Corporate Affairs Unit Tel: + 61 3 8344 6158
Melbourne’s strong uni offers show students
like the Melbourne Model
Australian students are showing their strong approval of the Melbourne Model as the
University of Melbourne’s university offer outcomes reflect growing demand particularly
for Science and Biomedicine.
Just over 5700 students will once again be excited to receive the offer of a
Commonwealth-supported place to study at the University of Melbourne in 2010, in the
Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre’s first round offers today. The University is offering
five less undergraduate courses in 2010 as part of the move to the Melbourne Model.
Nearly 5000 or 87 per cent of the University’s offers for this year are for its New
Generation degrees – Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Environments, Music and Science.
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor John Dewar says the increased demand
and consequent rise in ENTERs for courses such as Arts, Science and Biomedicine is a
strong endorsement of the New Generation degrees and the Melbourne Model.
“It is quite clear that students have embraced the Melbourne Model,” he said.
“Our New Gen degrees provide today’s students with an important choice and the high
quality of the students receiving first round offers from Melbourne clearly shows the solid
understanding and acceptance of the Melbourne Model today.”
Four of the New Generation courses at Melbourne are represented in the five most
popular courses – based on first preferences - in the VTAC system.
Arts at Melbourne continues to top the ‘pop polls’ with its ENTER moving up from 88.3 to
89, and 1636 offers - an additional 100 offers on 2009.
Increased ENTERs for New Generation science-based courses - Biomedicine and
Science - follow a sharp rise in first preferences (up 45 per cent and 32 per cent
respectively) after the December change of preference
This exceptional demand has resulted in increased offers and an ENTER for Science of
89.05 up from 85 in 2009 and 97.90 for Biomedicine from 95 in 2009.
Media release
Available for immediate release
Attention: Newsdesk/News editor
Issued: 18 January 2010
Corporate Affairs Unit Tel: + 61 3 8344 6158
Dean of the Faculty of Science Professor Rob Saint is delighted with the growing
popularity of the Bachelor of Science.
“Despite national concerns about a decline in students embracing science, students are
flocking to the Melbourne Model approach to Science which offers strong employments
outcomes on graduation plus clear pathways to graduate study in Engineering, a range
of Health fields and Veterinary Science.
“Science is vital to Australia’s nation-building and these students will be fine contributors
to the future well-being of our society.”
There have also been increased offers for the New Generation Bachelor of
Environments degree and Bachelor of Commerce at Melbourne.
Access Melbourne is also a success story. A University priority is to broaden the mix of
its students from diverse backgrounds. In November, to encourage more students from
rural and financially disadvantaged backgrounds to study at Melbourne, the University
announced guaranteed ENTERs into New Generation degrees.
This year Melbourne has made 25 per cent of offers to students who applied through
Access Melbourne with large increases in offers to rural and financially disadvantaged
applicants.
.
Professor Sue Elliott, Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for access and equity,
says these are high-quality students who have experienced educational disadvantage
during their schooling. “Research has shown that these students perform at much the
same level at university as other students. The undergraduate experience at a good
university is a level playing field where students from all backgrounds have the
opportunity to flourish.”
The University’s success in the 2010 student selection extends to graduate programs
such as the Master of Teaching which has made 17 per cent more offers this year - a
total of 849 - following a similar rise in demand.
Interviews:
Professor Dewar, Professor Elliott and Professor Saint are available for interview.
Media enquiries: Christina Buckridge on 0412 101 316.
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