Our heritage

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 the 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, the 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. RMIT is still the country’s only fully foreign-owned university and now has 6,250 students.

2017: The student population passes 6,000 at both Saigon South and Hanoi campuses.

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.