Australian College of Theology

The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is an Australian higher education provider based in Sydney, New South Wales. The college delivers awards in ministry and theology and was one of the first Australian non-university providers to offer an accredited bachelor's degree and a research doctorate. It is now one of two major consortia of theological colleges in Australia,[1] alongside the University of Divinity. Over 22,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college.[2] On 7 October 2022 it was granted university college status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.[3]

Australian College of Theology
Other name
ACT
TypeTertiary theological institution consortium
Established2 October 1891 (2 October 1891)
FounderAnglican Church
AccreditationTEQSA
ChairpersonRoger Lewis
DeanJames Dalziel
Academic staff
5
Total staff
16
Address
33 York Street, Sydney, New South Wales
,
2000
,
Australia
Websitewww.actheology.edu.au

The primate of the Anglican Church of Australia presides as chairman at a general meeting of the Australian College of Theology Limited. The current chair of the board is Roger Lewis. The current dean is James Dalziel, while the deputy dean is Edwina Murphy.

History

The college was established by the 1891 General Synod of the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania. The college was founded in order to provide for the "systematic study of divinity", especially among clergy and ordination candidates, there being no realistic opportunities for them to earn a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree at English universities and Australian universities refusing to offer theological education.[4][5][6]

In 1899, there were four awards of the college - the Associate in Theology, the Licentiate in Theology, the Scholar in Theology and the Fellow of the College of Theology - and about 30 students. Today the college offers a wide range of accredited higher education awards catering not only for the specialised needs of ministerial and missionary candidates but also for the needs of lay people interested in an understanding of the Christian faith and its implications for contemporary life.

The ACT is a national consortium of affiliated colleges with 17 theological and Bible colleges approved to deliver its accredited courses.[7] Over 1,500 equivalent full-time students, or over 3,000 individual active students and research candidates, are enrolled in courses each year.

On 12 November 2004, the delegate of the Minister for Education, Science and Training approved the college as a higher education provider (HEP) under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth). This approval took effect in March 2005. As a HEP, the ACT administers the FEE-HELP program, by which students enrolled in accredited higher education courses of the ACT may receive an income contingent loan for their tuition fees.

As of September 2007, the college is a company limited by guarantee.[8]

In addition, as a HEP under the Higher Education Support Act, the ACT was required to undergo a quality audit conducted by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). In November 2006, the college was the first non-self-accrediting HEP to be audited. The AUQA audit report was completed in January 2007 and publicly released on the AUQA website in February 2007.[9][10] The process was repeated in 2011 and the college underwent a Cycle 2 quality audit by AUQA. The report of the audit was publicly released on the website of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency in March 2012.[11]

In July 2010, the college received self-accrediting authority through to 2015, under the terms of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. The college is the first institution to be awarded self-accrediting status under the protocols. This means that the college can accredit its own courses in theology and ministry within the scope of the self-accrediting authority specified by the Department of Education and Training in New South Wales.[12] The college is currently accredited by TEQSA through till 2025.[13]

On 7 October 2022 it was granted university college status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.[3]

Affiliated colleges
New South Wales
New Zealand
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Western Australia

Courses

The accredited higher education courses have grown from the Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree, first accredited in 1975 and the research degree of Master of Theology (MTh) in 1976. The Master of Arts (Theology) (MA[Th]) degree was added in 1988. 1992 saw the accreditation of the Bachelor of Ministry (BMin) degree – the first of several coursework degrees in theology with a ministry major. The Doctor of Ministry (DMin), a doctorate modelled on Australian university professional doctorates and North American Doctor of Ministry degrees, was first accredited in 1998.

The courses of the college are accredited by the Australian College of Theology, under approval as a self-accrediting provider.

  • Undergraduate Certificate of Theology
  • Undergraduate Certificate of Ministry
  • Diploma of Theology
  • Diploma of Ministry
  • Diploma of Theology / Diploma of Ministry
  • Advanced Diploma of Theology
  • Advanced Diploma of Ministry
  • Associate Degree of Ministry
  • Associate Degree of Theology
  • Bachelor of Christian Studies
  • Bachelor of Theology
  • Bachelor of Ministry
  • Bachelor of Theology / Bachelor of Ministry
  • Bachelor of Theology (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Ministry (Honours)
  • Graduate Certificate of Divinity
  • Graduate Diploma of Divinity
  • Master of Ministry
  • Master of Divinity
  • Master of Divinity / Graduate Diploma of Divinity
  • Graduate Certificate of Christian Studies
  • Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health
  • Graduate Certificate of Christian Mentoring
  • Graduate Certificate of Christian Leadership
  • Graduate Certificate of Leadership
  • Master of Christian Leadership
  • Master of Arts (Christian Studies)
  • Master of Missional Leadership
  • Master of Arts (Theology)
  • Master of Arts (Ministry)
  • Master of Theology
  • Doctor of Ministry
  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Theology

List of Registrars & Deans

There have been nine heads of the ACT, who were firstly known as Registrar and now known as Dean.

  • Rev Canon William Hey Sharp, Registrar, 1896-1927
  • Ven Dr Archdeacon John Forster, Registrar, 1928-1945
  • Rev Dr Canon Frank Cash, Registrar, 1946-1960
  • Rev Canon Colin H. Duncan, Registrar, 1961-1973
  • Rev Dr Canon Stuart Babbage (Stuart Barton Babbage), Registrar, 1973-1991
  • Rev Dr John Pryor, Dean, 1991-1995
  • Rev Dr Mark Harding, Dean, 1996-2016
  • Rev Dr Martin Sutherland, Dean, 2016-2020
  • Professor James Dalziel, Dean, 2020-current

Notable alumni

Notable faculty and staff

References
  1. Oslington, Paul (15 October 2021). "Speculations on the future of Australian theological education". Eternity News. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  2. "Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  3. "Australian College of Theology becomes a University College". Australian College of Theology. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  4. "Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  5. "THE ANGLICAN SYNOD". The Daily Telegraph. No. 3822. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1891. p. 6. Retrieved 4 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Ross, John (6 October 2022). "Growing theological university eyes new role in Australian sector". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  7. "Our Colleges". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  8. "Current details for ABN 88 869 962 393 | ABN Lookup". Abr.business.gov.au. 1 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  9. "Report of an Audit of The Australian College of Theology" (PDF). Australian Universities Quality Agency. January 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  10. "Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) Audit Action Plan" (PDF). Australian College of Theology. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  11. "REPORT OF AN AUDIT OF AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY" (PDF). Teqsa.gov.au. March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  12. "AQF > Register & Accreditation > AQF Register > New South Wales". Archived from the original on 15 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  13. "National Register - Australian College of Theology". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, Australia. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
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