University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
was established under and is governed by the University of Western Australia Act 1911.[2] The Act provides for control and management by the university's Senate, and gives it the authority, other things, to make statutes, regulations and by-laws, details of which are contained in the university Calendar.[3]is highly ranked internationally in various publications: the 2013/14 World University Rankings[4] placed at 84th internationally, and in August 2015 the Academic Ranking of World Universities from Shanghai Tong University placed the university at 87th in the world.[5] To date, the university has produced 100 Rhodes Scholars;[6] one Nobel Prize laureate[7] and one Australian Prime Minister[8] graduated from recently joined the Network of Universities as the youngest member, the only one established during the 20th century.The university was established in 1911 following the tabling of proposals by a royal commission in September 1910.[9]The original campus, which received its first students in March 1913, was located on Irwin Street in the of Perth, and consisted of several buildings situated between Hay Street and Terrace. Irwin Street was also known as "Tin Pan Alley" as many buildings featured corrugated iron roofs. These buildings served as the university campus until 1932, when the campus relocated to its present-day site in.[10]The founding chancellor, Sir John Winthrop died in 1916, and bequeathed property which, after being carefully managed for ten years, yielded £425,000 to the university, a far larger sum than expected. This allowed the construction of the main buildings. Many buildings and landmarks within the university bear his name, including Winthrop Hall Hall. In addition, his bequest funded many scholarships, because he did not wish eager students to be deterred from studying because they could not afford to do first decade there was controversy about whether the policy of free education was compatible with high expenditure on professorial chairs and faculties. An "old student" his concern in 1921 that there were 13 faculties serving only 280 students.[11]A remnant of the original buildings survives to this day in the form of the "Irwin Street Building",[12] so called after its former location. In the it was transported to the new campus and served a number of uses till its 1987 restoration, after which it was moved across campus to James Oval. Recently, the building has served as the Senate meeting room and is currently in use as a cricket pavilion and storage space for university archives. The building has been heritage-listed by both Trust and the Australian Heritage Council.The University's degree structure has changed recently to further separate the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees available. Justification for this new system is due to its simplicity and effectiveness in outsiders understanding the system. It is the first University in Western Australia to have this new system. Students entering the University at an undergraduate level must choose a three-year bachelor's degree. The university also offers the Bachelor of Philosophy course for high-achieving new students. This is a research intensive degree which takes four years instead of the usual three for the other bachelor's degrees. Students studying the course choose disciplines from any of the four bachelor's degrees. Places are very limited with on average only about 30 places offered to students each year. Thus there is a lot of competition for places and the cut-off admission rank is very high.[14] offers a Bachelor of High school graduates with high academic achievement are able to apply for "assured pathways". This means they are assured a place in the postgraduate degree for their chosen discipline while they complete their undergraduate degree. Assured pathways are offered for studies in fields such as medicine, law, dentistry and engineering.[15] Prospective students may apply for an assured pathway through the Bachelor of Philosophy. The assured pathways to Dentistry via the Bachelor of Philosophy is the most difficult undergraduate and postgraduate pathway to obtain from the University. Only one place is offered each year.High school graduates with high academic achievement are able to apply for "assured pathways". This means they are assured a place in the postgraduate degree for their chosen discipline while they complete their undergraduate degree. Assured pathways are offered for studies in fields such as medicine, law, dentistry and engineering.[15] Prospective students may apply for an assured pathway through the Bachelor of Philosophy. The assured pathways to Dentistry via the Bachelor of Philosophy is the most difficult undergraduate and postgraduate pathway to obtain from the University. Only one place is offered each year.Postgraduate study is offered previous-study-related disciplines and in professional disciplines that do not require previous tertiary study in that area, such as medicine, nursing, law and dentistry. Masters, , other doctorates, and other postgraduate coursework are offered to students who meet the academic requirements for undergraduate degrees in the same study area. Examples of this include postgraduate degrees in engineering, computer science and information technology, architecture, and research degrees and doctorates in biology.Students from other universities may transfer to based on their GPA to undertake postgraduate study. Occasionally, undergraduate students may transfer to the university, based also on their GPA, to complete the degree they have already begun at another tertiary institution. is one of the largest landowners in Perth as a result of government and private bequests, and is constantly expanding its infrastructure. Recent developments include the $22 million University Club, opened in June 2005, and the Complex, opened in August 2005. In addition, in September 2005 opened its $64 million Molecular and Chemical Sciences building as part of a commitment to nurturing and developing high quality research and development. In May 2008, a $31 million Business School building opened. In August 2014 a $9 million research facility was completed, providing modern facilities for carbon research. A current expansion project is underway to introduce a-dollar Indian Ocean Marine Research, expected to be completed by 2016.[16][17]The sits on the Swan River, about five west of the Perth central business district. Many of the buildings are coastal limestone and Donnybrook sandstone, including the large and iconic Winthrop Hall[18]with its Romanesque Revival architecture. These buildings are dotted expansive lawns and thickets of trees, such as the Sunken Garden and the Tropical Grove. The beauty of the grounds and rich history of the campus make it a popular spot for weddings.The Arts Faculty building (first occupied in 1964) encompasses the New Fortune.[19] This open-air venue is a replica of the original Elizabethan Fortune and has hosted regular performances of Shakespeare's plays co-produced by the Graduate Dramatic Society[20] and the University Dramatic Society.[21] The venue is also home to a family of peafowl donated to the University by the Perth Zoo in 1975 after a gift by Sir Laurence -Hall.[22]The Museum of Anthropology, located on the ground floor of the Social Sciences Building, contains one of the world's finest collection of Aboriginal art, according to the Collections Australia Network (CAN).[23] Its Asian and Melanesian collections are also of strong interest. Established in 1976 by Ronald and Catherine, it is planned to be incorporated in a purpose-built permanent structure, the Aboriginal Cultures Museum, which has been designed[24] and is awaiting funding.