Swinburne has a strong reputation in Australia and overseas as a provider of career orientated education and as a university with a commitment to research. The University maintains a strong technology base and important links with industry, complemented by a number of innovative specialist research centres which attract a great deal of international interest.

A feature of many Swinburne undergraduate courses is the applied vocational emphasis and direct industry application through Industry Based Learning (IBL) programs. Swinburne was a pioneer of IBL, a program which places students directly in industry for vocational employment as an integral part of the course structure.

Swinburne is now one of a few Australian universities whose responsibilities span the range of programs from apprenticeships to PhDs. In keeping with this breadth of involvement, the University continues to play a leading role in creating new approaches to integration between sectors.

The creation of study pathways between sectors and courses is firmly in place at Swinburne. Current pathways involve moving either from the TAFE sector into Higher Education or from TAFE based VCE studies into full TAFE courses. A limited number of pathways are available for students to move from degree courses into TAFE studies, and this will increase in the future. This process of articulation provides students with greater flexibility to complete tertiary qualifications.

Teaching and learning enhancement is a strategic priority for the University, and Swinburne is committed to the transfer of lifelong learning skills.