SAE Institute (formerly School of Audio Engineering) is a private college founded in 1976 by Sound Engineer/Record Producer Tom Misner. The first school was opened 1977 in Sydney, (Australia).
SAE Institute offers courses in Audio engineering, Multimedia and Digital Filmmaking. It comprises 44 colleges in 20 countries. Since 1998 SAE is the global partner of Middlesex University, delivering validated degrees.

History

• 1976 The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) is set up in June 1976 by engineer/producer Tom Misner who, in so doing, develops the first practical/theoretical curriculum.
• 1977 The first 9 month course commences in February, in Sydney Australia with a Sony 4-track tape recorder and a custom made 12 channel mixing console.
• 1978 SAE Melbourne, the 2nd college, is established in North Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, with a small 8 track studio and some editing tape machines.
• 1979 SAE Sydney is upgraded with a Soundcraft Series II console and an Ampex 24 track tape recorder.
• 1980 SAE Brisbane, the 3rd college, as it turns out later will move three times in the next few years and SAE's first commercial studio Central Recorder is opened in Sydney.
• 1981 SAE Sydney commences with the acceptance of overseas students and gains the first form of government recognition - a public service grading. The first practical audio workstations are designed by Tom Misner.
• 1982 SAE Adelaide, the 4th college commences operation early in the year. SAE Perth, the 5th college, is established in August.
• 1983 SAE Brisbane relocates to larger premises and update their equipment.
• 1984 SAE Coffs Harbour (Australia) is set up for one year only to conduct a course on behalf of the local television and radio stations, but the college stays open for a further year.
• 1985 On a business trip to London, Tom Misner notices that there are no professional audio colleges at all operating in the UK. This leads directly to the establishment of SAE London, the first overseas college. Operation commences in March. The college is equipped with a Fostex 16 track tape recorder and a Studiomaster console.
• 1986 SAE Munich, the first foreign language SAE school, opens in Germany. The course is extended to 15 months part-time. SAE Frankfurt commences late in the year, both German colleges are initially equipped with the TAC Scorpion consoles.
• 1987 SAE Vienna the first college in Austria is opened in February. The first custom-designed program is conducted by SAE Germany for radio station 'Radio Free Europe'. SAE Perth moves premises (to next door) expands all studio facilities and sponsors the Santana Concert in Perth.
• 1988 SAE Sydney undertakes a major move and equipment update. In London, SAE graduate Tim Simmons (Bomb the Bass) gains success as an artist and producer for dance tracks. SAE Berlin the third German college is opened late in the year with special assistance from the German government. A new course 'Live Sound Engineering' (another first) is offered by SAE.
• 1989 SAE London relocates to much larger premises the equipment is updated to a Neve console. SAE introduces the 6 months part-time 'Studio Sound Certificate' course.
• 1990 SAE Auckland is established with a 24 track studio and the Auckland college is granted full government approval (New Zealand Qualifications Authority). SAE introduces the 'DJ and Sampling' course in London. SAE Glasgow commences operation late in the year.
• 1991 SAE Amsterdam, the new European operational head office is opened. One of the largest orders of Neve consoles ever placed, called for the supply of 11 VR series consoles. The first SAE student CD, a compilation of various student projects is mastered. SAE Singapore commences in September as the first audio college in Asia. It too is based upon the Neve VR console.
• 1992 SAE Berlin college is updated with a Neve console. SAE Sydney updates the main studio with a Sony MXP fully automated console. SAE Munich relocates to larger premises and installs a Neve VR console. The audio engineering programme is extended to 15 months part-time in all SAE colleges. SAE Kuala Lumpur opens in October with a Soundtracs Jade console and Otari 24 track.
• 1993 SAE Paris opens. The college has a Neve VR console with Flying Faders, two recording studios and a total of twenty various workstations. Partial government approval and funding for students is given to SAE by the Government of France. SAE Melbourne is relocated and updated with a Sony MXP console and 24 track studio. SAE Hamburg opens and commences operation as the first SAE college to teach extensive digital practice. The studios are based upon the Soundtracs Jade console, Sony APR multitrack and ProTools III.
