International student enrolments at Charles Sturt University jumped at least 25 per cent this year.

CSU International Office Director Bev Hudson welcomed the increase in numbers, which also signalled new links with nationalities not previously represented at CSU, the success of off-shore initiatives, and a broader range of subjects now attracting students from around the globe.

Ms Hudson said 36 countries were represented within the international student community at CSU’s four campuses. International visitor and exchange programs were also expanding – such as the 12 Russian students hosted by the Faculty of Commerce in February, and the delegation of leading French education agents and journalists who toured the Bathurst Campus earlier this month.

1999 has also seen the launch of CSU’s first Joint Award with an offshore University.

“Our new offshore programs include a special joint degree in Mauritius where we’ve signed an agreement with the University of Mauritius to offer a Bachelor of Arts in information and library science,” Ms Hudson said.

“In South Africa through our agreement with Boston College, we have just had our first intake into the MBA program and we hope to increase the number of courses we offer there in the future. We’re also particularly pleased with, and proud of, our partnerships in Malaysia – especially the IRI undergraduate program run through the HELP Institute, which has been very successful.

“Eleven different countries are represented within our offshore enrolments – both individuals and groups of students who are studying with us by distance education.”

Ms Hudson said that although the most dramatic increases were in the Distance Education programs, there had also been a rise in the number of onshore students coming here to study.

“More students have come from northern Europe, Switzerland and Norway, and we’ve also got enrolments from Kenya, Botswana, the Maldives, Mozambique, Ghana and Swaziland,” she said.

“It’s also good to see students coming to Australia to study a wider range of subjects at CSU. In the early years our international students were mainly interested in studying business courses, but now they’re also coming here for non-traditional programs like journalism and occupational therapy.”