Charles Darwin University (CDU) will begin delivering higher education in the United Kingdom (UK) after the University council voted to pursue transnational education and establish a study centre in London.
The UK-based operation is the first step in a new transnational education push for the University and the start of a new export industry from the Northern Territory.
CDU intends to start delivering a flexible Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Information Technology (MIT) online in the final quarter of 2025, with a London study centre being established to facilitate the intensive masterclasses.
CDU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Scott Bowman said that it was the right time for the University to explore transnational education, and the UK presented an opportunity to deliver in a region and to customers 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 are leaders in online higher education across Australia. However, more universities are now offering online and flexible delivery.
“We will harness our vast, well-established experience in online course delivery in a new transnational model in the United Kingdom with a mixture of online delivery and intensive masterclasses.”
Professor Bowman said higher education at CDU was unique and its approach offered something different in the UK market, a difference that will attract students.
“By setting up an operation in the UK, 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 the study centre helping to grow student numbers, the University expects that the UK-based operation will support research collaborations and continue to raise the profile of CDU internationally.
Professor Bowman said the transnational model was just one initiative that was being explored, along with continuing to campaign the Australian Government for changes to proposed higher education policy.
“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 students in the Territory,” Professor Bowman said.
“I know how important international students are in bolstering the Northern Territory, and their contribution to the Top End community.” According to Study NT, in 2023, international education and training generated $155 million and more than 1350 jobs in the NT.
“The bottom line is that to deliver world-class degree courses and training to people in the Northern Territory, we have to grow the revenue base by exporting our unique higher education experience.”
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Sierra Haigh she/her
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Marketing, Media & Communications
Larrakia Country
E: [email protected]
W: cdu.edu.au
Charles Darwin University acknowledges all First Nations people across the lands on which we live and work, and we pay our respects to Elders both past and present.
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