Curtin University of Technology

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Curtin University of Technology
Motto:	Look Ever Forward
Established:	1987
Type:	Public
Chancellor:	Gordon Martin
Vice-Chancellor:	Professor Jeanette Hacket
Faculty:	4 500
Undergraduates:	31 500
Postgraduates:	7 600
Location:	Bentley, W.A, Australia
Campus:	Urban
Organisations:	Australian Technology Network
Affiliations:	ASAIHL
Website:	www.curtin.edu.au

Curtin University of Technology is a university with its main campus at Bentley, 6 kilometres (4 mi) southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It commenced operations with its current name in 1986, and was previously known as the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT). Its current name is taken from the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin.^[1]

Curtin University of Technology is Western Australia's largest university ^[2] with over 40,000 students, of which over 17,000 study offshore.^[3] From 2007, the university's teaching and research is divided into five faculties (previously known as divisions). These are: Centre for Aboriginal Studies; Curtin Business School; Health Sciences; Humanities; and Science & Engineering.^[4]

Contents 1 Overview 2 History 3 Student Guild 4 Transport 5 Other Campuses 5.1 Sarawak Campus 5.2 Singapore Campus 6 Alumni 7 External links 8 References

[edit] Overview

Curtin has a growing reputation for research success in a number of areas^[5] including (but not limited to) Resources and Energy (e.g. petroleum gas), Information and Communication, Health, Ageing and Well-being (Public Health), Communities and Changing Environments, and Growth and Prosperity. It is the only Western Australian university to produce PhD recipients of the AINSE gold medal, the highest possible recognition for PhD level research excellence in Australia and New Zealand.^[6]

Curtin has an increased profile in mainland China in recent years, with the Chinese government and industry involved in a number of business, management and research projects, particularly in supercomputing^[7] and minerals and petroleum^[8]. This has coincided with the increasing economic success of China's industry and the Chinese economy and the growing role of Western Australia as an important exporter of minerals and energy^[9] to China (notably iron ore, and petroleum gas exported as LNG - amongst the more significant mineral exports to China^[10]). Enrolments of Chinese nationals in undergraduate and postgraduate and numbers of researchers originally from China working as Curtin staff have also increased. The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao chose to visit the Woodside-funded hydrocarbon research facility on its campus during his visit to Australia in 2005.^[11]

Curtin is also a partner^[12] in the African Virtual University, a World Bank project. Curtin offers a three-year Bachelor of Business Administration, and a one-year Diploma of Business Studies via Curtin Business School (delivering BBA) and Kalgoorlie VTEC (delivering Dip Bus St) with the Faculty of Education providing scholarships for online learning skills development. The project is delivered via four partner institutions: Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) Kigali Institute of Science & Technology (Rwanda) Kenyatta University (Kenya) University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).

Curtin has over 90 exchange partnerships with universities in more than 20 countries^[13]

[edit] History

Prior to 1985, Curtin University was called the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT). WAIT was formed in 1966. Its nucleus comprised the tertiary programs formerly conducted in the Perth Technical College which opened in 1900. In 1969, three more institutions were merged with WAIT: The Western Australian School of Mines (originally opened in 1902), the Muresk Agricultural College (dating from 1926) and schools of physiotherapy and occupational therapy in operation since the 1950s at Shenton Park.^[1]

In June 2005, Curtin University of Technology and Murdoch University were engaged in a feasibility study into the possibility of a merger.^[14] However, on 7 November 2005, both institutions issued a press release that such a merger will not be undertaken.^[15]

[edit] Student Guild

The Curtin Student Guild is the guild representing students at Curtin University. The Guild started as the WAIT Student Guild in November 1968.

In addition to student representation the Guild manages most of the food outlets on campus, runs the Guild Tavern, the Guild Second Hand Bookshop, Guild Concept Store, Curtin Student Guild Childcare Centre and the Copy and Design Centre. The Guild funds many of the student clubs and societies on campus. The Guild also runs a number of events throughout the year, most notably are the Beach Bash held in semester one and Oktoberfest held in semester two. The Guild publishes Grok, the campus magazine which has the largest distribution in the country. The Student Guild is governed by students through the Guild Council. Student representatives are elected to their positions by students in annual elections held in September and run by the Western Australian Electoral Commission. The official spokesperson of which is the Guild President. The 2008 Guild President is Collette Swindells.^[16]

Postgraduate students are represented by Curtin Student Guild Postgraduate Student Association. CUPSA is a department of the Guild. Other departments include ISC (International Students Committee), Women’s, Queer, Indigenous, and Part Time and Mature Age.

