Wesley Institute
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: Last week, the Wesley Institute held its Graduation Service in Wesley Theatre, Sydney. It was an inspiring occasion. Because I was involved with the establishment of Wesley Institute almost 20 years ago and in the funding of it ever since, I wish to place on the historical record of this State—Hansard—an account of its growth and state of health.
Wesley Institute offers doctorates in theology and doctorates of philosophy in conjunction with the Sydney College of Divinity; masters degrees in counselling and theology; graduate diplomas in counselling, education and dance therapy; and bachelor degrees, advanced diploma and diploma courses in dance, drama, music, graphic design and theology. All courses are accredited with the New South Wales Department of Education and Training and approved for the Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy. The institute has been approved by the Federal Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories as a higher education provider, enabling eligible students to access FEE-HELP loans.
The institute inspires excellence and transforms lives through a college of higher education that provides accredited professional qualifications in an environment that enables the development of Christian character. Faculties and students are encouraged to achieve their potential in an intellectually stimulating, culturally diverse, and academically rigorous environment. It delivers courses of quality to enable graduates to make creative and appropriate contributions in their chosen vocations. We seek to fulfil our mission by integrating higher education with professional skills within a Christian character. Wesley Institute also conducts other vocational courses. Honourable members may be surprised to learn that last year more than 4,000 students enrolled in and completed these short-term courses designed to help advance their careers, through our campuses in Drummoyne, the Sydney CBD and in Wollongong.
The foundation principal, Dr David Johnston, with whom I have worked for 20 years and whom I appointed to the task, reported at the graduation that there were many significant events in the life of the institute. They included the Wesley Institute choir tour of Western Australia, and particularly Perth; the senior dance students’ tour of the United States of America; and the growth of the institute as reflected in the accreditation and reaccreditation of our courses—the national recognition of our excellent standards in education at the tertiary level.
Honourable members might realise how difficult it is to establish a primary school or even a secondary school. However, that is nothing compared with the huge difficulty of establishing a university-level tertiary college of education with a wide variety of courses. We started our graduate teacher education courses in 2005 and our first group of graduands now comply with the new educational requirements of professionally educated and accredited teachers. In 2006 the institute achieved successful accreditation of the Bachelor of Music degree and we have received news that our new Master of Music degree has been accredited to commence in August 2006.
Every year we have seen growth in the student body. This year the number has increased by almost 20 per cent to 477 students and we will have our largest ever graduation, with 103 graduands. Wesley Institute has a worldwide profile, growing through the solid development of the Australia Studies Centre Program, a studies abroad program with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities in America, and official affiliation with other Christian universities and colleges in other parts of the world. The institute has also attained national recognition with international ISO 9000 accreditation for quality management.
Having had the major responsibility for the funding of the development of this tertiary institute, I am pleased to say that after years of support from Wesley Mission Sydney the institute now stands on its own feet financially. I congratulate Wesley Institute on all of its achievements, and particularly its board and directors, under Chairman Dr James N. Pendlebury, Principal Dr David Johnston and his staff, among whom are scores of highly qualified educators. I believe this is the only tertiary institute in Australia that has more than 100 staff with PhDs and the most remarkable student body from all parts of Australia and overseas. It makes me a very proud old founder and superintendent. 3 May 2006.
