Victoria Institute of Colleges

Full description

Established by the Victoria Institute of Colleges Act 1965 (as amended), the Victoria Institute of Colleges was responsible for controlling non-university tertiary education in Victoria until 1980, when control passed to the Victoria Post-Secondary Education Commission (VPSEC; VA 721). Prior to this, institutions offering non-university tertiary education in Victoria (apart from the Churches and the army) were either administered and staffed directly by the Education Department, or controlled by their own Council, employing their own staff. The latter included the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Swinburne, Ballarat School of Mines, Bendigo Technical College, and the Gordon Institute of Technology. Courses were to diploma level. Section 23 of the Act enabled the Institute to award degrees of equal status of the universities for courses of an appropriate standard undertaken in affiliated colleges. This power, together with the need for some administrative order, seems to have lain at the heart of the formation of the Institute (judging from the Parliamentary Debates Session 1964-65 Volume 278). Affiliation was by application to or invitation from the Institute.

The Institute was a body corporate, governed by a Council. Members represented Parliament, the tertiary sector in general, the Department of Education, the academic staff of the affiliated colleges, the Victorian universities, commerce and industry, the principals of the affiliated colleges, graduates of the Institute (from 1967 Act and 1971 Act No. 8115), students of the affiliated colleges (from 1973 Act No. 8496), and the State College Victoria (from 1975 Act No. 8710). An Interim Council was appointed in June 1965, and the first Council appointed in June 1967. The first meetings of the councils were in June 1965 and June 1967 respectively.

The Institute's responsibilities were:

(a) to serve the community and in particular the citizens of Victoria-
(i) by fostering the development and improvement of institutions offering tertiary education and of tertiary education other than in the universities of Victoria
(ii) by assisting and encouraging affiliated colleges to develop and improve tertiary education to meet the needs of the community in general and enrolled students in particular
(iii) by awarding degrees, diplomas and other awards to enrolled students of affiliated colleges who have attained standards approved by the Institute at examination in courses approved by the Institute:
Provided that no degree shall be awarded by the Institute to enrolled students unless that student has successfully completed a course of study which is comparable in standard (though not necessarily similar in kind) to that required for the award of a degree at the universities of Victoria
(iv) By fostering the general welfare and development of enrolled students between affiliated colleges, and
(v) By entering into arrangements with universities and other institutions for the recognition of work done by enrolled students at affiliated colleges and for the recognition of work done at universities and other institutions by the affiliated colleges and the Institute

(b) to provide such facilities for the aforesaid objects as the Council deems necessary or conducive for their attainment. (Section 5 Victoria Institute of Colleges Act 1965 as amended)

The Council was required to:
* make reports and recommendations to the Governor in Council on matters relating to tertiary education in Victoria (other than universities in Victoria)
* co-ordinate the activities of the affiliated colleges
* make applications and recommendations to the Governor in Council concerning the financial requirements of the colleges
* make recommendations to the governing bodies of the affiliated colleges concerning the appointment of principals of colleges
* determine the staffing establishment for affiliated colleges in consultation with the governing bodies of the colleges
* stimulate the improvement of academic standards in the affiliated colleges
* carry out investigations and surveys in relation to the development of tertiary education (other than universities in Victoria)
* report on matters relating to tertiary education (other than universities in Victoria) referred to it for investigation and report by the Minister of Education
* make applications and submissions on behalf of the State of Victoria in relation to tertiary education (other than universities in Victoria) as required by the Treasurer of Victoria
* with the approval of the Minister, initiate and foster the establishment and development of new colleges (from 1971 Act No. 8115)
(Section 26 Victoria Institute of Colleges Act 1965 as amended)

Under the provisions of the Post Secondary Education Act 1978, the Institute no longer reported directly to the Governor in Council or the Minister for Education but to the newly formed Victorian Post-Secondary Education Commission. The Institute was succeeded by the Post-Secondary Education Commission under the provisions of the Post Secondary Education (Amendment) Act 1980.