Case Study 12: Organisation Strategy for Internationalisation - Curtin University of Technology

[next chapter] [previous chapter] [contents]

Curtin University of Technology, situated in Perth, Western Australia, was established as the Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1967 and received university status in 1987. The University comprises four teaching divisions - Curtin School of Business and the Divisions of Humanities, Engineering and Science, and Health Sciences, and two branches, Muresk Institute of Agriculture and Western Australian School of Mines.

Curtin was one of the first higher education institutions to actively recruit fee-paying international students following the introduction of the new student policy by the Australian Government in 1985. The Curtin Business School was the first in Australia to export business education to Asia and now sees itself as a regional school of business, consistent with the University’s Mission Statement 'To prepare staff and students for life in the global community through greater understanding of and respect for other cultures.'

In 1996, the total student enrolment was 22,000 with 4,200 international students, a third of whom were in offshore programs.

In 1996 the University moved to establish Curtin University as the Electronic Campus through its innovative use of Information Technology. The objective is to create 'a networked society in which individuals have access to information on the local, the national and the international networks as though it were on the individual's personal workstation at home or in the workplace.'

Curtin University was selected for a case study on organisational structure because of its early entry into international activities through the vigorous recruitment to the Western Australian (WA) campus of fee-paying overseas students in the mid 1980s. At the same time the Curtin Business School (CBS) began a successful initiative in the field of business and commerce. The management of the CBS offshore operations was entirely the responsibility of CBS which established the International Student Services (ISS) office in Perth to provide overall coordination of the CBS offshore teaching programs, including student support. The Division of Humanities has also established offshore teaching programs and is responsible for their management. The organisational strategy which emerged was thus highly decentralised, with academic divisions being responsible for the promotion and implementation of offshore teaching programs.

As the internationalisation process evolved it was recognised that a major philosophical change in the organisational strategy was necessary, a change canvassed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor of CBS (Professor John Milton-Smith) in 1995:

Old habits, a multitude of competing agendas and the difficult, expensive logistics involved in a full-blooded internationalisation strategy requires a total re-orientation of the institution

The current organisational strategy for internationalisation at Curtin University reflects this re-orientation.

The University recognised the importance of a small, central and highly professional International Office. Furthermore, the rapid internationalisation of Curtin made it essential not only to have such an International Office but also to appoint a senior, influential academic to head it. Milton-Smith expressed the view that 'Unless the head has significant status, an appropriate title (such as ‘Dean’) and considerable respect among academic peers, the office will be resented inside and discounted outside the university.'

Strategy

During 1995/1996 the University built an organisational structure to develop and implement internationalisation. The Academic Board created the University Internationalisation Committee which reports to the Board and is chaired by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Each Division formed a Divisional Internationalisation Committee with a Divisional representative on the University Internationalisation Committee. Through this integrated committee structure the University has been able to draft a broad Internationalisation Plan which will be knitted with the University Teaching and Learning Plan and the Research and Development Plan.

In 1996 the University created the position of Dean of International Programs to be responsible for the international student programs and the broader international activities, including the implementation of the University’s internationalisation objectives. The Manager of the International Office is responsible for the operation of the Office and reports to the Dean of International Programs.

Curtin International Office

The Curtin International Office has 14 full time staff and its functions include:

Figure 4: Structure of International Office, Curtin University of Technology

Figure 4: Structure of International Office, Curtin University of Technology

The current organisational strategy is that all offshore international activities will continue to be the responsibility of the Divisions (the major player is the Curtin Business School) and that all onshore activities will be the responsibility of the International Office. In practice, the ISS of CBS has developed a high level of expertise in a range of activities associated with its offshore programs, especially in student support services (see Case Study on Student Support and Community Services) and this expertise is being utilised by the International Office to provide services for international students university-wide, examples being the Mentor Program and the Academic Study Skill Program. The key to the Curtin strategy is the integration of the divisional and the centrally located operations.

A computer network data base has been developed and made available on the university computer network to record all international travel by Curtin staff with a view to improving cooperation and coordination of international activities.

The University has established a financial incentive scheme for staff engaged in international activities which provides a salary supplement and an end-of-year bonus. This has proved to be an effective inducement to maintain and expand offshore operations, especially by the CBS.

Planning and Evaluation

Curtin University recognises the dynamic nature of the process of internationalisation and the need to keep the processes under constant review. Strategic forward planning is required to ensure that international developments support the strategic objectives. The need for constant evaluation and planning is evidenced by instances of overlap caused by Curtin staff not being aware of the international activities of staff in other parts of the University. Further there is a plethora of international agreements that impose significant responsibilities on the University. In this context, the International Office has prepared a Strategic Plan for the operations of the International Office in which four objectives are targeted:

Curtin University’s development of organisational strategies for internationalisation has shown a high degree of responsiveness to changing conditions and especially in relation to the shift from its initial strong commercial edge to a structured approach to the internationalisation process. The current strategy builds on the strengths developed by the CBS and the Division of Humanities so that its experience and expertise are made available university-wide through the integrating function of the Dean of International Programs and the International Office.

The John Curtin International Institute

Curtin University has created the John Curtin Centre as an international centre of learning and cooperation aimed at enhancing Australia’s relationship with the countries of the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific region. It will provide a forum for the economic, social and political leaders to discuss issues of shared concern, the John Curtin Centre includes three components including the John Curtin International Institute. The Institute will coordinate and facilitate academic programs, research, fellowships and other activities.

The core themes of the Institute programs are:

The process of restructuring the arrangements for internationalisation within Curtin University is a continuing one and this will be effected through the work of the Divisional International Committees and the University Internationalisation Committee. The current arrangement is that offshore partners undertake recruitment for Divisional offshore programs in conjunction with the teaching Divisions, the Divisions being responsible for the management of the offshore teaching programs. The central International Office is responsible for promotion, recruitment and administration of recruitment of onshore international students and for all other international links and agreements, with the Internationalisation Committee where appropriate.

Benefits

Benefits which organisational strategy for internationalisation have brought include:

For the University:

For the students:

For the wider community:

Internationally: