Collection 3465 - Bathurst Teachers' College, Mitchell College of Advanced Education, and Charles Sturt University publications and transcripts

The Bathurst Teachers' College was established on the site of the Bathurst Experiment Farm. The first students commenced their training on the 12 March 1951, although the College was not officially opened until 9 November 1951 (1).
The curriculum of the College qualified students for primary school teaching. In addition to further tuition in the primary school syllabus, there was teaching in education and health which were professional rather than pedagogical requirements (2). Initially the course was of two years duration after which the students were awarded a Teachers' Certificate by the Education Department. This was a Certificate of Attainment (3).
In 1968 the course was increased in length to three years (4).
In 1969 the Higher Education Act heralded the beginning of Colleges of Advanced Education (5). The Bathurst Teachers' College was chosen as the site for the Mitchell College of Advanced Education. It was formally closed on 31 December 1969 and became the School of Teacher Education in the Mitchell College of Advanced Education (6).

Footnotes and References:
(1) The Story of Three Colleges: a history of the Bathurst Government Reserve, Racecourse, Experiment Farm School, Teachers' College and Mitchell College of Advanced Education, p.80
(2) Ibid p.91
(3) Ibid p.90-91
(4) Ibid p.91
(5) Ibid p.151
(6) Ibid p.153

On the 19 September 1967 it was announced that premises were to be constructed at Bathurst to house a College of Advanced Education. From the outset it was envisaged that the Bathurst Teachers' College would integrate with the College of Advanced Education (1).
The Bathurst Teachers' College closed on the 31 December 1967, and the Mitchell College of Advanced Education was established on the 1 January 1970 (2).
Under Part IV of the Higher Education Act, 1969, the Mitchell College of Advanced Education was declared a College within the Department of Technical Education (3).
On 11 December 1970 a notice in the NSW Government Gazette declared that a body corporate be constituted to be known as Mitchell College of Advanced Education. This was to take effect from 1 January 1971 (4). As a result, the responsibilities of the Department of Higher Education for the Mitchell College of Advanced Education ceased at the end of 1970 (5).
The Mitchell College of Advanced Education saw its primary role as vocational undergraduate training. Educational opportunities were offered in diverse applied and professional fields, and in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, external, and continuing education (6).
On the 19 July 1989 the Charles Sturt University Act brought together the Mitchell College of Advanced Education and the Riverina Murray Institute of Higher Education to form Charles Sturt University (7).

Footnotes and References:
(1) The Story of Three Colleges: A history of the Bathurst Government Reserve, Racecourse, Experiment Farm School, Teachers' College and Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Theo Baker p.135
(2) ibid, p.153
(3) New South Wales Government Gazette, 10 April 1970
(4) New South Wales Government Gazette, 11 December 1970, p.4976
(5) Baker, loc cit, p.190
(6) ibid, p.300
(7) CSU Handbook 2000,p13

Charles Sturt University was established by the Charles Sturt University Act, 1989 (Act No.76, 1989), which was proclaimed on the 19 July 1989 (1). The Act brought together the Mitchell College of Advanced Education and the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education (2).

The University was created as a federated network University with semi-independent member campuses and a central administration (3).

The Charles Sturt University Amendment Act, 1998 (No.117, 1998) encapsulated in legislation the structure of the University, namely, an integrated, multi-campus structure in which the major academic units, the Faculties, are represented on at least three campuses of the University and the administrative divisions to have University-wide responsibilities (4).

As required by the Act, the University operates main campuses at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo and Wagga Wagga. The University also operates from other locations including the City of Sydney, Manly, Goulburn, Canberra, Morpeth and Broken Hill. The University's headquarters is located at the Bathurst campus (5).

Footnotes and References:
(1) NSW Government Gazette, 14 July 1989, p.4202
(2) Charles Sturt University Undergraduate Handbook 2000.
(3) Op Cit
(4) Op Cit
(5) Op Cit

Agency History compiled by W. Doubleday.