RMIT University Archives, Melbourne

RMIT University Archives, Melbourne

• University

RMIT University started its life in 1887 as the Working Men's College established with the aim of bringing education to the working people of Melbourne. Since that time, RMIT has grown from a technical college in Melbourne providing education in the arts, technology and trades to working men and women, to become a global university of technology, design and enterprise offering postgraduate, undergraduate and vocational programs.

The RMIT gained university status in 1992 and developed campuses in Bundoora and Brunswick in the city's northern suburbs, and later in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam. In 2013, RMIT opened a research and industry collaboration centre in Barcelona, Spain.

The main successors of the Working Men’s College leading to RMIT were:

• Melbourne Technical College, 1934-1954
• Royal Melbourne Technical College, 1954-1960
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), 1960-1992
• RMIT University, 1992-

A number of other colleges, schools and institutes merged with the above over the years, including:

• State College of Victoria (Coburg)
• Preston Institute of Technology
• Phillip Institute of Technology
• Emily McPherson College
• Melbourne College of Printing and Graphic Arts
• Melbourne Institute of Textiles.
  For further history, see https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-heritage/history-of-rmit
  For a family tree of predecessors of RMIT University, see the link on https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-heritage/rmit-archives-collection
  The records held by RMIT University Archives reflect this history.

Assistant Director, Information Management and Archives and Contact / or team leader: Archivist

Records of current and past students and staff of RMIT University and merged institutes and colleges including:

• State College of Victoria (Coburg)
• Preston Institute of Technology
• Phillip Institute of Technology
• Emily McPherson College
• Melbourne College of Printing and Graphic Arts
• Melbourne Institute of Textiles.

• Photographic collection from 1887
• Prospectus books, calendars and handbooks
• Correspondence and subject files
• Committees and Boards magazines, newsletters and journals
• Staff and student records.
  Quantity: 2,100 m
  For further information, see https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-heritage/rmit-archives-collection

• Stephen Murray-Smith and Anthony John Dare, The Tech. A Centenary of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House, Melbourne, 1987.
• Brian Carroll, A Decade of Achievement - Phillip Institute of Technology, RMIT Press, Abbotsford, Victoria, 1995.
• James Docherty, The Emily Mac - The story of The Emily McPherson College 1906-1979, Ormond, 1981.
• Bill Anderson, Threads. A History of the Melbourne Institute of Textiles 1949-1998, Melbourne Institute of Textiles, 1998.

Open by appointment Monday to Friday 9am-4pm.
Closed on weekends, Christmas to New Year and public holidays.

Access to the Archives is by appointment only, with advance notice of one week (preferably written) required stating the purpose of the research.

General reference assistance available.

Revised 5 May 2022

• Education (Thematic area)