Funding to the Curtin Student Guild has been greatly reduced when the Voluntary Student Unionism legislation came into force on 1 July 2006. The Curtin Student Guild has already experienced State imposed VSU from 1994-2002.

[edit] Transport

Curtin has it's own Bus Port, connected to the Transperth Public Transport Network. Many routes terminate/start at and run through this Port. With the recent completion of the Mandurah rail line, it has become easier to get to Curtin. Students can get off at Canning Bridge Station, and then catch a bus, which goes directly to the university.

Parking at Curtin is fair, although somewhat limited, and the price of which is fought for by the Curtin Student Guild.

[edit] Other Campuses

In addition to the main campus at Bentley, Curtin has two smaller campuses in the metropolitan area. The Graduate School of Business is located in the Central Business District at 78 Murray Street in the renovated former Government Printing Office - a listed building on the State Register of Heritage Places, and listed in the National Trust's List of Classified Places. The other campus is the Shenton Park Heath Research campus hosting NDRI (National Drug Research Institute).

The University Departments of Exploration Geophysics and Petroleum Engineering are located at the co-location research facilities of the Australia Resources Research Centre (ARRC^[17]) which also incorporates CSIRO, BHP Billiton and the Curtin University of Technology and researchers from UWA and WA State Centres of Excellence for Petroleum Research, Petroleum Geology, Exploration and Production Geophysics. The ARRC is located in the Technology Precinct adjacent to the main campus of Curtin University of Technology in Bentley. Some University staff, researchers and students on practicum work in other locations such as the Oral Health Centre of WA (OHCWA) in Nedlands ^[18] and at Royal Perth Hospital, amongst other organisations.

Curtin also has several campuses outside of Perth, notably those located in Kalgoorlie (Western Australia School of Mines), and Northam and Collie (Muresk Institute). The first two campuses reflect the university's traditional strength in mine engineering and agriculture and resources (Muresk). A number of micro-campuses exist in locations such as Esperance, Margaret River and Geraldton. Nursing is the only course offered in Geraldton.

The Sydney Campus of Curtin University of Technology was established on 20 June 2005. Initially, the campus was located in The Rocks area. It was later relocated to the suburb of Chippendale where it occupies the historic Berlei Building. The courses offered at this campus range from Pathway to Postgraduate Programs.

[edit] Sarawak Campus

The campus in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a significant development for the university. Curtin's operations in Miri began in February 1999. In 2002, a purpose-built campus was opened as Curtin's first offshore campus and the first foreign university campus in East Malaysia. Curtin Sarawak is the only approved CISCO Networking University in Miri and Brunei.^[19]

[edit] Singapore Campus

There are plans to open a campus in Singapore in early December 2008.^[20][21]

[edit] Alumni

Past Curtin attendees include:

• Carrie Bickmore, newsreader on Nova 100 and on Rove Live^[22]
• Natalie Barr, news presenter on Seven Network's Sunrise^[23]
• Natalia Cooper, weatherwoman from National Nine News on Nine Perth^[24]
• Priya Cooper, Gold medal swimmer at the Sydney Paralympic Games^[25]
• Richard Curry, head of the Department of Indigenous Affairs^[26]
• Elissa Down, film director^[27]
• Amanda Higgs, producer of The Secret Life Of Us^[28]
• Sheila McHale, Cabinet minister in the Government of Western Australia^[29]
• Judith Lucy, comedian^[30]
• Frances O'Connor, actress^[31]
• Ljiljanna Ravlich, Cabinet minister in the Government of Western Australia^[32]
• Tim Winton, author^[31]
• John Worsfold, coach of the West Coast Eagles^[33]
• Ben Templesmith, illustrator & author of 30 Days of Night.

[edit] External links

• Curtin University Home Page
  • Curtin University of Technology, Sydney Campus
  • Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Campus
  • Curtin Alumni

[edit] References