An Agreement which could see significant numbers of European students studying at Charles Sturt University (CSU) by 2012 has been signed with the European Study Centre in Bretten (ESCB), Germany.

 

“It is an important new relationship for CSU. It will greatly strengthen the provision of tertiary education in Bretten and will significantly enrich CSU’s international profile,” said Associate Professor John Messing, Sub-Dean International IT within the Faculty of Business.

 

Already this year, CSU has signed MoUs and agreements with Universities in South Korea, Chile and Switzerland. This latest signing will see a major expansion into Europe by CSU as an international provider of education for the professions, according to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Ross Chambers.

 

“We now have a very consistent international strategy. We are expanding our Distance Education (DE) offerings internationally, as well as building collaborations with established international Universities. This Agreement fits both objectives: to provide opportunities to DE students in Germany, but also for European students to study at a CSU Campus in Australia.”

 

CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter notes the Agreement comes as CSU begins delivering IT programs and health courses such as nursing and paramedic studies in Canada, where CSU already has a teacher training program. “The University now delivers distinctive and quality educational programs both nationally and internationally.

 

Professor Goulter is the Australian Vice-Chancellor Committee (AVCC) lead Vice-Chancellor for International Issues and was on the steering committee for the Transnational Quality Review by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.

 

He was also a member of the steering committee when the Department of Education, Science and Training reviewed the operations of their Education Services for Overseas Students. He has a keen interest in nationally consistent standards in transnational education delivery, facilities and services.

 

“Australian education providers have long concentrated their efforts in Asia which is an important and growing market. But as the Education Minister has reminded the tertiary sector, the Bologna Process is set to do to education what the EC has achieved economically, that is, bring consistency to higher education throughout Europe which has the potential to reduce access to educational provision in Europe by other countries .

 

“It is absolutely essential that CSU diversify into many markets around the world – Europe as well as Asia and North and South America. We are facing the prospect of greater mobility for students than ever before and it is crucial to CSU’s future prosperity that we are part of that internationalisation of education.”

 

The Agreement with the ESCB allows for students in Europe and especially Germany to study “Any course we offer in DE mode. Many of those courses require residential schools and practical components which will mean those students will have to spend at least part of their course here at one of the CSU Campuses in Australia,” said Professor Messing.

 

“The ESCB is also organising an agreement with a number of German Universities to transfer students to CSU for at least a semester or possibly a year to CSU. We could have significant numbers of students here by 2012,” he added.