Curtin University, which has its main campus based in Perth, is the largest university in the state of Western Australia with 58,607 students globally in 2022.[14][15] Students have options to transfer or study abroad to other Curtin campuses in Perth, Kalgoorlie, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius as the same units are studied across its campuses.[16][17] In additional, students from other universities and Curtin campuses can also apply to study abroad at Curtin Malaysia.[18] As of 2022, the campus enrolled 1,937 students.
Under the "One Curtin" model, the campus is operated directly under Curtin University and degrees conferred by Curtin University to Curtin Malaysia students are equivalent to Curtin proper.[19][18] The university follows the same academic calendar as Curtin Australia and uses the same curriculum, study materials and examinations. The university campus is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)[8] and tuition rates are significantly lower than of international students studying in its main campus in Perth.[20] The university also conducts research at its Malaysian campus.[21]
In Australia, the university is known for having high employer satisfaction rates.[22][23][24] According to the 2022 Employer Satisfaction Survey published by the Australian Government's QILT, the university received the highest overall employer satisfaction (89.7%) among all universities in Australia.[25] The university also ranks within the top 200 universities according to the Quacquarelli Symonds and U.S. News university ranking publications,[26][27] while ranking somewhat lower on others.[28][29][30]
Curtin University is the modern descendent of the Perth Technical School, established in 1900, which later became the Western Australia Institute of Technology in 1966.[31] The institution received university status in 1986 to form the Curtin University of Technology, named after paramount World War II Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin.[32] In 2010, it removed the suffix from its name and became simply Curtin University. As of 2022, it is the largest university in the state of Western Australia with 58,607 students enrolled across its domestic and overseas campuses.[33]
The Sarawak State Government invited Curtin University to establish an international campus in Sarawak, with both signing a Memorandum of Understanding in 1998. Professor Kevin McKenna became the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive (President) of the newly-formed institution. Curtin Malaysia's operations in Miri commenced in February 1999, with initial study programs in various fields of engineering and commerce, with the campus fully opening by 2002.[8]
The university campus has students from more than 50 countries and teaching staff from more than 15 countries.[19] Besides being the first offshore campus of Curtin University, it is also the first offshore campus by any overseas university set up in East Malaysia.[34]
Curtin University is a Western Australian university and public perception of the university will differ across the different countries where it has campuses. According to an independent survey by Australian Government's QILT in 2022, employers in Australia were more satisfied with Curtin graduates than any other Australian university.[35] Different university ranking publications use varying methodologies to rank universities[36][37][38][39][40][41] and cannot accurately calculate teaching performance, research quality and other abstract functions into a singular numerical composite.[42] University ranking methodologies have also been subject to scrutiny[43][44][45] for their subjectivity, bias and lack of consideration for institutional specialisations.[46][47][48]
On university ranking publications, Curtin University usually ranks higher than most universities globally and is in the top 1% of universities ranked,[58] Curtin University also specialises in a number of fields, mostly related to engineering, where it ranks high on a number of university subject rankings.
The university also ranks within the top 100 for physical chemistry, public health, energy and fuels, engineering,[67] architecture, business administration, hospitality and tourism management, psychology, nursing, sports science, architecture, pharmacy and pharmacology.[68]
The courses offered by the Malaysia campus follows the identical structure and curriculum content as those offered at the main Bentley campusinPerth. During their course of studies, students have the discretion to study abroad or transfer to other Curtin campuses in Perth, Kalgoorlie, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius to gain further international exposure and widen their perspectives.[16] Curtin Malaysia also offers a range of university pathway programs alongside its undergraduate and postgraduate programs.[11][12] Courses at Curtin Malaysia are currently provided by the following Curtin schools:
Faculty of Business
Faculty of Engineering and Science
Faculty of Humanities and Health Sciences
School of Pre-U and Continuing Education
The Curtin Malaysia Student Council is the main student body managing social events and clubs on the campus.[69]
^"2022 Employer Satisfaction Survey"(PDF). Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT). Australian Government. April 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
Media related to Curtin University, Malaysia at Wikimedia Commons
