In a world of mass production, ACU stands for meaningful education, rewarding research, and life-changing community engagement. Our mission and values form the core of who we are as a Catholic organisation. Discover our history, structure, and our journey to be a leader in research and teaching – a goal we’re already achieving as a top 2% world-ranked university. We’re a young university focused on embedding excellence. Learn how we’re growing towards our ambitions and meet our leadership team. The Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a public university in Australia. It has seven Australian campuses and also maintains a campus in Rome. In 2018 it had 34,834 students. ACU is made up of four faculties, which offer bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.The Australian Catholic University was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamation of four Catholic tertiary institutions in eastern Australia:Catholic College of Education Sydney, New South WalesInstitute of Catholic Education, VictoriaMcAuley College, QueenslandSignadou College of Education, Australian Capital TerritoryThese institutions had their origins in the mid-1800s, when religious orders and institutes became involved in preparing teachers for Catholic schools and, later, nurses for Catholic hospitals. Through a series of amalgamations, relocations, transfers of responsibilities and diocesan initiatives, more than 20 historical entities have contributed to the creation of the university.Great leadership starts with self-knowledge. As a Catholic university, we’re guided by our clear mission, strong sense of identity and firm set of values. All three influence the decisions we make as an institute of higher education, and guide our staff and students in their day-to-day lives. We know who we are. That’s how we can help you understand yourself and the world around you.Our MissionWithin the Catholic intellectual tradition and acting in Truth and Love, Australian Catholic University is committed to the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person and the common good. Our mission is at the heart of everything we do at ACU. It guides our approach to learning and teaching, our welcoming and engaging on-campus culture, and our commitment to building a better society by producing graduates willing to invest in this same commitment. In this mission, we engage the Catholic intellectual tradition to bring a distinct perspective to higher education.It’s important to honour traditions, particularly those that inspire us to be better people and lead better lives. That’s why we have a patron saint for the University and each faculty and campus. Our patron saints provide examples of acting in truth and love and what life in service to the pursuit of knowledge, dignity of the human person and the common good looks like. Whether they dedicated themselves to educating forgotten members of society or spent their lives in scholarly contemplation, our patron saints lived out our mission in days past.Our mission comes to life through the values that we’ve chosen to sit at the heart of the University and our community. Truth, academic excellence and service are our core values, but these are complemented by a further set of values that guide our daily operations: equity, diversity, accessibility, wellbeing and sustainability.Our ValuesAt ACU, our values are guided by the principles of the teaching of the Catholic moral and faith. They very carefully articulate our place in Australian society, and among Catholic universities globally. Adhering to our core values, we believe, allows us to provide students with an education and development opportunities that lead to a life of service. Our graduates go on to better their communities and society at large.Since Australian Catholic University first opened in 1991, it has been an institution committed to delivering excellence in education, research, and engagement. As a result, the university has progressed from strength to strength. ACU now has eight campuses in Australia and another in Italy. It is also currently ranked in the top 2% of all universities and is among the world’s top 10 Catholic universities. This impressive achievement stands testimony to the efforts of the many people who have served ACU with passion and dedication over the past 30 years.The ACU Strategic Plan 2020-2023: Impact through empathy was launched in 2019 by my esteemed predecessor Professor Greg Craven AO GCSG. This plan articulates ACU’s mission, vision, focus, and strategic priorities for the coming years. Significant steps have already been undertaken to meet its objectives. Few could have foreseen the levels of global disruption and economic uncertainty which occurred in 2020. However, the ACU Strategic Plan’s vision, with its focus on hope, faith, and reason through opportunity, innovation, and ethics, proved to be robust and relevant during this challenging time.As the new Vice-Chancellor and President of ACU, I am proud to be continuing with this plan as we commence the next stage of the ACU journey. As a university community, our collective purpose is neatly captured in the title of the plan – Impact through empathy. This phrase reflects our intent to make a positive, lasting, and measurable difference to students, staff, communities, and societies. As we move forward, we will create impact by adhering to our Catholic mission and remaining committed to the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person, and the common good. We will continue to offer our students an inclusive, ethics-based education, and we will search for solutions to local and global challenges through mission-aligned research. We will also support the broader community and advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves. As we work towards these shared objectives, I know that our hope, faith, and reason will provide us with the fortitude we require to face any challenges which may lay ahead.
Watch the videos to learn about the student life-cycle and the teaching environment at the University.
