▁The ▁college ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁Kings ley ▁R id g way ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁It ▁was ▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Wes ley an ▁Method ist ▁Bible ▁College ▁of ▁Australia ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁its ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁honour ▁its ▁founder . ▁Stud ents ▁come ▁from ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁denomin ational ▁and ▁national ▁background s . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁Kings ley ▁R id g way ▁founded ▁the ▁Wes ley an ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁of ▁Australia ▁in ▁Victoria . ▁His ▁vision ▁from ▁the ▁beginning ▁was ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁training ▁college ▁that ▁would ▁equip ▁students ▁for ▁a ▁life ▁and ▁the ology ▁of ▁practical ▁hol iness . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁vision ▁of ▁R id g way ▁and ▁the ▁gener os ity ▁of ▁the ▁Wes ley an ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁of ▁America , ▁a ▁property ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁Glen roy , ▁Victoria , ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁national ▁headquarters ▁and ▁the ▁training ▁college . ▁The ▁Wes ley an ▁Method ist ▁Bible ▁College ▁began ▁to ▁offer ▁training ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁with ▁a ▁class ▁of ▁seven ▁students . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁the ▁three - year ▁Di pl oma ▁of ▁The ology ▁had ▁expanded ▁to ▁a ▁four - year ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁The ology ▁degree . ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁also ▁saw ▁a ▁change ▁of ▁name ▁applied ▁to ▁the ▁college ; ▁Kings ley ▁College ▁offered ▁training ▁under ▁a ▁name ▁that ▁hon oured ▁the ▁founder . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 2 0 0