Charles Darwin University announces plan to open UK study centre
Charles Darwin University will begin delivering courses in London in a bid to work around caps on international student numbers threatening to cripple the university.
Tertiary
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tertiary. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Charles Darwin University will begin delivering courses in the United Kingdom in a bid to work around caps on international student numbers threatening to cripple the university.
The university council on Friday voted to establish a study centre in London, in what will be the first step in a new transnational education push for CDU, and the start of a new export industry for the Northern Territory.
CDU intends to start delivering a flexible Master of Business Administration and Master of Information Technology online as soon as the final quarter of 2025, with intensive masterclasses to be delivered in person at the London centre.
In 2023 CDU had 3632 international students (just over a quarter of total enrolments), predominantly hailing from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries.
It expects less than half of usual international enrolment numbers this semester, due to visa restrictions imposed by the federal government in an attempt to control ballooning migration.
Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman said the UK presented an opportunity to expand into a new market without major changes to the courses or how they are delivered.
“Since the announcement of international student visa restrictions and then caps, I have challenged myself and our CDU staff to think about courageous and bold ideas to keep the university on a sustainable path,” Professor Bowman said.
“We will harness our vast, well-established experience in online course delivery in a new transnational model in the UK, with a mixture of online delivery and intensive masterclasses.”
Lost revenue from fewer international enrolments has forced CDU to axe staff, cut all its department budgets by 10 per cent, and has undermined its investment the new Danala campus – a $240m project which included $97m in federal funding and a $127m loan from the northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.
Professor Bowman has previously said about 8000 international students would be needed to make the campus viable; something the federal government knew when it approved the business case.
“If we can’t bring the students to us, then we must go out there and find students. But I will be continuing to campaign in Canberra for changes to the international student (restrictions) in the Territory,” he said.
“I know how important international students are in bolstering the Northern Territory, and their contribution to the Top End community.”
Professor Bowman said higher education at CDU was unique, and its approach offered something different in the UK market.
“We will be exporting a high-quality Australian education experience, and CDU is a trailblazer when it comes to innovative online, flexible learning,” he said.
In addition to growing student numbers, the university hopes the UK-based operation will support research collaborations and continue to raise the profile of CDU internationally.
According to Study NT, international education and training generated $155m and more than 1350 jobs to the Territory in 2023.
Record-breaking intake for NT medical program
Flinders University celebrates a milestone as 42 medical students begin their studies in the Northern Territory, including the first international cohort.
‘Beautiful experience’: CDU student returns from cultural experience of a lifetime
If you have ever wondered what Coldplay’s Chris Martin would look like after being spiritually cleansed in a sacred Indian river, Abhishek Singh has your answers. Find out why.