Curtin University 1987 to ----

In 1987 Curtin University of Technology became Western Australia’s third university and Australia’s first university of technology. Curtin made the transition from the Western Australian Institute of Technology to a university with the passing of an Act of Parliament in December 1986, accepting its first students as a university in 1987.

Curtin grew fast, continuing the program of expansion that hallmarked the WAIT years. The University was continually building and refining the campus to meet the requirements of ever growing numbers of students and staff.

The 1990s saw great change for Curtin. It had moved from a predominantly undergraduate institution to a university with degrees and awards across the spectrum to doctoral level. At a time of decreasing federal funding, Curtin began exploring its international horizons, especially in Asia. Growth in international student numbers supported ongoing campus development.

In 2010, the University opened another new chapter in its history, changing its name from Curtin University of Technology to Curtin University. This change was championed across the University by those who felt the new name would better reflect the evolution of Curtin from an institution of applied technology to a fully fledged university – focused on research and with a wide breadth of offerings. As the name change required an amendment to the Act under which Curtin was established, Curtin University operated as a trademark of the legal entity of Curtin University of Technology until the Act was finally amended in January 2017.

Extract from Curtin University of Technology and Curtin University websites.