Darwin is set to welcome international students after the city’s new CBD campus opened its doors in early October.
The Charles Darwin University (CDU) education precinct will lay the foundations for Darwin to welcome an influx of overseas students with future hopes of building up the Nothern Territory’s skilled workforce.
Named ‘Danala’ after the Larrakia word for ‘dillybag’, more than 550,000 work hours were put into the project’s long-awaited completion, which was delayed by nearly a year.
CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman says the purpose-built campus was well worth the wait, with the facility custom-built to handle the NT’s climate and environment.
“Danala is made for Territorians, by Territorians, and will ensure students are getting the education they deserve in a modern facility that suits Darwin,” Bowman says.
“It is spacious, can handle the Territory’s unique weather and climate, and will support local events and entertainment in our community.”
Fostering community engagement
Located in the heart of Darwin’s CBD, the $240 million campus features an integrated public library, which invites the whole community to engage and connect with both the educational and civic parts of the precinct.
The site’s construction has also provided valuable hands-on experience for the university’s engineering students, allowing them to both contribute to the development of the campus and build a solid foundation for their future careers through internships. CDU Master of Engineering Student and project intern Anthony Glo says the real-life experience has helped expand his engineering interests.
“This has been an invaluable hands-on experience. What I have learnt about structural integrity and materials science is being applied to a real-world project,” says Glo.
“One of my goals in life is to be able to point at a building and say that I played a part in its construction – the fact that my first project is CDU’s new campus is already a great achievement.”
Fellow student Kevin Goodaliya says being a part of the project provided him with real-world tools to benefit his future career.
“I’ve never worked in construction before, so I’ve learned something new every day, whether it’s how to do a site observation or progress report, manage competing priorities, or work with a team,” he says.
“The support of my mentors has allowed me to sharpen my skills in mechanical engineering and gain a better understanding of project planning, including safety and quality assurance.”
Building better career and employment pathways
NT Minister for Education and Training Jo Hersey believes the new city campus will open up career and employment pathways for Territory students.
“It’s one of the most exciting projects this city has seen in a long time. It will create a bustling CBD, breathing new life into our city centre,” says Hersey.
“Students will enjoy a world-class educational experience, with pathways to meaningful careers, helping them settle in Darwin for the long-term.”
That flow-on effect has already been realised with CDU commencing the construction of a purpose-built student accommodation complex with the goal of welcoming 6,000 foreign students by the end of 2027.
Member for Solomon Luke Gosling says the opportunities offered by the new facility could help transform the territory capital and turn it into an international student mecca.
“Supporting projects like the new CDU city campus supports Territorians, creating more jobs for locals and opportunities for local businesses,” he says.
“Danala will be a centre of educational excellence, attracting students from all over the country – and the world – to live, work, and study in the centre of Darwin.”
The campus will be home to CDU’s Law, Accounting, Information and Communication Technology, and Software Engineering, which will be taught from the start of the upcoming summer semester, with further courses set to launch in 2025.
