Our reputation and history
Learn about Deakin's history and how we've rapidly grown to become one of Australia's most respected and awarded universities.
Awards and achievements
Deakin is renowned for:
- excellent teaching and innovative course delivery
- a student-focussed culture
- being accessible, helpful and friendly.
Deakin is a sector leader for student satisfaction, currently first in Victoria and third in Australia (Australian Graduate Survey).
Deakin was awarded a 5-star rating by the prestigious university ranking organisation Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Teaching awards and research success
Deakin regularly does well in national awards for teaching excellence.
Deakin has achieved considerable success in ARC and NHMRC grants and the Australian government's Excellence in Research (ERA) initiative has assessed much of Deakin's research as being either world-class or above world standards.
Deakin awarded 5 stars
"A typical Five Stars university is generally world class in a broad range of areas, enjoys a high reputation and has cutting edge facilities and internationally renowned research and teaching faculty."
Deakin's history
Established in 1974, Deakin was Victoria's fourth university and the first in regional Victoria.
Deakin has been strengthened by a series of successful mergers with strong partners, each of whom has contributed significantly to our character and approach.
Today, Deakin operates in a global, connected world with the digital economy influencing every aspect of our activities.
Deakin started life as a small regional university, but has now become one of Australia's major universities, with high-tech facilities and impressive architecture.
Deakin facts and statistics
Deakin is Australia's 9th largest university with over 42,000 students, of whom approximately a fifth are international students from over 100 countries.
Our students
- Deakin has over 42,000 students
- We have more than 8,000 international students from over 100 different countries
- 29% of our students study off-campus, while 35% of our students study part-time
- 40% of our domestic students, and 28% of our international students, are mature age (25 or older)
- More than 22% of our domestic students come from regional and remote areas
- 2% of our students are indigenous (the largest number of indigenous students at any Victorian University)
- Almost 5% of our students have a disability
Our staff and resources
- Deakin employs more than 3,300 staff.
- 47% of our staff are Academic (lecturers and teaching staff)
- Our library holds more than 1.5 million books
- Our buildings have a total floor area of 414,000 square metres, and we're still building.
