AUSTRALIA'S Curtin University of Technology will start classes at its first consolidated campus in Singapore next month and will broaden its course offerings from business to health sciences and humanities by next year.

The campus at Balestier Road was officially opened on Thursday by the Australian High Commissioner Doug Chester and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran.

Curtin has been running programmes with partners in Singapore since the 80s. But it is the first time students will be able to study together under one roof.

Curtin Singapore currently has 800 students. The number will grow to 1,500 by end of 2009.

The campus is built on the grounds of the former Institute of Technical Education in Jalan Rajah. It took four months to refurbish the facility.

Curtin Singapore is entirely funded by global education services company, Navitas provider, which has put in $40 million to fund the refurbishment, campus lease and start-up cost.