Curtin launches new Colombo campus

From left: Curtin University Deputy Vice Chancellor Global Professor Xiaotian Zhang, Curtin University Vice Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne CNZM, Curtin University Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Dr. Marco Schultheis and Curtin University Director Global Partnerships Nigel De Silva

From left: Curtin University Deputy Vice Chancellor Global Professor Xiaotian Zhang, Curtin University Vice Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne CNZM, SLIIT Chairman Prof. Lakshman Ratnayake and Curtin Colombo Chairman Professor Lalith Gamage

Curtin University officially launched its newest global campus, Curtin University Colombo, at a gala event in Sri Lanka. 

With Curtin University Colombo, Curtin now has five international campuses, the joint highest number of any university in the world.  

It complements Curtin’s already established facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE and Mauritius and further solidifies Curtin’s Global Campus Network around the Indian Ocean Rim. 

Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne attended the unveiling celebration and said the new campus showcases Curtin’s commitment to offering students worldwide top tier learning opportunities.

“Transforming our presence in Sri Lanka into a fully-fledged campus strengthens our commitment to the region and builds on our long-standing, successful partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT),” Professor Hayne said.

“We have already seen more than 2500 Sri Lankan students graduate with Curtin degrees since the early 2000s and now we will not only see those numbers grow but will also be able to expand our current offerings in engineering, computing and business into new industry-relevant fields such as health, AI and the humanities.
Curtin University Colombo marks an exciting new chapter for Curtin and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this campus will have on both Sri Lankan and global communities.”

Curtin University Colombo will operate from a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility. 

It plans to broaden undergraduate and postgraduate offerings and further enhance research opportunities in the region. 

There are 700 students currently enrolled in Curtin courses in Sri Lanka and applications to study at the new Curtin Colombo campus for Semester 1 2025 are now open. 

Curtin University Colombo Chairman and SLIIT Vice Chancellor Professor Lalith Gamage said he was proud the strong partnership between Curtin and SLIIT has culminated in an official campus.  “The partnership has successfully brought international best practices into Sri Lankan higher education while providing local students with access to high-quality international education,” he said.

“Having a fully-fledged campus of Curtin University, which is consistently ranked within the top one percent of universities globally, is of national significance and augurs well for the future of higher education in this region.
“Curtin University Colombo will enhance its contributions to Sri Lankan education and research, while fostering Sri Lanka’s progress by nurturing a skilled and competitive workforce.”

Curtin University Colombo will also provide students with the opportunity to begin their higher education journey in Sri Lanka and then seamlessly transfer to any of Curtin’s campuses in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, the UAE or Mauritius.  This model supports knowledge exchange and collaboration within Curtin’s international network, while allowing students the flexibility to gain global exposure without disrupting their academic journey.