• 1994 SAE Kuala Lumpur gains government approval (Ministry of Education). The first SAE Book (Practical Studio Techniques by Tom Misner) is published. SAE forms an official link with the Australian Southern Cross University to offer a joint degree program (BA Music Production). The School of Audio Engineering changes its name to SAE Technology College. Tom Misner opens the only new large commercial recording studio in Australia to be built in the 90's. Known as Mirage Studios it is a world class recording studio (Neve VR with Flying Faders, Studer A 820, ProTools III 32 tracks and four racks full of the latest effects).
• 1995 The first SAE-ProSchool is established in London teaching the Digidesign ProTools system. SAE Stockholm (Sweden) commences with the first audio course instructed in Swedish. SAE Glasgow moves into the main business district of Glasgow with our own studios based on the Otari MTR 90 multitrack and digital ADAT multitracks. SAE Zürich has now been established in the Technopark industrial complex. The studio is equipped with a Neve VR console and Studer A800 multitrack. SAE Hobart, the 6th college in Australia, opens. The first multimedia program called 'Multimedia Producer' commences in Sydney with SAE Vienna following later in the year. The multimedia program is now also offered in Berlin, Zürich and Singapore. SAE Cologne, the fifth German College, opens later in that year and offers both the audio and multimedia programmes. SAE Singapore receives government approval and is able to accept overseas students. A new student administration system is introduced into all SAE colleges.
• 1996 The multimedia program is expanded to Zürich and Singapore. The first full university degree programme is launched by SAE Sydney with the co-operation of the Southern Cross University. SAE Singapore is to move to larger premises and is installing a full digital studio. SAE Frankfurt now offers the first live sound program in Germany. SAE Milano, the first college to open in Italy, is based upon a Neve VR console and Otari multitracks.
• 1997 SAE Sydney moves to 4 floor building. SAE London doubles in area. SAE Germany increases the multimedia department. The first multimedia-only college in Stuttgart starts in October. SAE forms the SAE Entertainment Company for professional production of CD ROM, CD extra, CD audio and internet homepages.
• 1998 SAE Adelaide moves to new premises. SAE New York City is licensed and a building is chosen on 40th Street. A major deal is signed with Walt Disney Entertainment. SAE Zürich expands college. SAE purchases 4 SSL G+ consoles. Over 500 Apple Macintosh Power PC computers are installed at various SAE colleges. SAE Athens, Greece opens late in the year, and SAE London expands again. SAE enters into a collaborative arrangement with Middlesex University, England and the first BA (Hons) degree programmes are run at the London, Munich and Sydney campuses.
• 1999 SAE Nashville starts operation. SAE purchases Australia's premier recording facility (Studio 301) which is the world's second oldest recording studio, established in 1926 a few months after Abbey Road Studios. SAE Munich is the first college to start the Digital Film Programme in November 1999, with Cologne, Hamburg and Vienna to follow in spring.
• 2000 SAE Munich starts Digital Film Arts Degree. SAE Hamburg starts the Digital Film Program. For the first time in the history of SAE 4 new franchise schools are established in India. SAE Frankfurt and SAE Amsterdam expand to make room for their new multimedia departments. SAE Stuttgart moves to a bigger location. SAE Berlin expands for the next Digital Film Program.
• 2001 Late in the year sees the opening of SAE Miami, Liverpool and Madrid. Final planning approval has been given for SAE’s new head office in Byron Bay, Australia. Tom Misner purchases the largest recording studio in Germany, which is now part of the Studios 301 Group. Studio 301 buys the first one million dollar mixing console: the Neve 88R.
• 2002 SAE Adelaide and SAE Perth turn 20. The new Digital Film Making Program is starting in Australia and Europe. SAE Thiruvananthapuram, India, commences operation. A number of SAE colleges are updated and receive new large consoles (SSL). SAE Miami installs a 120 Channel Sony Oxford console. SAE Berlin and SAE Athens are approved as Degree Centres by Middlesex University, England.
• 2003 The SAE Alumni Association is founded. SAE Brussels, Belgium, and SAE Yangon, Myanmar, are opened. SAE Berlin is offering the first Bachelor courses. The new headquarters in Byron Bay, Australia, opens with the world's first SSL9000K for educational use. SAE New York moves to a new location doubling in size.
• 2004 SAE Munich, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Stuttgart and Hamburg all move to new, bigger and improved premises. SAE Leipzig opens. SAE Barcelona opens. Purchase of 200 Power Mac G5 in one transaction. Purchase of 20 Focusrite Liquid Channels. Purchase of second SSL9000K console to be used by 301 and SAE Sydney. SAE acquires QANTM, Australia's leading production, new media and training company.

Links

• SAE Institute international website
• SAE Institute UK
• SAE Institute Germany