Edith Cowan University

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is an Australian public university located in Perth, Western Australia. It is named after the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament, Edith Cowan, and is the only Australian university named after a woman. ECU is situated in Western Australia, with more than 30,000 students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, approximately 6,000 of whom are international students originating from over 100 countries outside Australia. ECU was granted university status in 1991 and was formed from an amalgamation of teachers' colleges with a history dating back to 1902 when the Claremont Teachers College was established, making ECU the modern descendant of the first institution of higher education in Western Australia. The university offers more than 300 courses across two metropolitan campuses, in Mount Lawley and Joondalup, and a regional campus in the South West, Bunbury, 200 km south of Perth; many courses are also offered for study online. Additionally, the university has partnerships with several education institutions to conduct courses and programs offshore.Amongst its divisions are the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), a performing arts training academy; the School of Nursing and Midwifery, which offers a large undergraduate nursing program and the School of Education which offers a wide range of secondary teaching specialisations. The university also provides Psychology and Community Studies, and is home to the WA Screen Academy. In the 2019 Student Experience Survey, Edith Cowan University recorded the fifth highest student satisfaction rating out of all Australian universities, and the highest student satisfaction rating out of all public Western Australian universities, with an overall satisfaction rating of 83.The origins of Edith Cowan University date back to 1902 with the establishment of Claremont Teachers College, the first tertiary education institution in Western Australia. Other teacher training colleges were formed over the years, including Graylands Teachers College (GTC), the Western Australian Secondary Teachers College (WASTC), Nedlands College of Advanced Education (NCAE), Mount Lawley Teachers College (MLTC) and Churchlands Teachers College. In 1982 these colleges were all merged to form the Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE) - with campuses in Churchlands, Nedlands, Claremont, Bunbury and Joondalup.nThe Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE) was granted university status on 1 January 1991 and changed its name to Edith Cowan University.Edith Cowan University was named after the first woman to be elected to an Australian Parliament, Edith Dircksey Cowan, and is the only Australian university named after a woman. Cowan worked to raise funds for students to attend universities in other states, prior to a university being built in Western Australia, obtaining government support for her scheme. Her work in this area was acknowledged by naming Western Australia's oldest education institution and newest university after her, as well as her image being added to the Australian $50 note.Cowan believed that education was the key to growth, change and improvement and her contribution to the development of Western Australian education was significant. She strove to achieve social justice and campaigned for the rights of women, children and families, for the poor, the poorly educated and the elderly. She promoted sex education in schools, migrant welfare, and the formation of infant health centres, and was instrumental in obtaining votes for women in Western Australia. In 1991, the university purchased the house that Cowan, her husband and family had resided in for approximately 20 years. The house was reconstructed on the university's Joondalup Campus with the assistance of the West Coast College of TAFE, and re-opened in 1997. Edith Cowan House, Building 20 on the university's Joondalup Campus, currently plays host to the Peter Cowan Writer's Centre.Guided by our strategic goals, ECU is building on our reputation for excellence in teaching, developing the quality and volume of our research outputs and increasing international programs and collaborations. The ECU Strategic Plan, 2017-2021 – World Ready plots a course to achieve these strategic goals and grow the University’s reputation for having world ready graduates and leading edge research.VisionTo be recognised for our world ready graduates and leading edge research.ValuesIntegrity - being honest, ethical and fair.Respect - considering the opinions and values of others.Rational Inquiry - motivated by evidence and reasoning.Personal Excellence - demonstrating the highest personal and professional standards.In 2021, ECU celebrates its 30th anniversary. We've come a long way since 1991, growing into a modern, vibrant university and accomplishing some pretty incredible things. Like earning a spot in the Top 100 young universities worldwide and having teaching quality consistently ranked among the best in Australia. ECU acknowledges and respects the continuing relationship with the Noongar people, the traditional custodians of the land upon which its campuses stand. Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU's Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research, plays a vital role in assisting the university to meet its commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

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