30 years ago, we officially started building a better today

On 1 July 1992, Swinburne officially gained university status when we were proclaimed Swinburne University of Technology. But we’ve been providing the transformative power of education since way before that. In 1908, George and Ethel Swinburne founded us. Swinburne was built on equality, fairness and the bold vision for a better tomorrow.  

In 2022, Swinburne celebrates 30 years as a university. We’re 30 years young. And proud of it. So, blow out the candles, turn up the music, and take a deep dive of discovery into our vibrant past, present and future.

Swinburne turns 30 Years Young
Swinburne turns 30 Years Young
*Real industry experience guarantee applies to newly commencing undergraduate students from 2021.  
Video transcript [PDF 178KB]

30 years of people and technology working together to build a better world

  • Creator | 30 years young

    Nathan Nankervis

    Swinburne Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) (Honours) graduate and emerging artist Nathan Nankervis is making art to make people think and smile. 

    Read more (Nathan Nankervis)

  • Entrepreneur | 30 years young

    Jacqueline Savage

    Swinburne alum Jacqueline Savage is the founder of Medcorp Technologies, a revolutionary medical technology company.

    Read more (Jacqueline Savage)
  • Dr Andrew Peters

    Activist | 30 years young

    Dr Andrew Peters

    Swinburne staff member Dr Andrew Peters is a driving force in Indigenous and reconciliation areas.

    Read more (Dr Andrew Peters)

Interactive timeline of innovation at Swinburne

To celebrate 30 Years Young, Nature Research Custom Media, the commercial partnership wing of the renowned international scientific journal Nature, has created a timeline to celebrate 30 years of innovation at Swinburne.
 

Explore the 30 years of innovation interactive timeline

From the archives

Immerse yourself in the images that tell the story of our history and vision for the future. Plus, Swinburne staff get unlimited access to the archives.

Swinburne staff member? Explore our history archives
  • A photograph from the early 1900s of the Honourable George Swinburne and his baby daughter, Margaret who appears around six months old. She sits on his lap in a white frilly dress, he has an arm around her.
    The Honourable George Swinburne with his daughter Margaret
  • Two women hold champagne bottles in a bar
    Swinburne staff at the celebration of Swinburne gaining university status
  • Nine librarians pose for a group photograph at the Swinburne library in 1974. They wear clothes typical of the 1970s – paisley, clogs and crochet. One lies across a desk, another lies at the front smoking a pipe!
    Swinburne librarians circa 1974
  • A black and white photograph of a man sitting at a '90s style computer. He is looking at graphics on screen
    Swinburne's CRAY Supercomputer in 1992
  • A group of six people walk around the Swinburne design exhibition. Artworks are displayed in pods scattered throughout the room.
    Students at Swinburne School of Design's annual exhibition in 1992

30 years of engaging with Indigenous and reconciliation matters

Swinburne has built significant relationships for more than thirty years with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. We have a demonstrated long-standing commitment to genuinely engaging with communities and organisations to increase higher education and vocational education access, participation and achievement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In the past six years, we have also developed a strong history of national academic and industry leadership in reconciliation. We were the first university to attain an Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and are currently on our second Elevate RAP. We co-organised the inaugural National RAP Conference and recently launched Australia’s first National Centre for Reconciliation Practice.

Discover more about the Moondani Toombadool Centre and the National Centre for Reconciliation Practice, which engage with Indigenous matters and reconciliation respectively at Swinburne.