaborative project between ECU, Curtin University and the South West Regional College of TAFE. The campus's centrepiece is the Centre for Wine Excellence.

The university formerly had two campuses in Perth's western suburbs - Churchlands and Claremont. These campuses were closed down in the mid-2000s with the Churchlands Campus becoming a residential estate[24] and the Claremont Campus being acquired by the University of Western Australia.

Academic programs

Study programs are offered at Associate Degree, Bachelor, Master and Doctoral levels in numerous subject areas. Additionally there are number of Vocational education courses offered by Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and several University Preparation Courses - which prepare students for undergraduate study.

The university offers more than 400 courses across its three Western Australian campuses, with some courses also offered for study off-campus (Distance Education) [6].

A significant number of ECU courses are unique to Western Australia and Australia - including Surf Science and Technology[25]; Arts Management[26]; Aviation[27]; the Home Economics specialisation in secondary teaching[28]; Design and Technology secondary teaching[29]; a double degree in Nursing and Midwifery[30]; an accreditted online Law degree[31]; Social Science courses in Youth Work and Family Studies[32].

The university has partnerships with several education institutions to conduct courses and programs offshore in countries such as China, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Kenya[33]

Graduate Destinations

The 2008 national Graduate Destination Survey reports that 84.7% of ECU's domestic Bachelor level graduates are in full-time employment [1].

Other rankings

World University Rankings published in January 2009 ranked its Faculty of Business and Law the tenth best business school in Australia[34], and four star rating by Graduate Management Association of Australia in 2008.

Student life

Enrolment

ECU has more than 20,000 students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. More than 4,000 international students originating from more than 90 countries study with ECU each year[2]. This includes the offshore delivery of a variety of courses in a number of countries, student and staff exchange programs with other universities, joint research activities, international consultancies and individual academic links.

Guilds and Student Associations

All students are represented by the ECU Student Guild[35].

Postgraduate students are also represented by the ECU Postgraduate Association (a member of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations)[36], and international students by the International Students Council[37].

The are a range of academic groups and associations for undergraduate students of particular disciplines [38], including: Boomerang@ECU (Advertising); Dead Pilot's Society and Edith Cowan Aviators; ECU Engineers (EEC); ECU Society of Psychology and Social Science (ECUSPSS); Sports Science @ ECU; Town Planning Student Association; ECU Nurses; Society Of Security Science (SOSS); NorthLaw Society (NLS); ECU Public Relations Chapter; Computer and Security Science Association (CASSA); ML Education (Primary Education); Early Childhood Collective and Arts Management Student Organisation (AMSO) and more.

People

Notable alumni of ECU include entertainer Rolf Harris; Musa Aman, the chief minister of the Malaysian state of Sabah; former soccer player Alistair Edwards; actors Frances O'Connor, Hugh Jackman, Lisa McCune, Marcus Graham, William McInnes, Lucy Durack, Rachelle Durkin, Emma Matthews, Eddie Perfect, Tim Minchin and Simon Lyndon; musician Jamie Oehlers; and Indigenous rights activist and former AFL player Craig Turley.

Notable academics include politics lecturer Peter van Onselen.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "ECU Annual Report 2009" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  2. ^ a b "About ECU". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  3. ^ a b c "History of Edith Cowan University and its Predecessor Institutions". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  4. ^ a b "State Records Office of Western Australia: list of all recognised education and training institutions in WA". State Records Office of Western Australia. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "ECU Our campuses". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  6. ^ a b "ECU Off-campus study". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  7. ^ List of ECU Offshore programs, partners and regions http://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/offshore-programs
  8. ^ "Welcome to WAAPA". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  9. ^ "ECU Nursing Paramedicine and Midwifery". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  10. ^ "ECU Teacher Education". Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  11. ^ {"Psychology and Social Science 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  12. ^ "WACAE Details - State Records Office of WA". State Records Office of Western Australia. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  13. ^ "ECU Details - State Records Office of WA". State Records Office of Western Australia. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  14. ^ a b c d Edith Dircksey Cowan http://www.ecu.edu.au/about-ecu/welcome-to-ecu/edith-dircksey-cowan
  15. ^ a b "Edith Cowan House : the reconstruction". National Library of Australia. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  16. ^ "Peter Cowan Writers' Centre". Peter Cowan Writers' Centre. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  17. ^ Research Profile: http://www.ecu.edu.au/research/research-profile
  18. ^ Research Centres http://www.ecu.edu.au/research/research-profile/research-centres
  19. ^ ECU's Vice Chancellor http://www.ecu.edu.au/about-ecu/vice-chancellor
  20. ^ ECU University Council http://www.ecu.edu.au/about-ecu/university-council
  21. ^ Edit Cowan University Act 1984 http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/statutes/av.nsf/ecu
  22. ^ Joondalup Learning Precinct - http://www.joondaluplearningprecinct.com/
  23. ^ Mount Lawley Education Precinct - http://www.ecu.edu.au/community/initiatives/education-and-arts/mount-lawley-educational-precinct
  24. ^ Churchlands campus redevelopment http://www.ecu.edu.au/pr/CampusRedevelopment/
  25. ^ {"Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  26. ^ {"Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  27. ^ {"Engineering and Technology 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  28. ^ {"Teacher Education 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  29. ^ {"Teacher Education 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  30. ^ {"Nursing Paramedicine and Midwifery 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  31. ^ {"Law and Justice 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  32. ^ {"Psychology and Social Science 2011 Course Guide" (PDF). Edith Cowan University. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  33. ^ List of ECU Offshore programs, partners and regions http://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/offshore-programs
  34. ^ Ranking of World Business Schools
  35. ^ ECU Student Guild website: http://www.ecuguild.org.au/cms/ecuguild/pages/guild/home.html
  36. ^ Postgraduate student support http://www.ecuguild.org.au/cms/ecuguild/pages/guild/Postgrads.html
  37. ^ ECU International Students Council http://www.ecuguild.org.au/cms/ecuguild/pages/guild/ecuisc.html
  38. ^ ECU Student Guild - Undergraduate Page http://www.ecuguild.org.au/cms/ecuguild/pages/guild/educationboard.html
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