James Cook University (JCU) in Australia is foraying into the Indian market with the launch of two academic programs and a scholarship scheme for students from Asia, Africa, Papua New Guinea, and the Middle East. JCU is one of Australia’s leading universities, ranked in the top 4% of universities in the world by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) for its excellence and high impact, particularly on issues of critical importance to the world’s tropics.

 “JCU is a leader in teaching and research that addresses the critical challenges facing the tropics. JCU is a community where students get personalised attention through a lower student to staff ratio, and an authentic Australian learning environment.” said Prof. Paul Dirks, Associate Dean, Research - College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University.

The programs, which are two years long and full time, include a Master of Global Development and Master of Data Science. The Master of Global Development equips students with the expertise to address pressing global challenges such as poverty alleviation, social justice, climate change, economic growth and sustainable resource management. To complete the degree, students have to participate in mandatory fieldwork. The annual tuition fee of the program is A$31,200 (US$ 21,762).

The  Master of Data Science program enables students to develop innovative solutions to contemporary problems in data science and mastermind database systems, models, and projects. 100% of the course is available online, so can be learned from anywhere. Even for students who choose to pursue the program on campus, 25% of the material is online. The annual tuition fee of the program is A$26,400 (US$18,414).

JCU welcomes students from all over the world, and is interested in expanding its reach with programs of interest to Indian students. “Our students come from many backgrounds, promoting a rich cultural and experiential diversity on campus. Considering our first visit to India, our new courses shall open a gateway of opportunities for the students as well as assist them to grow in the field of science and engineering.” said Vignesh Vijayaraghavan, Head of International Recruitment at James Cook University.

Along with these two new programs, JCU is also offering a scholarship scheme calledthe International Student Merit Stipend (ISMS). Under this scheme, students who maintain a strong GPA will get an income of A$700 (US$488) every month throughout their degree. Scholarship eligibility is automatically assessed with student’s application of admission. Eligible students will then receive an offer for both their program of study and the International Student Merit Stipend. Candidates pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Bachelor of Phsyiotherapy and Bachelor of Engineering (professional) are ineligible for this scholarship.  To know more, visit www.jcu.edu.au.
 

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