FedUni extends educational partnerships across China
Federation University Australia was the first Australian regional university to open an office in China in the mid-1990s
When Federation University Australia (FedUni) opened an office in Beijing in the mid-1990s, it was the first Australian regional university to do so in China. Today, the 147-year-old institution of higher learning and research is extending its commitment to the country.
“We are collaborating with polytechnics in south China to deliver diploma programmes, while offering undergraduate and postgraduate research programmes in the northern part of the country,” says Professor Helen Bartlett, vice-chancellor and president. “We are also exploring opportunities with industry and colleges in central China to provide vocational programmes.”
Chinese parents, students and research organisations stand to gain significantly from FedUni’s business development strategy. For the past eight years, the university has had the highest rating of five stars for teaching quality and graduate employment, according to The Good Universities Guide. More than 70 per cent of the university’s graduates are employed only four months after course completion and are earning as much as A$56,000 (HK$332,706) annually. At least 14 per cent of the rest simply continue with their studies.
“We have incorporated into our curricula the development of enterprising skills apt for the 21st century, while giving students extensive opportunities for internships, placements, career development and volunteering,” Bartlett says.
FedUni offers a comprehensive range of well-structured undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that include business, science and health. The Australian Computer Society, for example, has recognised the university’s new information technology degree programme for its world-leading innovative design and delivery.
“We will continue to be a leader in teaching quality and employability, consistently meeting the needs of industry and the professions,” Bartlett says. “Our long history of community engagement and partnerships will serve to extend the reach and impact of the university both nationally and internationally, demonstrating a successful model of community-engaged scholarship.”
