CQUniversity is listed in second place behind Australian Catholic University in a table showing 'winners and losers in Australia's demand driven system'...

The Australian newspaper published the table on its website this week (June 26) listing the percentage increase in student applications.

LINK for a larger image of students arriving for Orientation Week

ACU had a 36.77% increase, with CQUni on 28.22% and the University of Tasmania on 26.71%.

Six universities, including the Australian National University, had negative growth in applications.

CQUniversity's success follows significant investment in new degree programs and facilities across its campus network.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said, while the University faces challenges with a shortfall in the international student market, it is important to stop and reflect on "what has been quite an extraordinary accomplishment that we have achieved over the past three years".

"Since the introduction of the demand driven system (which many experts said would be the death of regional universities like CQUniversity), we have outperformed the domestic growth of almost every other institution to become the second fastest growing university in Australia," he said.

"A 28% growth in applications is a university-wide achievement. It has been driven by an investment in new courses, infrastructure and equipment. It was motivated by a need to make the domestic operations self-sufficient from international student revenue. And it was achieved by all areas of the university working incredibly hard and smart towards an ambitious goal.

"Today we have more domestic students than at any other time in our history."