Deakin to celebrate 50 years

DEAKIN University is gearing up to mark its 50th anniversary, inviting the Geelong community to its celebratory events.

A free Community Festival will begin festivities on November 29 at the Waurn Ponds campus, where Deakin got its start.

Deakin vice-chancellor professor Iain Martin said he was delighted to host the festival and welcomed people with connections to Deakin and the broader community to join in the fun.

“Deakin owes much of its great success as an internationally recognised university to the people of Geelong who campaigned over many years to bring to life the idea of a fourth university for Victoria and the first regional university in the state.

“Our growth and development from a small campus in a paddock, to a global leader in education and research with four campuses across Victoria is a testament to all those people who have made remarkable contributions to our university over the decades.”

In its 50 years, the university has produced more than 350,000 graduates from 13 schools across four faculties.

The university was formed in 1974, with history made on December 10 that year, when Royal Assent was granted to establish Deakin at Waurn Ponds.

An initial intake of 2445 students and 404 staff started the journey for Deakin, led by inaugural chancellor Peter Thwaites and vice-chancellor Professor Fred Jevons.

Victorian Premier Rupert Hamer officially opened Deakin’s doors on May 11, 1978, and within its first 10 years, it became the first university nursing school to open in Australia.

It was also the first to introduce an innovative mix of community teaching and on campus learning for Indigenous teacher education.

The free community festival will take place at 4pm on the Union Green with live entertainment, market stalls, food trucks, free activities and finishes at 9pm with a fireworks display.

For more information and to book tickets to the event, head to 50years.deakin.edu.au