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GAC at Forefront of New Australian University Program
ACT has partnered with one of Australia’s public universities to develop a curriculum designed specifically for international students.
Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) has licensed ACT’s Global Assessment Certificate (GAC) as part of its new foundation studies program. The program prepares students for undergraduate study at CQUniversity’s international campuses in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. The university also has campuses in Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay, Emerald, and Noosa.
CQUniversity is the largest provider of international education in Queensland and the second largest provider in Australia. It is a popular university choice for students from many countries, including Bangladesh, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Hungary, India, Moldova, Panama, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
GAC is ACT’s university preparation program that is taught and evaluated in English. It gives international students the skills they need to enroll in and succeed at English-speaking colleges and universities. Successful completion of the program guarantees entry into many GAC Pathway Universities.
The university chose the GAC based on previous experience with the program, said Ken Hawkins, chief executive officer of C Management Services, the international education management company jointly owned by CQUniversity and a private sector entity. C Management Services manages the delivery of courseware and operations to CQUniversity students studying on the international campuses of the university. Hawkins holds an honorary professorship at CQUniversity and serves on the university’s Academic Board and Strategic Management Group.
“The GAC’s flexibility in preparing students for a variety of future discipline pursuits was a key factor,” he said. “The quality, value, and international appeal to varied clients made the GAC an easy choice.”
The university offers more than 45 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs, including research opportunities. Though most international students study business or information technology, they are also enrolled in psychology, health and nursing, communications, education, biomedical science, engineering, and other programs.
The foundation studies program serves as a component of the pre-university preparation pathway into the university’s undergraduate degrees. The program, which began in July and will last 12 months, is open both to students who require a year 12 equivalent qualification and to overseas students wishing to study in Australia with an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 5.5 entry score. “We anticipate it remaining a long-term component of our pathway strategy,” said Hawkins.
