Curtin Sarawak pleased with Curtin University’s 5-star rating in 2015 QS Stars

Miri – 6 March 2015 – Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) is pleased to announce that Curtin University has been awarded five stars overall in the latest QS Stars university ratings for 2015 following an equally strong debut in the 2014 QS Stars ratings.

Curtin is rated five-stars overall based on its performance across eight assessed categories. Five stars were awarded for teaching, employability, internationalisation, facilities, innovation, specialist criteria and inclusiveness, and three stars were awarded for research.

Curtin Sarawak sees the Curtin University QS 5-Star rating as a positive indicator of its own quality in teaching and learning, research and student experience, as well as in the quality and employability of its graduates.

Its pro vice-chancellor and chief executive, Professor Jim Mienczakowski, commented that as Curtin University’s international branch campus in Malaysia, the degree courses Curtin Sarawak offers are entirely Curtin University Australian degree programmes and awards.

“We further provide an undifferentiated Curtin student learning experience utilising the latest learning technologies coupled with strong student learning support mechanisms. This means that our degree courses are Curtin University’s degree courses and are exactly the same as those offered at our parent campus in Perth,” he said.

“Consequently, it is possible for our students to transfer directly to the Perth Campus from Curtin Sarawak to complete their studies once they have become fully enrolled Curtin degree students,” he added.

He also said that, aside from the joys and benefits of living in Australia compared to the joys and benefits of living in Malaysia, the major difference between the Perth degree experience and the Miri degree experience is one of cost.

He disclosed that completing a fully Australian Curtin degree at Curtin Sarawak is currently around a third the cost of completing exactly the same degree in Australia. This is due to a lower cost of living in Malaysia and also the support of the Government of Sarawak.

There is no difference in the quality of the degree, its value in the market place or in its appearance. The degree certificates are awarded by the parent campus and the wording of the awards for branch campuses is the same as that used for Perth students’ certificates.

Professor Mienczakowski went on to say that Curtin Sarawak places a lot of emphasis on ensuring its standards are at par with the Perth Campus, including providing equivalent teaching facilities and technologically-based pedagogies, in addition to using the same unit structures and study materials.

The campus also takes pride in giving extra time, attention and support to those students who may encounter bumps along their chosen learning pathways.

“Because we are in Miri and are small in scale when compared to many huge tertiary institutions, we know all our students well and they also get to know their lecturers and tutors personally,” said Professor Mienczakowski, adding that the campus is very keen to keep the ‘family feel’ it has in its learning community and to go the extra distance to help its students achieve their best.

Curtin University is one of Australia’s largest and most multicultural universities with a strong commitment to international engagement. Its programmes centre around the provision of knowledge and skills to meet industry and workplace standards. A combination of first-rate resources, staff and technology makes it a forerunner in tertiary education both within Australia and internationally.

Curtin Sarawak itself is very internationally focused, with over 3,600 students from over 40 countries. Highly-qualified academic staff from some 15 countries further strengthen its international outlook.

Being part of Curtin, it is able to attract high-calibre academics, most of whom have strong industry experience and hold PhDs, and many have won awards for teaching excellence and research. The academics also keep up with the latest developments in their fields and integrate the newest advancements in educational technology into their classes.

Curtin Sarawak offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in business, humanities, engineering, science and technology, in addition to courses at pre-university level that feed directly into the undergraduate programmes. The courses are very industry-focused and Curtin Sarawak takes full advantage of its strong industry and government links in their delivery.

“Our overriding objective is to be a recognised regional leader in education and research and engage communities and transform lives through leadership, innovation and excellence in teaching and research.

Our goals are to produce excellent graduates who will contribute to the growth and development of the region, to carry out effective research focusing on real-world challenges and opportunities, and be a contributor to the economic and social development of Malaysia,” said Professor Mienczakowski.

He said new learning spaces aimed at increasing student engagement, fostering collaboration between staff and students, and providing flexible, technology-rich environments are being created at the campus. Equipped with the latest technological advances in teaching and learning, including distributed learning technology, they will greatly support active student learning at the campus.

Curtin Sarawak is also ramping up its research in both its faculties and Curtin Sarawak Research Institute. A Graduate School has been established to advance and promote graduate education through both taught and research programmes, marking a further milestone in Curtin Sarawak’s development as a fully-fledged university.

Already in progress is a new technology park that is being developed with Sarawak’s Ministry of Industrial Development through government and university funding, which will allow for more collaboration with Curtin in Australia, government and industry in Malaysia, and other educational institutions around the world.

The QS 5 Stars rating system sees participating universities across the world undergo a comprehensive audit to achieve an overall rating of between one and five+ stars across several indicators. QS’ activities span across 70 countries, where it works with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions. It was introduced in 2011 and rates universities on areas beyond the scope of traditional ranking publications.

Detailed information on the QS Stars 2015 assessments is available at www.topuniversities.com/qs-stars/home.

The Curtin Sarawak campus in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski.