Mount Lawley Teachers’ College was established in 1970.
It was initially run by the Education Department as the first post war primary teaching facility.
By 1974, the Education Department had withdrawn from the arrangement and the offerings were expanded out to service new areas such as: special education, Aboriginal education and migrant education, with the aid of funding by the Whitlam government.
By the end of the 1970’s there was a name change to reflect the plethora of offerings. Mount Lawley Teachers’ College became Mount Lawley College of Advanced Education.
On 11 December 1981, Claremont Teachers College, Nedlands College of Advanced Education, Mount Lawley College of Advanced Education and Churchlands College of Advanced Education amalgamated to form the Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE)
On January 1, 1991, it became a fully fledged University and it had a final name change to Edith Cowan University. As of 2022, Edith Cowan University is the only Australian university named after a woman.