Charles Darwin University (Australia)

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is the largest tertiary institution in the Northern Territory. Students come from the local area, across Australia and overseas, consisting of Indigenous and international students, school leavers and mature age people returning to study. CDU offers a fresh approach to training, education, research and knowledge application. It aspires to be recognised internationally as a centre of excellence in Indigenous and cross cultural knowledge, tropical knowledge (relevant to the wet/dry tropics) and desert knowledge. Charles Darwin University’s website>>

Institutional Assessment:

CDU’s vision is “to be a thriving university that dares to be different and takes advantage of its unique geography and demography to benefit the whole community through education, research and community engagement”. CDU’s mission is to be “the regional leader in education and research and an asset to the broader community, supporting the social, cultural, intellectual and economic development of northern Australia and surrounding areas”. Read more of CDU’s Institutional Assessment Summary>>

National Accelerated Literacy Program

The National Accelerated Literacy Program is a nationally funded program designed to improve the literacy standards of students who are currently failing to read at a level deemed appropriate for their age. CDU’s role is to provide the strategies and resources to support the implementation of the program across 100 schools, 700 teachers and 10,000 students by the end of 2008. Read more>>

CDU Talloires Student Group

Students at Charles Darwin formed the first Talloires Network student group in August 2008. The organization is committed to engaging with the community in interesting and innovative projects that are sustainable, ethical and forward-thinking. With the assistance of Linda Cuttriss, Coordinator of Community Engagement, the students are organizing a community garden and a literacy project. Visit the CDU Talloires student group website>>

Community Engagement at CDU

Community engagement enables CDU to: respond to the needs of the wider community; provide teaching, learning and research that contributes to the economic, social, cultural and sustainable development of the region; enhance student learning; and meet the University’s civic responsibilities. Read more>>

National Accelerated Literacy Program

CDU supports the implementation of the National Accelerated Literacy Program, designed to improve the literacy standards of students who fail to read at age-level.  This program has been successful in remote and indigenous communities by targeting children with limited literary experience in the home. Read more>>