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About Avondale
Avondale is a private institution of higher education offering a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational courses. Its educational program seeks to develop the whole person.Graduates typically give five-star ratings to their Avondale experience and generally rate the quality of their education more highly than the graduates of 80 per cent of Australian universities. The 2008 edition of The Good Universities Guide gives Avondale top five-star ratings for quality of teaching, employable generic skills, and overall student satisfaction.
Avondale's high staff to student ratio compared to most higher education providers contributes to a sense of graduate satisfaction. Avondale has typically received five-star ratings for teaching quality, generic skills and overall satisfaction. It also received five stars in 2008 for the proportion of its staff members who hold higher degrees by research or coursework.
Avondale is actively pursuing university status in recognition of the highly regarded study programs that are offered. Beginning in 1974 our postgraduate and undergraduate degrees have progressively been accredited by NSW government bodies and are registered with CRICOS the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS provider number 02731D Avondale College Ltd.).
Avondale offers undergraduate degrees in Arts, Business, Science, Education, Nursing and Theology. Postgraduate courses to Masters level are available in Education, Leadership and Management, Nursing and Health, and Theology. Doctoral studies are offered in Education, Health Studies, History, and Theology. Vocational studies include General Studies, Aviation, Business and Outdoor Recreation. The English Language Centre offers English language study tours for overseas students.
Avondale is an education institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It also welcomes a growing number of students of other faith traditions who desire higher education in a Christian context (24 per cent of undergraduate and vocational students in 2004). Students come from all states of Australia and from overseas. About 15 per cent of students in degree and vocational courses are from countries outside Australia and New Zealand. About 52 per cent of undergraduates are boarding students, experiencing the interchange of ideas and group activities which are the strengths of residential campuses.
Graduates that Become Leaders
Avondale's graduates are widely sought after by employers. Many Avondale graduates have progressed to masters and doctoral degrees at Australian and overseas universities with an outstanding record of achievement.
Avondale graduates frequently become leaders in their workplaces, communities and churches.
A relatively small institution means a greater sense of community because students are mentored by staff and other students, and this provides a sense of belonging. Because of this, Avondale students have confidence and a positive self-concept both academically and personally.
Students are more likely to hold leadership positions and take part in teams, missions and clubs in a smaller student environment. Everyone is needed and there is scope for everyone to be involved so there is a high level of participation by students in campus life.
Smaller class sizes mean that teaching staff are highly accessible; staff also become engaged in mentoring their students beyond their teaching responsibilities. The instructional practices in smaller learning environments generally involve more teaching teams, integration of unit content, multi-discipline learning, and cooperative learning.
Location
Avondale has three campuses, all in New South Wales on the east coast of Australia. The main campus is in a rural setting in the City of Lake Macquarie close to the Watagan Mountains and the beautiful Lake Macquarie. It is only thirty minutes drive to the nearest of many wide, sandy, surf beaches on the NSW Central Coast. Newcastle is the closest provincial city and Sydney is just eighty minutes away by train or freeway.
This means that students can enjoy study in a rural setting but enjoy easy access to the surf and the city with its cultural and sporting events and commercial activities. Facilities such as a heated swimming pool, multi-purpose sports auditorium, tennis courts, sports oval, music studios, media centre, computer labs, common room, student lounges, spacious library, cafeteria and shops, all cater for the needs of the student body. Student residences are situated on campus making access to all facilities just a few minutes walk.
The second campus is in Sydney's north shore suburb of Wahroonga. The Faculty of Nursing and Health is located on this campus which is adjacent to the Sydney Adventist Hospital, one of Australia's most prestigious private hospitals. Facilities here include modern class rooms and access to the commercial, residential and sporting facilities of the hospital.
The third campus is home to the School of Aviation. It is located at the Cessnock Airport in the Hunter Valley, a premier tourist and wine-growing region of New South Wales. It is also one of the fastest growing industrial regions in Australa. A free shuttle service links the Lake Macquarie Campus and the Hunter Valley Campus.
