The QCU Story
This is the story of the creation of the Queensland Christian University as told by QCU Board Member, Roland Heazlewood.
"During the late 1980s with Queensland under the leadership of Premier Joh Bjelke Petersen the first private University in Australia was established by an Act of Parliament in the Queensland Government. It was the Bond University on the Gold Coast which well-known yachting identity and businessman, Alan Bond, set up.
A group of Christian leaders and entrepreneurs realised the potential to establish a Christian University with the support of the Christian Premier, John Bjelke Petersen and managed to have the Queensland Parliament pass an Act to establish a Queensland Christian University. This required all of the Australian State Attorney-
Generals to approve the use of the title “University” in the incorporation.
At the time this was seen as a God-given opportunity to establish this name as there was quite a bit of controversy over the use of the term “Christian” as there were many different persuasions who were regarded as Christian, including the Roman Catholic Church and they would not necessarily be represented on the Board.
However, under Joh’s guidance the name was established. The next step was to introduce another act into Parliament granting the University authority to issue degrees from their educational program. Unfortunately, around this time there was a coup on the leadership of the National Party which held power in Queensland. Joh was deposed as leader and Mike Ahearn became Premier and the Act was never introduced as the Government lost power at the next election and the opportunity to grant degrees was lost.
Since that time the higher office of education now requires a more detailed process to be recognised before degrees can be issued from a university, but we still have the registered name and it will be a more difficult procedure before we can legally issue degrees that are recognised by the Governments of Australia. This requires the approval of the Queensland higher office of education."
In November of 2016, Universal Education and Training (UNET) inherited Queensland Christian University Ltd. UNET is now the ultimate holding company of Queensland Christian University Ltd (not yet accredited), and plan to use this company as a vessel to carry out the ChristianUniversityforAustralia.org.au vision.
"During the late 1980s with Queensland under the leadership of Premier Joh Bjelke Petersen the first private University in Australia was established by an Act of Parliament in the Queensland Government. It was the Bond University on the Gold Coast which well-known yachting identity and businessman, Alan Bond, set up.
A group of Christian leaders and entrepreneurs realised the potential to establish a Christian University with the support of the Christian Premier, John Bjelke Petersen and managed to have the Queensland Parliament pass an Act to establish a Queensland Christian University. This required all of the Australian State Attorney-
Generals to approve the use of the title “University” in the incorporation.
At the time this was seen as a God-given opportunity to establish this name as there was quite a bit of controversy over the use of the term “Christian” as there were many different persuasions who were regarded as Christian, including the Roman Catholic Church and they would not necessarily be represented on the Board.
However, under Joh’s guidance the name was established. The next step was to introduce another act into Parliament granting the University authority to issue degrees from their educational program. Unfortunately, around this time there was a coup on the leadership of the National Party which held power in Queensland. Joh was deposed as leader and Mike Ahearn became Premier and the Act was never introduced as the Government lost power at the next election and the opportunity to grant degrees was lost.
Since that time the higher office of education now requires a more detailed process to be recognised before degrees can be issued from a university, but we still have the registered name and it will be a more difficult procedure before we can legally issue degrees that are recognised by the Governments of Australia. This requires the approval of the Queensland higher office of education."
In November of 2016, Universal Education and Training (UNET) inherited Queensland Christian University Ltd. UNET is now the ultimate holding company of Queensland Christian University Ltd (not yet accredited), and plan to use this company as a vessel to carry out the ChristianUniversityforAustralia.org.au vision.