UTS Timeline

Like many Australian universities, UTS was formed from a number of antecedent institutions and its history can be traced back to 1833 and the Sydney Mechanics School of the Arts – the colony’s first school of art. The commitment to lifelong learning and the pioneering spirit that gave birth to the Sydney Mechanics School of the Arts is alive and well today in UTS, whose position at the forefront of Australian tertiary education and ongoing commitment to education is enriching lives the world over.

A timeline of our history appears below:

  • 1893 - Sydney Technical College established - the precursor of the NSWIT.
  • 1940 - NSW Parliament passes Act to establish an Institute of Technology, World War II intervenes.
  • 1945 - Technical College Annexe of Sydney Teacher' College was established in the late 1940's - ITATE developed from this Annexe.
  • 1946 - Lectures commenced at Balmain Teachers College with an enrolment of 210 students.
  • 1964 - Establishment of New South Wales Institute of Technology (NSWIT).
  • 1965 - NSWIT enrols first students into Science and Architecture; SE Barratt appointed Chairman of the Interim Council and the first Council; RE Dunbar appointed Director.
  • 1967 - NSW Institute of Business Studies established and teaching commences at the Brickfield Hill Campus, George Street, Sydney. Professional recognition of NSWIT engineering courses.
  • 1968 - Amalgamation of the NSW Institute of Business Studies and the NSW Institute of Technology; Dr R L Werner appointed Director of NSWIT.
  • 1971 - William Balmain Teachers' College moves to Lindfield site (Kuring-gai Campus) NSWIT incorporated and Faculty organisational structure set up.
  • 1972 - William Balmain College Lindfield; AJ Greenhalgh appointed Principal.
  • 1973 - William Balmain College declared a College of Advanced Education.
  • 1974 - William Balmain CAE renamed Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education (KCAE); Chair Planning Committee JB Thornton, Principal GW Muir. NSWIT commences post graduate courses; occupation of Tower on Broadway begins; SE Barratt appointed Chancellor and succeeded by NA Pardoe; Dr R L Werner appointed President.
  • 1975 - Chair KCAE Council JB Thornton.
  • 1976 - NSWIT establishes the first Law School in NSW outside the then university sector.
  • 1977 - Mr DE Rose appointed Chair KCAE Council.
  • 1978 - Hon Mr Justice IF Sheppard QC appointed Chair KCAE Council. JH Kaye elected NSWIT Chancellor
  • 1980 - Hon JH Wootten QC elected NSWIT Chancellor.
  • 1981 - Sydney CAE incorporated - ITATE was one of five semi-autonomous teaching institutes.
  • 1983 - Dr KW Knight appointed Principal KCAE.
  • 1984 - NSWIT Brickfield Hill Campus relinquished in December after eighteen years - Faculties of Business and Law and the Library move to the Haymarket Campus.
  • 1985 - The new Haymarket Campus officially opened, the building shared between NSWIT and ITATE.
  • 1986 - Professor RD Guthrie appointed NSWIT President.
  • 1987 - Announcement on 8 October of the granting of university status to NSWIT, which was followed by the passing of the University of Technology, Sydney, Act 1987 and the appointment of Professor RD Guthrie as Vice-Chancellor.
  • 1988 - The School of Design of the former Sydney College of the Arts was incorporated into NSWIT on 25 January and on 26 January NSWIT became the University of Technology, Sydney, known as UTS, Vice-Chancellor Professor RD Guthrie, Dr AJD Blake appointed Principal KCAE.
  • 1989 - Professor RN Johnson installed as UTS Chancellor. University of Technology, Sydney, Act 1989 No 69 assented to 23 May, forming the new UTS in combination with KCAE and ITATE from Sydney CAE.
  • 1990 - New UTS established from 1 January; inaugural meeting of Council on 15 November.
  • 1991 - Academic Structure of nine Faculties and 25 schools established - Faculties being Business; Design, Architecture and Building; Education; Law and Legal Practice; Mathematical and Computing Sciences; Nursing; Science; Humanities and Social Sciences.
  • 1996 - Professor AJD Blake appointed Vice-Chancellor.
  • 1999 - Sir Gerard Brennan QC installed as Chancellor.
  • 2002 - Professor RD Milbourne appointed Vice-Chancellor.
  • 2005 - Professor Vicki Sara installed as Chancellor.
Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.