Anchoring engineering education

FOR Malaysian students, branch campuses of universities such as Curtin University Sarawak Campus, Malaysia ( Curtin Sarawak) offer the perfect combination of location, education quality and affordability.

Given the rising costs of education overseas, it offers students an ideal alternative for a quality Australian education right at their doorstep.

Curtin Sarawak has experienced exponential growth in enrolments for courses under its Bachelor of Engineering.

This is mainly because its engineering courses are identical to those offered by its Australian parent and are accredited by engineering bodies nationally and internationally.

The courses are recognised by the Higher Education Ministry and the Public Services Department ( JPA), and as both Malaysia and Australia are signatories to the Washington Accord, the courses are recognised in a large number of participating nations across the world.

Another significant factor is the Tier 5 or excellent rating Curtin Sarawak received for its engineering programmes under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency’s Discipline- Based Rating System ( D- Setara), which is a testimony to the quality of the campus’ teaching and learning, academic programmes, research output, staff calibre, graduates and their employability.

Curtin Sarawak has also been rated Tier 5 in the ministry’s Setara rating system for overall performance of institutions of higher learning in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

In addition, it is one of only eight tertiary institutions in Malaysia granted a self- accreditation status.

As the courses at Curtin Sarawak are conducted using the same unit structures and study materials as the main campus in Perth, students can expect the same standards of instruction and learning experience.

They can opt to transfer to the main campus to complete their Curtin degrees. Furthermore, qualifications are awarded directly by the main campus.

The university’s outstanding teaching and learning have resulted in multiple accolades over the years. The Society of Petroleum Engineers ( SPE) conferred Curtin Sarawak’s SPE Student Chapter its Gold Standard Student Chapter 2014 Award.

Curtin Sarawak has embarked on an exciting expansion plan, including a new RM20mil Faculty of Engineering and Science building, in addition to a RM50mil biotechnology centre being developed with the Ministry of Industrial Development Sarawak, which will allow for more research collaboration with Curtin University in Australia, government and industry in Malaysia, as well as other educational institutions around the world. For more information, visit