‘It’s going to be a different Darwin’: CDU deputy vice chancellor

A CHANGE in federal legislation will bring thousands to Darwin CBD.

A change in legislation will see about 5000 international students come into Darwin CBD. Picture: NEWSCORP

A Charles Darwin University senior official has revealed the university’s bold plans to attract 5000 international students to its new city campus by 2025.

The plans would transform Darwin’s CBD and breathe new life into a stagnating property market.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Andrew Everett said the university was moving forward with plans for the campus with first work on the $430 million campus potentially beginning before Christmas.

CDU out to lure overseas students

The plan coincides with a change to visas for students studying in regional Australia.

According to the federal Education Department, international students who study, live and work in regional areas would be eligible for a temporary graduate visa with an extra year of post-study work rights.

This is available to the first eligible cohort of graduates from 2021.

PLAN puts new CDU campus near CBD post office

Mr Everett said thousands of international students at the city campus would “transform” Darwin.

“Having a few thousand people at the CBD, it’s going to be a different Darwin,” he said.

“It’s not going to be backpacker type people that are here for maybe a couple of weeks or a few weeks, these people will be here for up to three or four years.”

Mr Everett said the new campus would have a flow-on effect for CBD businesses.

“Potentially it’s at least adding probably 50 per cent of growth to the student body in terms of people in classes, in the libraries, getting haircuts, getting taxis, buying groceries,” he said.

“Whether it be at the university or in Darwin, everyone’s going to benefit.”

About 1000 beds were planned on campus but Mr Everett said there was talking of releasing more in stages.

An artist’s impression of the proposed $430 million CDU city campus. Picture: Supplied

“It’s going to be very, very different to what students have access to now in the dedicated accommodation,” he said.

Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory chief executive Quentin Kilian said the city’s residential property market would benefit in multiple ways.

“It does offer the opportunity for developers to start looking at developing specific student accommodation,” he said.

OUR best value NT News subscription deal yet: $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

“That might be converting an old commercial building for instance.

“When the city becomes more enlivened, it then starts to attract younger people back to the city who are working in the city, looking for jobs. That’s the sort of clientele that’s like to start picking up those private rentals in town so one feeds the other.”