RMIT University Archives, Melbourne

Identity area

Identifier

daa/551

Authorized form of name

RMIT University Archives, Melbourne

Parallel form(s) of name

Other form(s) of name

Type

  • University

Contact area

 

Senior Coordinator

Type

Address

Street address

Wurundjeri Country, Building 202 Plenty Road, Bundoora

Locality

Melbourne

Region

Victoria

Country name

Postal code

3083

Telephone

03 9925 6067

Fax

Note

Description area

History

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.

Geographical and cultural context

Mandates/Sources of authority

Administrative structure

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

Records management and collecting policies

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.

Buildings

Holdings


  • 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

Finding aids, guides and publications


  • 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.

Access area

Opening times

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

Access conditions and requirements

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

Accessibility

Services area

Research services

General reference assistance available.

Reproduction services

Public areas

Control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Revised 5 May 2022

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Maintenance notes

Access points

Access Points

  • Education (Thematic area)
  • Clipboard

Primary contact

Wurundjeri Country, Building 202 Plenty Road, Bundoora
Melbourne, Victoria 3083