Murdoch University 

Murdoch University
Murdoch University Logo

Established: 1975
Type: Public
Chancellor: Terry Budge
Vice-Chancellor: Professor John Yovich AM
Faculty: 1,300
Undergraduates: 10,200
Postgraduates: 2,200
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Campus: Urban
Organisations: Member of IRU Australia
Website: Murdoch University

Murdoch University is an Australian university with its main campus at Murdoch, 14 kilometres (9 mi) south of Perth, Western Australia, and additional campuses at Rockingham and Mandurah. It commenced operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975. Its name is taken from Sir Walter Murdoch (1874-1970), the Founding Professor of English and former Chancellor of The University of Western Australia

Contents

Faculties and Schools

There are six faculties and sixteen schools at Murdoch University:[1]

History

Murdoch University was initially intended to cater predominantly to mature-aged students. As a result, many courses are available externally and an increasing number are available online.

Curtin University of Technology and Murdoch University agreed in June 2005 to undertake a feasibility study on merging. On November 7, 2005, both institutions issued a press release stating that such a merger will not be undertaken.

In 2006 and 2007, the South Street campus library underwent major building works to remove asbestos from the roof (in an ongoing project involving other university buildings)not in citation given and construct the new Learning Common. As part of these works, some library items were rearranged, including the re-shelving of most items to be in DDC sequence on the South Wing.[2][3]

Strengths and affiliations

Murdoch University is a highly research intensive institution and a member of Innovative Research Universities Australia (IRU Australia). Its Asia Research Centre, founded in 1991 as a Special Research Centre of the Australia Research Council, is regarded as an international leader in the study of social, political and economic dynamics in East and Southeast Asia.

According to The Australian newspaper ("What makes a good school of journalism"), the Graduate Careers Council of Australia found its Journalism School is one of Australia's top five.[4]

Murdoch University is the founder of the ACICIS (Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies) Study Indonesia program, a non-profit consortium of Australian universities that was established in 1994 to coordinate semester-long study programs at partner universities in Yogyakarta and Malang in Indonesia, for Australian university students.[5]

Chancellery Building
Chancellery Building

Campuses

Murdoch University has three campuses: South Street, Rockingham Regional Campus, and Peel Campus.

South Street

The main campus is located at South Street in the suburb of Murdoch, near the Kwinana Freeway (32°03′60″S 115°50′06″E / -32.066520, 115.835080 (Murdoch University, South Street campus)). South Street campus is Australia's geographically largest campus at 2.27 square kilometres (0.88 sq mi), necessary in order to accommodate Western Australia's only veterinary school. Most of the southern part of the university consists of paddocks of livestock, farm and renewable energy facilities.

The original group of buildings surround an open court, known as "Bush Court", in the northern part of Murdoch campus. Bush Court contains the highest point on campus. The buildings are linked on the court's sides by broad colonnaded verandahs in a compact design which aims at encouraging a sense of community. Features around campus include the Chinese garden and the Joglo Rahayu (Peace Pavilion).

Library

The main library on the Murdoch campus is located on the south end of Bush Court. It consists of a North Wing (levels 2-4), a Link (levels 2-3) and a South Wing (levels 1-4). Membership is open to the public for a fee.[6] The Learning Common, in North Wing and Link levels 2 and 3 provides 24 hour computer access and security services. A walk dedicated to Sir Walter Murdoch is located on South Wing Level 2.

The main entrance on North Wing Level 3 is accessed from Bush Court. A separate after-hours entry is located in the Learning Common on Link level 2.not in citation given

Student Village

Murdoch University Student Village is an on-campus residential community consisting of 98 self-contained flats. Rooms are divided between single bedrooms and twin-share rooms. It hosts over 500 resident students and student organisations which run events with free attendance for residents. The student village is located north-west of the main campus, and placement is only available to full-time Murdoch University students upon application.

Student Village at night
Student Village at night

Joglo Rahayu

The Joglo Rahayu (Peace Pavilion) is a semi-enclosed pavilion located near the Education and Humanities building. Built as a monument to ongoing association between Murdoch University and Indonesian academic institutions in Java, it acts as storage for the only Gamelan orchestra in Western Australia. Classes are also held in the pavilion to instruct students interested in playing the Javanese instruments.citation needed

Rockingham Regional Campus

The Rockingham Regional Campus is located 38 kilometres (23.61 mi) south of central Perth in the suburb of Rockingham (32°16′41″S 115°45′03″E / -32.277917, 115.750945 (Murdoch University, Rockingham campus)). Opened in 1996, it is co-located with Rockingham TAFE campus, and features an arts and commerce building. Engineering teaching facilities were formerly located at Rockingham, but were moved to Murdoch campus in 2008.

Rockingham Regional Campus Community Library

Rockingham Regional Campus Community Library, located at the Rockingham Campus, is a joint venture between the university, the City of Rockingham and Challenger TAFE. Members of all of these groups have free access to library membership.

