More than 750 special guests celebrated ‘50 Years of Innovation’ with Curtin University at a Gala Dinner recognising half a century of excellence in teaching, research and innovation.
Among those who celebrated the combined history of the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT) and Curtin University, since 1967 and 1987 respectively, included Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC, Governor of Western Australia, the Honourable Mark McGowan MLA, Premier of Western Australia, key local and national industry representatives and international guests.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said she was delighted to celebrate the significant achievements the institution had made over the past 50 years with so many important partners.
“Across the last five decades, our forward-looking character has driven our educational and research achievements and made us an important contributor to the nation and the region,” Professor Terry said.
“Today, Curtin is a large and sophisticated global university with campuses in Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, with a campus set to open in Dubai in September.
“The Gala Dinner was a wonderful opportunity for us to thank the Western Australian community and our many State, national and international partners who have contributed to Curtin’s success over the last five decades.”
Professor Terry said Curtin had grown from almost 3000 young Western Australians enrolled at WAIT in 1967, to WA’s largest university with more than 58,000 students and more than 220,000 alumni today.
“Today, Curtin is one of Perth’s biggest single-site employers, directly employing more than 4000 people and indirectly being responsible for some 12,000 jobs in WA, contributing about $1.9 billion to the WA economy in 2016,” Professor Terry said.
“And we should all feel very proud that in our 50th year we have been placed in the top one per cent of universities worldwide and ninth in Australia in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).”
The ‘50 Years of Innovation’ Gala Dinner was held at Crown Towers, Burswood.
For further information on ‘50 Years of Innovation’ visit http://50years.curtin.edu.au/
