About La Trobe University

La Trobe will be a University known for its excellence and innovation in relation to the big issues of our time, and for its enthusiasm to make a difference. We will be one of the top three Universities in Victoria, one of the top dozen nationally and one of the top 500 internationally.

• Our History
  La Trobe has been one of Australia’s pioneering universities for more than 50 years. Discover our unique history, including our motto and coat of arms.In 1967, 552 students enrolled at La Trobe University, the third university to open in Victoria, which has grown to accommodate more than 36,000 students, with over 7,000 international students from 110 countries.We now have a network of campuses, with over 28,000 students at our Melbourne Campus and over 7,500 at our campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Mildura, Melbourne City (Collins Street), Shepparton and Storia’s disadvantaged communities.
• University Name
  La Trobe University was named after Charles Joseph La Trobe, the first Superintendent of the Port Phillip District from 1839 to 1850 and first Lieutenant-Governor of the new colony of Victoria from 1851 to 1854. He was driven by his need to make a difference to the communities he served, leaving a legacy that continues today at La Trobe University.Sir Charles La Trobe did more to shape the Australian State of Victoria than others. From his love of the Australian environment and its conservation, his ambitious plan to transform the colony of Victoria, to his concern for the welfare of the first Australians, he was deeply driven by progressive social values.His values are echoed in La Trobe University’s founding mission to serve the community through improving access of higher education, and it is a tradition that continues today with a range of programs and initiatives to increase higher education participation rates amongst Victoria’s disadvantaged communities.
• La Trobe University Coat of Arms
  La Trobe University’s Armorial Bearings combine significant symbols that encapsulate its history, goals and pride in its Victorian genesis.Australia is represented by the Australian wedge-tailed eagle, one of the world’s largest eagles. Victoria is represented by the sprigs of heath, the state’s floral emblem. The eagle is represented in La Trobe’s brandmark.The open book refers to the University’s commitment to learning. The scallop shells are part of the La Trobe family bearings, and have been included to acknowledge the La Trobe name.
• University Motto
  The French motto “Qui cherche trouve” (Whoever seeks shall find) is a modern version of the La Trobe family motto.Today La Trobe is renowned for its academic excellence and research achievements.Over 200,000 students have graduated from La Trobe University thus far, and have gone on to achieve great things in all walks of life, giving La Trobe its well-deserved reputation.
• Our Mission
  Advancing knowledge and learning to shape the future of our students and communities.
• Our Vision
  To promote positive change and address the major issues of our time through being connected, inclusive and excellent.
• Management and Planning
  La Trobe University invests considerable time, energy and expertise in management and planning. We aim to ensure that all decisions achieve the best outcome for students, staff and the wider community.
• Rankings and Ratings
  Our research is among the world’s best. We rank in the top 1.2 per cent of the world’s universities*.La Trobe University has been ranked in the world’s top 400 universities by all three major independent ranking agencies. That makes us one of the world’s best young universities.We continue to improve our world rankings, currently recording a strong result in the respected Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) – La Trobe University is now ranked at 317 in the world.The 2018 QS World University Rankings has La Trobe University ranked 397 in the world, while Times Higher Education World University 2019 rankings placed La Trobe at 341 and ranked us 59th globally in their Golden Age Rankings. These rankings placed La Trobe in the top 1.2 per cent of universities globally.National Taiwan University’s ‘Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities’ evaluates research universities’ achievements in scientific research by comparing the performance of scientific papers in each university for quality and quantity. In 2018 La Trobe was 498th globally, and 173rd in the field of Social Sciences.La Trobe ranks well for employability, as demonstrated in the 2018/2019 QS Graduate Employability Rankings in which the University ranks 14th in Australia and fourth in Victoria (and in the top 300 universities globally). For graduate employment rate – the number of graduates in full or part time employment within 12 months of graduation – La Trobe ranks ninth in Australia and 129th in the world. La Trobe’s reputation amongst employers is further demonstrated with our graduates rated second among Victorian universities and eighth nationally by Australian employers for overall satisfaction in the 2017 Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) Employer Satisfaction Survey with a rating of 86.6 per cent.