Laureate International Universities to Open New International University in Australia

BALTIMORE, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of South Australia has approved an application from Laureate International Universities to create the first new private Australian university in more than 20 years.

The new institution is only the third private university in Australia. It will be a comprehensive, self-accrediting university based in Adelaide, which is the political and financial capital of South Australia. The university will deliver academic programs to Australian and international students and will begin classes in 2013.

Laureate submitted a detailed application in late 2010. An independent panel reviewed the application and consequently recommended the granting of an unmodified university title.

Currently called Torrens University Australia, Laureate intends to ask the people of South Australia and students at Laureate International Universities around the world for their ideas about a new name for the university. Details about how to submit a suggested name will be announced in the near future.

With the approval of Laureate's proposal, Torrens University Australia joins the Laureate International Universities network, which serves more than 675,000 students through 58 accredited campus-based and online universities. President William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, serves as the Honorary Chancellor of the Laureate International Universities network, a role in which he offers advice on social responsibility, youth leadership and increasing access to higher education.

"I am glad that the citizens of South Australia can now access this unique education that emphasizes both high quality academics and social responsibility," President Clinton said.

"The opportunity to learn at the same university across different countries is increasingly important in our ever more interconnected world. I look forward to visiting the new Laureate campus in Adelaide," President Clinton said.

Douglas L. Becker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Laureate International Universities, said Australia was an ideal location for a new Laureate university.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to establish a high-quality, international university in Adelaide," Mr. Becker said. "Australia has a deep history and commitment to higher education, and we are looking forward to playing a role in helping to educate the future leaders of Australia and the region."

Michael Mann, the Founding President of RMIT University in Vietnam and a former Australian Ambassador in Asia, is overseeing Laureate's Australian activities. "At the heart of this new university will be a focus on truly international education and research," said Mann. "A student in Adelaide will now be able to study for part of his or her degree in Sao Paulo, Paris, Chicago, or Osaka, among many other cities," he said.

"Our core principles are a focus on our students, accountability for outcomes, the employability of our graduates, internationalization and innovation," said Mr. Mann.

About Laureate International Universities Laureate International Universities is a trusted global leader in providing access to high-quality, innovative institutions of higher education. The Laureate International Universities network includes 58 accredited campus-based and online universities. Our more than 675,000 students are part of an academic community that spans 28 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Laureate universities offer hundreds of undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs in fields including architecture, art, business, culinary arts, design, education, engineering, health sciences, hospitality management, information technology, law and medicine. President William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, serves as the Honorary Chancellor of the Laureate International Universities network, a role in which he offers advice on social responsibility, youth leadership and increasing access to higher education. For more information, visit www.laureate.net.

SOURCE Laureate International Universities