Widely acknowledged as one of the sixth continent’s premier teaching and research universities, CU has established a stellar reputation for exporting its higher education around the world, writes Reshma Ravishanker

Sited on a sprawling 286-acre campus in Perth, the nearest Australian city to Asia, Curtin University (CU, estb.1966) is widely acknowledged as one of the sixth continent’s premier teaching and research universities. In the latest QS World University Rankings 2022, this 54-year-old varsity is ranked among Australia’s Top 15 and among the Top 200 universities worldwide. Notably, it is ranked #2 worldwide for its mineral and mining engineering programme in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021.

Beginning its innings as the Curtin University of Technology and Western Australian Institute of Technology, CU was conferred university status by the Western Australia parliament in 1986 and named after John Curtin (1885-1945), former prime minister of Oz. Currently, the university offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgrad and doctoral programmes in its faculties of aboriginal studies; business and law; health sciences; humanities; science and engineering to over 50,000 students mentored by 3,000 faculty and staff.

Within Australia, CU has established a stellar reputation for exporting Oz higher education around the world. It has established full-fledged offshore campuses in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, and Mauritius. In addition, it has signed academic agreements with more than 80 international partner institutions in 20 countries.

Perth. The admin capital of Western Australia, Perth is the country’s gateway to South-east and North-east Asia and is in the same time zone as Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. With a small population of 1.9 million, it provides a clean and safe academic environment with more affordable living costs than metro cities such as Melbourne and Sydney. The city is scenically sited on the River Swan between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Range of mountains and hosts a strong economy with low levels of unemployment. It also offers hundreds of restaurants and cafes, parks, cinemas, nightclubs and music venues as well as great shopping to students and citizens.

Moreover, with its Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and mild winters, this coastal city is perfect for sports and leisure pursuits and offers a long menu including tennis, golf, whale watching and sailing.

Campus facilities. CU is spread across five campuses in Western Australia. Its largest campus is sited on 286 acres in the Perth suburb of Bentley, 10 km from city centre. Set in landscaped gardens, the campus offers state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, libraries, research centres and excellent sports and recreation facilities to students. “Everything you need is within easy walking distance. There is a world-class art gallery, travel agencies, full banking facilities, bookshop, computer shop, sports store, childcare facilities and many active sports clubs and societies,” says a university spokesperson.

Inevitably in field sports, track and field games and aquatics sports-obsessed Oz, CU’s sports facilities are excellent. They include the Edinburgh sports pavilion, a hockey stadium, well-equipped gymnasia, badminton, tennis, basketball and netball courts. Miscellaneous facilities include cafes and restaurants, a multi-faith prayer facility, meditation room, and a spiritual garden.

Two additional campuses are sited in Perth’s central business district — Perth Curtin Murray Street which hosts the Curtin Graduate School of Business and Curtin Law School where business professionals and postgrad students learn at 137 and 139 St. Georges Terrace. The fourth campus is in Midland, another suburb of Perth, and it offers medicine and allied health sciences study programmes. CU’s fifth campus is sited in the historic mining town of Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields region of Western Australia (600 km from Perth) famous for its Super Pit, Oz’s second largest open cut gold mine that produces 456,000 troy ounces of gold annually. This campus hosts the globally respected WA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering.

Admission. The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into Curtin’s undergraduate programmes is successful completion of Plus Two with a 60 percent-plus average (CBSE/CISCE) and/or 65 percent (state boards). Applicants also have to demonstrate English language competence. A minimum score of 79 in TOEFL or 6 in IELTS or 58 in PTE Academic is generally accepted as sufficient proof of English language proficiency.

Foreign students have the option to apply directly to the university (www.curtin.edu.au) or through an agent or university representative (https://study.curtin.edu.au/applying/international/agent/). The next admission deadline is February 5, 2022 for term beginning in 2023. For further information contact +61 8 9266 5888; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.curtin.edu.au.

Accommodation. The Perth campus offers several student accommodation options. They include the Erica Underwood House with 54 fully furnished six-bedroom apartments (located around the shopping complex and restaurants); Vickery House (fully furnished six-to-eight-bedroom units), Guild House (facing the Curtin stadium with double room options), the Kurrajong Village on the West side of the campus and two new residential facilities — Twin Dolphin Hall and St. Catherine’s College.

Degree programmes. CU offers a wide range of bachelor’s, Masters and doctoral programmes across five faculties —business and law; health sciences; humanities; science and engineering; Centre for Aboriginal Studies.

Scholastic Options at Curtin

Curtin University offers undergrad, postgraduate and doctoral programmes across five faculties and ten broad study areas. They include:
Agriculture, environment and sustainability. Agricultural science, coastal and marine science, environmental science, food science, geography, agribusiness.

Architecture and construction. Interior architecture, construction management, urban and regional planning, landscape and natural resource management

Arts and creative industries. Digital and social media, theatre arts, professional writing and publishing, journalism, creative writing, screen arts, creative arts, fashion design, animation and game design, fine art, and screen arts

Business, management and law. Business administration, commerce, law, human resources, information system, marketing MBA and accounting, finance and taxation

Culture, society and indigenous. Psychology, human resources management and several courses in Chinese, history and international relations

Engineering, mining and related technologies. Chemical engineering and chemistry, civil and construction engineering and mining, surveying, extractive metallurgy

Moreover, the departments of education, health, information technology & physical sciences and mathematics offer several study programmes

Tuition fees (per year): A$34,700-36,800
Living expenses: A$18,000-28,000 NB A$=Rs.55

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