Media releases

Federation University Australia’s links with China have been further strengthened this week with the official opening of the FedUni Information Engineering Institute at Hebei University of Science and Technology (HUST) in the Hebei province, south of Beijing.

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, joined HUST President, Zhu Li Guang in China for the launch of the new institute and to welcome the first 200 students enrolled in the four joint degree programs being offered, which include:

• Bachelor of Information Technology
• Bachelor of Information Technology (Networking and Security)
• Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development)
• Bachelor of Information Technology (Business Information Systems)

The institute is set in a five-storey building, covering more than 6,800 square meters on the university’s campus. The first floor has been refurbished to house the first cohort of students, with multimedia classrooms, smart group work rooms and office space.

The other four levels will be progressively refurbished as the institute grows, with a predicted 800 students within three years.

Federation University is one of only six Australian universities to be granted approved institute status in China and while there are 126 universities in the Hebei province, this joint institute is one of only two in the province and the only one in engineering technology.

The partnership will also provide opportunities for joint research and research grant applications, as well as articulation into Federation University’s Master and PhD programs for Chinese students.

Students also will have the option to study for one or two years at one of the Federation campuses in Australia.

Quotes attributable to Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett

"This new joint institute is testament to our growing international reputation for world-class teaching, learning and research in information technology."

"Federation in now one of only six Australian universities to be granted a prestigious joint institute status in China."    

"It’s an exciting opportunity for shared teaching, learning and research opportunities that will benefit both our IT students and academics here in Australia, as well as their counterparts in China."