RMIT University of Australia

The Working Men's College of Melbourne opened on June 4, 18 with a gala ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall, becoming the third official tertiary education provider in the then colony of Victoria (the Melbourne Athenaeum was founded in 1839 and the University of Melbourne in 1853). It took 320 enrollments on its opening night.

It opened as a night school for instruction in "art, science and technology"—in the words of its founder—"especially to working men”. Ormond, who was a firm believer in the transformative power of education, also believed the College would be of "great importance and value" to the industrialization of Melbourne during the late-19th century. In 1904, it was incorporated under the Companies Act as a private college. 

Between the turn of the 20th century and the 1930s, it expanded over the neighboring Old Melbourne Goal and constructed buildings for new art, engineering and radio schools. It also made its first contribution to Australia's war effort through training of returned military personnel from World War I. Following a petition by students, it officially changed its name to the Melbourne Technical College in 1934. 

The expanded College made a greater contribution to Australia's effort during World War II by training a sixth of the country's military personnel—including the majority of its Royal Australian Air Force communication officers. It also trained 2000 civilians in munitions manufacturing and was commissioned by the Australian Government to manufacture military aircraft parts—including the majority of parts for the Beaufort Bomber

Creation of RMIT (1960–2000)Following World War II, in 1954 it became the first Australian tertiary education provider to be awarded royal patronage (by Elizabeth II) and officially changed its name to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1960. During the mid-20th century, it restructured itself as a provider of both general higher and vocational education and pioneered dual sector education in Australia. During this time, it also began a long-term engagement with South-East Asia—beginning under the Australian Government's Colombo Plan. In 1979, the neighboring Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy joined with RMIT. 

Following a merger with the Phillip Institute of Technology in the north Melbourne metropolitan area, RMIT was made a public university by act of the Victorian Government in 1992—under the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act 1992. During the 1990s, the University underwent a rapid expansion and amalgamated with a number of nearby colleges and institutes. The Melbourne College of Decoration and Design joined RMIT in 1993 to create a new dedicated design TAFE school, followed by the Melbourne College of Printing and Graphic Arts in 1995. 

Also in 1995, the University opened its first radial campus in Bundara in the outer-north Melbourne metropolitan area. And, in 1999, it acquired the Melbourne Institute of Textiles campus in Brunswick in the inner-north Melbourne metropolitan area—for its design TAFE schools. 

During the late-20th century, RMIT became the first Australian university to adopt an explicit strategy of international education. As part of the strategy, the University expanded its engagement with South-East Asia—by developing a number of teaching partnerships in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.