Southern Cross University

The early 1990s was an exciting time for Southern Cross University as it evolved from what was a Teachers College, in the 1970s, into a fully-fledged University with its own identity in 1994. This site has been developed to showcase stories, historical information and personal recollections of the University's development. It includes a condensed Brief History of SCU from Teachers College (pre-1994) to University.Our people are driven by excellence and a desire to constantly build on the quality of their teaching and research. We are a university of great collegiality and high achievement. We are surrounded by ambitious students, amazing and dedicated colleagues and environments of stunning natural beauty. Our campuses, at Lismore in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, on the Gold Coast across from Kirra Beach and in picturesque Coffs Harbour, are the envy of Australia. Whale-watching from a Gold Coast classroom or spotting a koala from a Lismore lab are part of the unique Southern Cross experience. Southern Cross is deeply rooted in its regional communities and demonstrates that world-class research, teaching and learning thrives outside metropolitan centres. We create and apply knowledge in partnership with our communities in fields that are regionally relevant and globally significant. We are a world-ranked university, but the greatest measures of our success are the careers we have fostered among 66,000 alumni, who stride a global stage with confidence. The academic structure of Southern Cross is built upon four faculties – the Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Education.Additionally, we offer a range of inclusive pathway programs through SCU College and nurture a strong connection with our Indigenous communities and scholarship through the Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples. Thanks to the powerful delivery of online study in a wide range of disciplines, Southern Cross embraces students from all over Australia – geography is no longer a barrier to accessing a distinctive university education of the highest calibre. Our network of campuses and partners displays the cosmopolitan nature of 21st century Australia. Our branch campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth welcome international students, while our partnership with Mulpha Australia flourishes through The Hotel School, Australia’s premier hotel and tourism management institution, with campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hayman Island.Like many of the world’s best universities, being a smaller institution is to our advantage, reflected not only in the personalised student experience we offer but also in our research impact. In the latest Excellence in Research for Australia report, Southern Cross achieved outstanding ratings of 'at world standard' or above in 23 research fields. In 14 research fields, the University was evaluated at the highest possible classification of 'well above world standard'. This was achieved in the fields of Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, Oceanography, Environmental Science and Management, Ecology, Zoology, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Crop and Pasture Production, Fisheries Sciences, Forestry Sciences, Civil Engineering, Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy, Nursing, Complementary and Alternative Medicine.The initial predecessor institution to Southern Cross University was the Lismore Teachers' College, which commenced operation on 23 February 1970, at what is now the Northern Rivers Conservatorium site. On 1 September 1971, the Lismore Teachers College became a College of Advanced Education, under the Higher Education Act 1969, with the institution soon renamed Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education in 1973. Dr (later Professor) Rod Treyvaud was appointed principal in 1984, and oversaw an extensive building programme and the introduction of six new degree courses. Following the publication of the Commonwealth Government's White Paper on Higher Education in 1988 and its emphasis on the development of larger tertiary education institutions in Australia, Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education agreed to an association with the University of New England (UNE). On 17 July 1989 the Northern Rivers CAE thus became part of network University of New England, with some 1800 staff and some 9500 EFTSU (effective full-time student units).There was however dissatisfaction with the new network university, and on 29 June 1993 the federal and state ministers for education jointly announced that a new university would be established in the North Coast of NSW, which would consist of campuses at Lismore (formerly UNE - Northern Rivers) and Coffs Harbour (formerly UNE - Coffs Harbour Centre). It was subsequently announced that the new institution would be called Southern Cross University. Appropriate legislation was passed by both houses of the New South Wales Parliament in October 1993, and received the Royal Assent on 9 November 1993. Southern Cross University was formally established on 1 January 1994.In 2010, Southern Cross University opened a new campus in the southern Gold Coast area of Queensland, at Coolangatta just 400 metres from North Kirra Beach and adjacent to the Gold Coast International Airport. Views of the Pacific Ocean can be seen from many vantage points in the campus' buildings. The Foundation Building was opened in 2010 and a second 10-story building opened in February 2013. In 2019 a new health sciences building was opened at the Coffs Harbour campus funded from the Australian Government’s Community Development Grants program. Degrees in nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy and sport exercise science are offered in the new space.The University is governed by a Council, to which the Chief Executive Officer (the Vice-Chancellor) reports. The Council is responsible for the management of the University's affairs. The major academic body providing advice to Council on academic matter is the Academic Board. The Council has 15 members, including the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor, the Chair of the Academic Board, two members appointed by the Minister, six members appointed by Council, three elected staff members and one elected student member. Staff and students at Southern Cross University undertake research in a wide range of areas, including civil engineering, crop and pasture production, complementary and alternative medicine, ecology, education, environmental science and management, fisheries sciences, forestry sciences, geochemistry, human movement and sports science, human rights research, information technology, nursing, oceanography, policy and administration, philosophy and ethics, resources engineering and extractive metallurgy, tourism, and zoology.

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