Central Queensland University

CQUniversity is an Australian public university based in Queensland. Its main campus is in North Rockhampton Queensland. However, it also has campuses in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone and Mackay, as well as operations throughout Asia-Pacific. For instance, Melior Business School is one of its offshore delivery-sites outside of Australia. There are international campuses located in Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

History

CQUniversity started out as the Queensland Institute of Technology (Capricornia) in 1967, and after two years under the name of the University College of Central Queensland, in 1992 became an official university named the University of Central Queensland. In 1994 it adopted the name Central Queensland University. In 2008 it became CQUniversity in an effort to help the University remain an attractive career option.

Organisation

Governance

CQUniversity is governed by the CQUniversity Council, comprising the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and various elected and appointed representatives. Operationally, CQU is managed by the Vice-Chancellor. Faculties are managed by Executive Deans.

CQUniversity students are represented by the CQU Student Association (CQUSA) which is governed by a board of elected students from across the CQU campus network. The CQUSA provides academic advocacy and support and a range of campus support services for students based at the CQU regional and international campuses. Postgraduate representation is provided by the CQUniversity Student Association's, CQUniversity Postgraduate Research Students Committee.

Faculties

CQUniversity has two faculties - Arts, Business, Informatics & Education and Sciences, Engineering and Health. Prior to a restructure (into three faculties) during late 2005, the university had five faculties. In late 2008, the Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Education and the Faculty of Business & Informatics were merged into the Faculty of Arts, Business, Informatics & Education.

Major areas of study

CQUniversity runs programs in a wide range of disciplines. The programs are generally grouped into the following sections: Built Environment and Design; Business and Tourism; Creative and Performing Arts; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Recreation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Information Technology; Primary Industries and Environment; Sciences; Double degrees; and Dual degrees. Information on the programs and courses available at CQUniversity is available in the CQU Student Handbook.

Campuses

CQUniversity has a variety of campuses and learning centres in different areas. At present there are five campuses that are within Central Queensland, delivery sites on the Sunshine Coast, capital city campuses in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, a campus on the Gold Coast and five overseas locations.

In addition to Rockhampton the Central Queensland campuses service students in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay and surrounding communities. With these various locations, these regional campuses can cater for students who want to stay close to home. CQU also offers programs at delivery sites on the Sunshine Coast.

There are also campuses which cater to international students in such areas as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney. CQUniversity also delivers programs in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Shanghai and Singapore. There was a campus located in Fiji which has shut down as of February 2007. A further international campus was also built on a custom campus in New Zealand, but this campus was shut down at the end of 2008.

The Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney campuses are run by a privately held entity called C.Management Services (CMS). Originally, this commercial entity was owned 50% by CQU and 50% by a private company Campus Group Holdings, which runs many educational institutions in its portfolio. As of early 2008, CQU is now a 100% stakeholder in CMS, with CMS still being kept and run as a private commercial enterprise, only fully owned by the university. The CMS operation is now being run as a 'government owned private corporation' due to being owned by CQU via a takeover funded by a Queensland Treasury loan.

Research Centres

CQU has numerous research centres, research institutes and programs including:

Centre for Environmental Management

Centre for Plant and Water Science

Centre for Railway Engineering

Centre for Social Science Research

Primary Industries Research Centre

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research

Criticism

In 2006, CQU came under criticism by international students at the Melbourne campus describing themselves as "Cash cow" students after a majority of them failed a tax and accounting postgraduate subject. They complained of inadequate facilities, and an inability to dispute their grading. The claims were disputed by the university who suggested that the subject was "tough". Former Victorian premier John Cain is quoted as saying that the Melbourne CQU campus lacks the appropriate facilities expected in a tertiary institution, as it is run by a private company.

University ratings

CQU received seven five star ratings from the Good Universities Guide (GUG) in 2003, giving it the most top ratings of any regional university in Australia. This made it more highly rated than some older, traditional universities. In 2007, GUG awarded CQU five separate 5-star ratings, including for "Positive Graduate Outcomes" for the fourth year in a row.

In the Melbourne Institute's 2006 rankings of Australian universities, CQU was ranked thirty-second of 38 Universities ranked in Arts and Humanities, thirty-fifth of 39 Universities ranked in Business, thirtieth of 35 Universities ranked in Education, twenty-fourth of 28 Universities ranked in Engineering, 28th of 38 Universities in Science.

In 2006, CQU was announced as being the number one destination and largest provider in the country for international students studying within Australia (Term 1 2006) by IDP Education Australia. CQU graduates receive among the highest starting salaries in the country. CQU received the highest possible rating for educational experience and entry flexibility. CQU "was one of only three Queensland universities", (the others being Bond University and the University of Queensland) "to receive the highest rating for positive graduate outcomes" according to the Good University Guide.