Membership entitles all patrons to access to TAFE, university and public library resources at Rockingham.[7]

Kwinana Industries Education Partnership (KIEP)

The Kwinana Industries Education Partnership (KIEP), an ongoing project located in the main courtyard at the Rockingham Campus, is a formal agreement between members of the Kwinana Industries Council and local senior high schools. It was initiated in 1993 by major industry members of the Kwinana Industries Council and officially launched in 1995.[8]

Communities Linking Computer Knowledge (CLiCK)

Communities Linking Computer Knowledge (CLiCK), located at the Rockingham Campus, first started in 2005 as the Regional Students' Association Computer Recycling Program, and has since become an incorporated non-profit organisation. It "helps students, people unable to afford computers and non-profit organisations obtain computers free of charge."[9]

Peel Campus

The Peel Campus is located 64 kilometres (39.77 mi) south of central Perth in the suburb of Greenfields, Western Australia, near the regional centre of Mandurah (32°31′03″S 115°45′21″E / -32.517380, 115.755934 (Murdoch University, Peel campus)). Opened in 2004, it houses teaching facilities for nursing and life sciences.

Student demographics

Murdoch University is home to 14,271 students (as of August 31, 2006),[10] of whom over 2,000 are international students.

Murdoch University also partners with other educational institutions, such as KDU College in Malaysia, to provide university degrees to off-shore students.

Murdoch has many students from Singapore, Malaysia, China, United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Kenya and Taiwan.[11]

Student organisations

Student Guild

The Murdoch University Guild of Students is the student representative association at Murdoch University. Under the previous universal student membership legislation, all students automatically became members of the guild, although they could subsequently opt out or opt in of membership. In 2005, voluntary student unionism legislation was introduced by the Federal government. Students can now choose not to be members of the guild, or choose to be basic or financial members (financial members pay fees and receive additional entitlements, including discounts).

As well as handling student representation and assistance with education and welfare issues, the Guild manages two food outlets on campus, runs the tavern, sports and recreation centre and the second-hand bookshop. The guild partially finances many of the student associations on campus and run specific guild events of their own. In 2007 the Guild introduced a new department called "Students Without Borders". SWB comprises many programs that enable students to get involved and contribute to the community, such as tutoring, language classes, social justice campaigns, and the computer recycling program. At the beginning of 2008, the Guild opened the new 'Social Justice Centre' in Bush Court, the focal point of the South Street campus. The Social Justice Centre is designed to facilitate campus activism, and is a place where students can hold meetings and get involved in campaigns. The Guild also publishes Metior, the campus magazine.

The Guild is the recognised channel of communication between the student body and the University Administration and has representatives on a vast array of the University's committees where the interests of students are involved.

The Guild is affiliated with the National Union of Students, and its postgraduate student association (Murdoch University Postgraduate Student Association (MUPSA)) is a member of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.

In 2008 the Guild President is Clare Middlemas, and the Education Vice President is Basha Stasak. [12]

Regional Students' Association (RSA)

Formed officially in 1998 as the Rockingham Student Council, the Regional Students' Association is the official Guild council representing students at the Rockingham and Peel Campuses. During 2000-2001, it officially changed its name to the Rockingham Students' Association. After the Peel Campus was opened, it changed to its current name.[13]

Murdoch University Postgraduate Student Association (MUPSA)

The Murdoch University Postgraduate Student Association (MUPSA) is a subsidiary council of the Guild intdended to help postgraduates with all aspects of their candidature. "MUPSA is run by postgraduates for postgraduates."[14]

Feeder institutions

Murdoch Institute of Technology

The Murdoch Institute of Technology (MIT) was established by the university and the Alexander Education Group. It is a feeder college catering for students wishing to complete diploma level courses. Future plans involve building dedicated facilities on the tennis courts north of the SSHE building, which currently houses the School of Education's teaching caravans and some satellite dishes.

Murdoch College

Main article: Murdoch College

On the north east corner of the South Street campus, Murdoch College was established by the university and the Alexander Education Group in 2000 to cater for secondary students in a university environment and to enrich their academic, social and personal potential. It is one of few secondary schools on a university campus in Australia. It offers a full complement of Year 7-12 subjects across the 8 learning areas. Many students from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Korea enrol at Murdoch College and enhance its strong multicultural ethos.

Transport

Public transport

Murdoch campus is approximately 800 metres from Murdoch Train Station, and is linked by bus services. The CircleRoute bus service travels from the campus to Fremantle and other suburban centres.

Rockingham campus is linked by bus services to Rockingham Train Station, approximately 1500 metres away.

Shuttle Bus

The Murdoch and Rockingham campuses are linked by a shuttle bus operated by the university, which patrons must pay to use.

Faculty & Alumni

References

  1. ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.murdoch.edu.au/faculties/|title=Schools at Murdoch University|accessdate=2008-05-25
  2. ^ "Murdoch Campus Library Refurbishment 2006-07". Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
  3. ^ "Murdoch Campus Library Refurbishment 2006-07 Reshelving". Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
  4. ^ What makes a good school of journalism | The Australian
  5. ^ "ACICIS - Study Indonesia". Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
  6. ^ "Community Members". Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  7. ^ "ABOUT ROCKINGHAM REGIONAL CAMPUS COMMUNITY LIBRARY". Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  8. ^ "Kwinana Industries Education Partnership". Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  9. ^ "CLiCK Computer Recycling & Computer Assistance - About" (2007-02-08). Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  10. ^ Office of Policy & Planning - Enrolments by Level, Attendance Type & Gender (new report available)
  11. ^ Office of Policy & Planning - Enrolments by Country of Permanent Residence & Commencing Status
  12. ^ www.guild.murdoch.edu.au
  13. ^ Murdoch University Guild | Home - Murdoch University Guild of Students, Perth, Western Australia
  14. ^ "MUPSA Online". Retrieved on 2007-05-12.

External links

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