The two Salvation Army colleges in Australia, Booth College and Catherine Booth College, have unified to become one national college - Eva Burrows College.
The journey towards the one college model that best delivers The Salvation Army’s mission commenced in 2016 as part of the Australia One vision.
In creating the new college, every person involved recognised the opportunity for reassessment and transformation. Unfortunately there is no short and easy way to bring together two entities, each with its own history, traditions and alumni base, not to mention, governance structure, staffing policies, brand and other unique attributes. Yet, in a short time, the new College emerged strong as a centre of expertise and an efficient provider embodying the values of integrity, intellectual inquiry, respect, collaboration and passion for ministry.
In early 2017, Ringwood in Melbourne was announced as the location of the national School for Officer Training. This was followed by one national school for higher education. The School for Mission and Theology was structured to enable specialisation and deliver an increased and diverse program under the accreditation of the University of Divinity.
The University of Divinity is Australia's first and only Specialist University offering degrees in theology. The University Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sherlock said, “We have been working with the Salvation Army since 2006, but this takes our relationship to a whole new level – we are excited by both the wellspring of its Wesleyan theological background and its record in social justice. These are unique aspects that The Salvation Army brings to us.”
Though some key decisions have been made and the individual colleges are transitioning towards them, there still remains a lot to be done. Currently, we are developing our brand, website and digital presence. We are working through our integrated structure and culture. We are designing the future for our vocational and short courses. With due diligence we are looking at the best way forward for our other schools that are still in the learning and design phase.
Converging services, creating alliances, joining up networks, fostering operating efficiencies and adding academic value has set up Eva Burrows College for the future.
Eva Burrows College has begun it's journey as The Salvation Army's national college in Australia and we are excited about the possibilities, the expanding opportunities will generate for generations to come.