Our History

In 1930, Australian university students gathered to hear English evangelist Dr Howard Guinness. With single-minded devotion to Christ, he spoke on the power of the gospel to transform lives. Students were convicted: they needed to tell people about Jesus on campus. Taking up the call to evangelism, Christian groups formed on university campuses across Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and Brisbane.

ECU Christian Union has a history dating back to the early days of the Edith Cowan University in the 1990s. Christian students met together at the Mt Lawley campus, as well as at the Churchlands campus (until it closed in 2008).

In 2018, ECU CU Mt Lawley students invited an AFES staff worker to join them to help them build and grow the group in number and maturity. By God’s grace, more students connected, encouraged one another in faith (even during Covid!) and grew more keen to share the good news of Jesus with others. A few more staff and apprentices have joined the team since then and we now have more training opportunities and CU activities throughout the week.

What began with mostly education students, grew with the addition of Christians at WAAPA and other creative arts students. In 2021, they brought their gifts and faith together pioneering the first Psalm concert, an evening of original works and arrangements inspired by their Christian faith. This has become a highlight of our annual calendar ever since!

The ECU Mt Lawley campus has now closed, and in 2026 ECU CU enters a new season in the ECU City Campus with new facilities, new faculties, and new opportunities!