Our history

A brief history of RMIT University in Australia and Vietnam.

1887: RMIT is established as the Working Men’s College in Melbourne, Australia.
1934: A new name, Melbourne Technical College, is adopted.
1954: The College is awarded royal patronage by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of its educational service to the Commonwealth and contribution to the war effort. It is renamed Royal Melbourne Technical College and remains the only higher education institution in Australia with the right to use the prefix “Royal” and the Monarchy's coat of arms.
1960: The College Council adopts a new name, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
1992: The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is granted university status, becoming RMIT University.
1994: RMIT becomes the first Australian university to adopt an international strategy that incorporates the delivery of teaching programs offshore and onshore.
1998: RMIT is invited by the Government of Vietnam to establish Vietnam’s first foreign-owned university.
2000: RMIT University is established in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
2001: The first class in Vietnam commences at Pham Ngoc Thach campus in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
2004: The first class commences in Hanoi at 2/2C Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District.
2005: A purpose-built university campus opens at Saigon South.
2010: Hanoi campus moves to the Handi Resco Building at 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh District.
2010: Saigon South campus opens an international standard Recreation and Events Complex.
2011: The Residential Centre is built at Saigon South campus, providing accommodation to both international and local students.
2013: The award-winning Academic Building 2 opens at Saigon South campus.
2013: RMIT University opens a research centre in Barcelona, Spain.
2015: The Vietnamese Government awards RMIT University a prestigious Golden Dragon Award for the 12th consecutive year, recognising its excellence in education and research. By 2015, RMIT is still the country’s only fully foreign-owned university, with 6,250 students.
2018: A language centre opens in Danang, Vietnam.
2019: RMIT graduates hit 14,600 from both Saigon South and Hanoi campuses.
2019: RMIT celebrates a total of 1,330 scholarships worth US$13.7 million (approximately 319 billion VND) given to students to support university tuition and study, since opening in Vietnam.
2020: RMIT celebrates its 20th anniversary in Vietnam.
2021: RMIT’s academic portfolio has expanded from the first class commenced at Pham Ngoc Thach campus 20 years ago to four schools which include 23 undergraduate, four postgraduate and three PhD programs, and two graduate certificates.
2022: RMIT now has a dynamic student body of 10,500 and a strong alumni network of 17,000.

A brief history of RMIT University in Australia and Vietnam.

1887: RMIT is established as the Working Men’s College in Melbourne, Australia.
1934: A new name, Melbourne Technical College, is adopted.
1954: The College is awarded royal patronage by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of its educational service to the Commonwealth and contribution to the war effort. It is renamed Royal Melbourne Technical College and remains the only higher education institution in Australia with the right to use the prefix “Royal” and the Monarchy's coat of arms.
1960: The College Council adopts a new name, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
1992: The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is granted university status, becoming RMIT University.
1994: RMIT becomes the first Australian university to adopt an international strategy that incorporates the delivery of teaching programs offshore and onshore.
1998: RMIT is invited by the Government of Vietnam to establish Vietnam’s first foreign-owned university.
2000: RMIT University is established in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
2001: The first class in Vietnam commences at Pham Ngoc Thach campus in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
2004: The first class commences in Hanoi at 2/2C Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District.
2005: A purpose-built university campus opens at Saigon South.
2010: Hanoi campus moves to the Handi Resco Building at 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh District.
2010: Saigon South campus opens an international standard Recreation and Events Complex.
2011: The Residential Centre is built at Saigon South campus, providing accommodation to both international and local students.
2013: The award-winning Academic Building 2 opens at Saigon South campus.
2013: RMIT University opens a research centre in Barcelona, Spain.
2015: The Vietnamese Government awards RMIT University a prestigious Golden Dragon Award for the 12th consecutive year, recognising its excellence in education and research. By 2015, RMIT is still the country’s only fully foreign-owned university, with 6,250 students.
2018: A language centre opens in Danang, Vietnam.
2019: RMIT graduates hit 14,600 from both Saigon South and Hanoi campuses.
2019: RMIT celebrates a total of 1,330 scholarships worth US$13.7 million (approximately 319 billion VND) given to students to support university tuition and study, since opening in Vietnam.
2020: RMIT celebrates its 20th anniversary in Vietnam.
2021: RMIT’s academic portfolio has expanded from the first class commenced at Pham Ngoc Thach campus 20 years ago to four schools which include 23 undergraduate, four postgraduate and three PhD programs, and two graduate certificates.
2022: RMIT now has a dynamic student body of 10,500 and a strong alumni network of 17,000.

Information correct as of August 2022.

History of the RMIT logo

RMIT University's distinctive pixel logo has a long and proud story behind it. Meet the designers behind the original version and discover how the logo has evolved over the years.