Key 89: Centre for the Study of Higher Education 1968 : Archives and Special Collections

In 1958 a wave of concern about rising failure rates and student welfare generally led the National Union of Australian University Students (NUAUS) to appoint an Education Research Officer stationed at the University of Melbourne. At the same time the University also appointed Don Anderson to also conduct research in this area. In 1961 Barbara Falk set up the University Teaching Project in the Faculty of Education to promote improvements in teaching and learning within the University; others involed included Professor Charles Moorhouse.

Scholarship and pedagogy were not the only areas in which Barbara Falk (left, back row) contributed to University life
[Source: University of Melbourne Archives Image Catalogue, UMA-I-2023]

Barbara Falk (second from left, front) with History Reunion group including (back row) Alan McBriar, Jim Dockerty, Geoff Serle, John Legge, Charles Francis, A.G.L. Shaw, Laurie O'Brien, Mervyn Kydd; and (front row), Lloyd Churchward, Gwyn James, Alison Patrick, April Hamer, and Mary Lugton
[Source: University of Melbourne Archives Media Photograph Collection, Photograph No 17240]

In 1968 this was brought together with the Education Research Office and the Audio-Visual Aids Centre (transferred to the University from the RAAF in 1944 under Newman Rosenthal) to become the Centre for the Study of Higher Education housed in the Audio-Visual Aids building, completed in 1957.

Audio-Visual Aids Centre, looking west
[Source: University of Melbourne Archives, T.C. Chambers Collection]

Cyril Driver with student
[Source: University of Melbourne Archives Media Photograph Collection, Photograph No 17768]