The Council of Central Queensland University (CQU) unanimously resolved that CQU would take measures to acquire full ownership of its international business activities and wind-down its 13-year-old commercial joint venture, C_MS, the education management company it co-owns with Sydney-based Global Campus Management (GCM), it was announced today.

"This has been an incredibly successful partnership, but both organisations - CQU and GCM - have concluded that our individual strategic directions have diverged and it's time to move on," said CQU Vice Chancellor and President John Rickard.

CQU's Sydney International Campus

The transition would be seamless for students. They will continue to see the same academic and general staff on campus and lectures and classes would not be interrupted.

"The distinction between international and domestic students in Australian universities is diminishing. Under this proposal our international interests will become more fully integrated with our overall operations and our overall commitment to international education is strengthened," said Professor Rickard.

Under the Council-endorsed proposal, there would be a transmission of business and C_MS, including management and staff, would operate under a new University-owned entity.

CQU's programs and services are delivered to more than 8000 international students at CQU's Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast campuses.

This new arrangement will allow for better governance and transparency and it will reinforce CQU's academic standards with the service requirements of students and the realities of market competitiveness.

CQU's unique international education model was controversial and groundbreaking in the early 1990s when it established Central Queensland University campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. By 2006 CQU had become the largest university provider of education to international students studying in Australia.

"Our innovative public-private education partnership made it impossible to compare CQU to any other university because we didn't conform to traditional universities. It hasn't been without its challenges but the partnership has been fruitful for both organisations and, most importantly, outcomes for students have been - and will continue to be  -  good," added Professor Rickard.

The Board of C_MS is scheduled to convene on 11 December and is expected to consider the University's proposal.