Historical information

Victorian Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (VIOSH) Australia is the Asia-Pacific centre for teaching and research in occupational health and safety (OHS) and is known as one of Australia's leaders on the field.
VIOSH has a global reputation for its innovative approach within the field of OHS management.

VIOSH had its first intake of students in 1979. At that time the Institution was known as the Ballarat College of Advanced Education. In 1990 it became known as Ballarat University College, then in 1994 as University of Ballarat. It was 2014 that it became Federation University.

VIOSH Australia students are safety managers, senior advisors and experienced OHS professionals. They come from all over Australia and industry.
Students are taught active research and enquiry; rather than textbook learning and a one-size fits all approach. VIOSH accepts people into the Graduate Diploma of Occupational Hazard Management who have no undergraduate degree - on the basis of extensive work experience and knowledge.

Approval was given for the development of a non-university education course. The course would not be delivered in a traditional manner. A co-operative mode was used to describe it for accreditation. During 1977 and 1978 work continued on the development of a course proposal. The first intake of students was in 1979.
Key staff included Derek Woolley - Dean of Engineering; Tom Norwood - Head of Engineering Department, Derek Viner - Course Co-ordinator and Zig Plavina - Engineering staff; Max Brooke from the Faculty of Business and Dr Eric Wigglesworth who was at the forefront of OHS education in Australia from 1963. He led the push to get the first formal safety education curriculum and was pivotal in getting the Graduate Diploma in Occupational Hazard Management at Ballarat College of Advanced Education. He continued to support this until he retired in 1998.

Physical description

Colour photographs