The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (now officially known only as RMIT University), is a university in Melbourne, Australia. Its main campus is located in the city's central business district.

Founded by Francis Ormond in 1887 as the Working Men’s College, and renamed Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1960, RMIT University was given formal university status in 1992.

In 2003, 58,078 students studied at RMIT University campuses in Melbourne and regional Victoria, Vietnam, online, by distance education and at more than 190 partner institutions throughout the world. Prospective students currently have a choice of more than 200 TAFE and higher education programs.

RMIT belongs to the Australian Technology Network (ATN), an influential alliance of five prominent Australian universities of technology located in each mainland state of Australia. ATN universities share a history of collaboration and a commitment to partnerships with industry and the community.

RMIT has had a somewhat troubled recent financial history, at least partly due to a bungled upgrade of the university's student administration system that cost tens of millions of dollars. However, the university has maintained teaching services and has kept staff (though the financial situation is still reportedly tight). The financial woes eventually claimed the Vice-Chancellor and some of the university's board.

On April 4, 2005 RMIT University appointed a new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Margaret Gardner. Having gained a first class honours degree in Economics and a PhD from the University of Sydney, Professor Gardner has had a prominent career as an academic, working in a number of successful Australian educational institutions.

External link

• Official website
• newspaper article discussing recent financial issues

See also

• List of universities in Australia