History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

In 1929, the remains of Australia's most notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly (who was hanged at the gaol), were believed to have been discovered during the construction of the Kernot Engineering School.

Initially, between 1917 and 1919, it trained over 1500 returned Anzac service men from World War I in vocational qualifications for post-war life in Australia.

[1] Between 1939 and 1945, during World War II, it made a greater contribution to Australia's war efforts by training 23,000 service men and women (approximately one-sixth of all trained in Australia),[1][6] mainly Royal Australian Air Force personnel in radio communications, as well as 2,000 civilians in munitions manufacturing.

[1][3] After World War II, and during the 1950s, the College again trained returned service men and women for post-war life, which prompted the development of courses in food technology, transport studies, accountancy and advertising, and the revision of its art syllabuses.

During this time, the College also embraced the Commonwealth of Nations' newly devised Colombo Plan, which increased its intake of South East Asian students greatly.

In 1979, the neighbouring Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy on Russell Street amalgamated with RMIT, bringing with it its reputation in fashion design and food technology.

[1] RMIT celebrated its centenary in 1987 with a year-long calendar of events staged across the City of Melbourne, a time capsule set in the Bowen Street courtyard of the foundation building of the Working Men's College on La Trobe Street and a book called "The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology", documenting the institute's 100 years of history, was also published.

[1][3] In 1992, RMIT was granted public university status by the Parliament of Victoria under the "Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act".

In 1999, it acquired the derelict state heritage-listed Capitol Theatre in the Melbourne central business district, and refurbished it to its original design.