International House, University of Queensland

International House
University	University of Queensland
Location	St Lucia Campus
Motto	That Brotherhood May Prevail (Latin)
Established	1965
Named for	International House organisation
Gender	Co-educational
Director	Dr Carla Tromans
President	George Britchford
Residents	238
Website	Homepage Alumni Homepage

International House (commonly abbreviated as IH) is a residential college situated on the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland. IH provides fully catered accommodation for 200 undergraduate students, and self catered accommodation for 38 post graduate and mature aged undergraduate students.

International House's residents are 50% Australian and 50% International students from approximately 35 different countries. International House states that it provides a supportive and safe environment while offering opportunities that allow a broad and rich educational, social and cultural experience.

The current director of International House is Dr. Carla Tromans & current student President is George Britchford (from October 2016).

The vision of an International House was inspired by an address made in October 1954, by Frank TM White, foundation Professor of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, and also appointed Warden for Overseas Students. The following extract from Professor White's address, delivered in the socio-political context of Queensland in the mid-1950s, reveals the philosophy behind the vision that led to International House, a vision that remains relevant to the present.

“…students from (other) countries… have brought with them their cultures, their philosophies, their national customs. These young men and women… can become ambassadors for Australia upon their return home. Their presence among us affords a unique opportunity for the promotion of international understanding: this is… a University and community responsibility. … there are three understandings which we as a community can promote: … the values and cultures of other peoples;… the facts of world inter-dependence; (and) … the means by which the people of one country can live at peace with those of other countries.

Planning commenced in 1955 through the Rotary Club of Brisbane, as part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Rotary International. Professor White stepped down as Warden in December 1960 (he later took up a post at Canada's McGill University Faculty of Engineering), while planning continued under the auspices of a Committee led by Bert Martin, businessman and district governor of Rotary International. On 15 June 1963, the Administrator of Queensland, Sir Alan Mansfield, unveiled the foundation stone for the residential college. According to institutional biographer Basil Shaw’s authoritative account, “Eight years of erratic progress were over. They were years marked by expressions of racism and opposition in some quarters at the university; by bureaucratic red tape; by poor public recognition; and, despite the dedication of the fundraisers, by desultory financial responses and poor returns. (Yet it was)… determined that International House would open by March 1965. A lot had to be achieved in a short time."

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