Curtin University
Curtin University, located in Bentley, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, is a prominent public institution that has evolved significantly since its founding as the Western Australia Institute of Technology in 1966. Named after former Prime Minister John Curtin, the university serves over 58,000 students from more than 130 countries across various disciplines, including business, engineering, health sciences, humanities, and the sciences. With multiple campuses, including international locations in Dubai, Sarawak, Mauritius, and Singapore, Curtin emphasizes practical research and industry connections to prepare students for real-world challenges.
The university's history is rich, tracing back to early technical education institutions in Western Australia, and it has grown through various educational reforms and expansions over the decades. Notably, Curtin was one of the first universities to embrace online learning options and continues to innovate with technology-driven educational facilities such as immersive visual environments and simulated clinical settings. Its commitment to research is exemplified through initiatives like the Centre for Crop and Disease Management and involvement in significant international projects like the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.
Curtin University aims to create an "innovation precinct" as part of its long-term master plan, fostering collaboration between education, industry, and government. The university boasts a diverse alumni network that includes influential figures in Australian culture, politics, and sports, highlighting its role in shaping future leaders and innovators.
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Subject Terms
Curtin University
Date founded: 1966 (as the Western Australia Institute of Technology)
Colleges or faculties: Aboriginal Studies; Business and Law; Health Sciences; Humanities; Science and Engineering
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Type: Public
Size: 58,589 students (as of 2022); more than 3,000 (as of 2022)
Curtin University is an international centre for higher learning with headquarters in Bentley, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The university is named for former prime minister John Curtin. More than 58,000 students from more than 130 countries attend the eight public campuses, pursuing practical and innovative undergraduate and postgraduate courses in business, engineering, health sciences, humanities, resources and other sciences.
In addition to Curtin’s main campus in Bentley, facilities include the Western Australia School of Mines in Kalgoorlie; the Graduate Schools of Business and Law in Perth’s central business district; and the Margaret River Education Centre, a collaboration of Curtin University of Technology and a number of other institutions and agencies. International, campuses are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Sarawak, Malaysia; Moka, Mauritius; and Singapore.
The university is known for its focus on practical research, enabling students to solve real-world problems by placing them in real-life situations and augmenting their learning by connecting them with industry leaders and experts.
History
Curtin University has roots that stretch back to the early twentieth century. Perth Technical School opened in 1900; two years later, Kalgoorlie welcomed the Western Australian School of Mines. Curtin University has absorbed these institutions and has centres in both cities. The Western Australia state government approved the construction of the Western Australia Institute of Technology (WAIT) in 1960; after a disagreement over where to place the campus, Premier David Brand announced that Bentley would be the site. WAIT opened in 1966, and its first student class of 2,811 began their educational journey in 1967. The inaugural director was Haydn Williams, who had campaigned with Engineering Department Head William (George) Hayman and Director General of Education Thomas Robertson for WAIT to be built.
As the number of students and faculty grew, so did opportunities. A national move in 1974 to abolish up-front tuition fees and offer financial assistance proved beneficial for WAIT as well. In 1982, the institute began offering PhD programs. Added the following year was an Aboriginal Studies unit; three years later, a Technology Park opened its doors. WAIT became Curtin University of Technology in 1986.
Curtin was named for the fourteenth prime minister of Australia, John Curtin, who had been an advocate of expanding social services. Curtin died in 1945, six weeks before the end of the war, and his leadership was seen as an example for Curtin University’s students to emulate. One of his trademark philosophies is embedded in the university’s mission: look ever forward.
Curtin University leapt into the online environment in 1992 by joining the Open Learning program, an idea that came full circle with the advent of Curtin’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), in 2013. Curtin branched out overseas with teaching programs in Sarawak, Malaysia, in 1999; three years later, Curtin Malaysia opened. Two more campuses opened in Australia: Margaret River in 2003 and Sydney in 2005. Another international component came online in 2008, with the opening of Curtin Singapore. A campus in Dubai opened in 2017. A heritage building in Perth was acquired in 1977 to house Curtin's Graduate School Business; and the Law School opened in 2013. The Sydney campus closed in 2016.
Impact
Curtin University offers students a variety of technology-driven scenarios to enhance their learning. Such opportunities can be found in the Hub for Immersive Visualisation and eResearch (HIVE), at which humanities students can immerse themselves in large-scale three-dimensional environments; a simulated hospital ward, using interactive technologies to facilitate paediatric care, critical care, and surgery; and a stock market trading room that simulates the pell-mell atmosphere of a New York or London trading floor.
The university's newly built engineering pavilion employs environmentally friendly technologies such as rooftop water tanks and temperature banding, in addition to providing collaboration opportunities between students and industry leaders. Through the Centre for Crop and Disease Management, the university conducts biosecurity research and investigates crop protection methods. The centre focuses on disease management strategies for farming systems, strategies to combat fungicide resistance and molecular genetics techniques to biologically combat crop diseases. Curtin's Institute of Radio Astronomy is heavily involved in the construction of the Square Kilometre Array, a multinational project that aims to build the world's largest radio telescope, fifty times more sensitive than instruments available at the time of its design.
The university is part of sixteen Cooperative Research Centres and has more than ninety exchange partnerships with universities around the world. In 2016, the university embarked on a twenty-year master plan to create Greater Curtin, an “innovation precinct” combining education opportunities with industry and government operations. The expansion includes new facilities, parking, and student housing and guest accommodations, as well as commercial space.
Curtin University alumni include many well-known figures in Australian entertainment, technology, sport and politics. Among the high-profile award winners are swimmer Priya Cooper, novelist Tim Winton, and actor Judy Davis. Journalists Carrie Bickmore and Natalie Barr, politicians Michaelia Cash and Melissa Parke, and Moodle creator Martin Dougiamas are all graduates of Curtin.
Bibliography
Bray, Igor. “Department of Physics and Astronomy at Curtin University.” AAPPS Bulletin, vol. 26, no. 4, Aug. 2016, pp. 19–24. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=117323347&site=ehost-live. Accessed 5 February 2019.
“Curtin University.” Universities Australia, 2023, universitiesaustralia.edu.au/university/curtin-university/. Accessed 11 June 2024.
“Curtin University.” Nature Index, 31 Jan. 2024, www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/australia/curtin-university/5139072d34d6b65e6a00213d. Accessed 11 June 2024.
Davis, Glyn. The Australian Idea of a University. University of Melbourne Press, 2017.
Forsyth, Hannah. A History of the Modern Australian University. NewSouth, 2014.
“History.” Curtin University, 2024, about.curtin.edu.au/who/history/. Accessed 11 June 2024.
“Home.” Curtin University, 2024, www.curtin.edu.au. Accessed 11 June 2024.
“Student Statistics – Enrolled by Headcount.” Curtin University, 2023, www.curtin.edu.au/about/history-facts/facts-figures/student-statistics-headcount/. Accessed 11 June 2024.