Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university operating across more than ten NSW campuses plus a Hyderabad partnership hub, serving domestic and international students with on-campus and online programs spanning agriculture, health, education, IT and business, and generating additional revenue through government-funded research and industry partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersBathurst, Australia
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Charles Sturt University does
Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university established in 1989 and operating across more than ten NSW campuses (Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Canberra, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Parramatta, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, and Wangaratta) plus a Hyderabad partnership hub. It delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs in agriculture and environment, animal and veterinary sciences, arts and communication, business, education and teaching, IT and computing, medicine and health, policing and law, psychology and social work, and science and engineering, both on-campus and through its Brightspace-managed online platform. The university positions itself as Australia's most experienced online university and the country's first carbon neutral university, and claims the #1 ranking in Australia for graduate employment outcomes.
CSU's revenue mix rests on three streams: domestic student tuition supported by HECS-HELP, full-fee international student tuition (with scholarships of up to 50%), and government and industry-funded research and program delivery. Confirmed external inflows include a $15 million partnership in the National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture, a $7.94 million Future Drought Fund grant, a $1.9 million NSW Department of Education grant for the Connected Early Childhood Pathway, and a Federal Economic Accelerator Ignite grant for a concentrated solar thermal demonstrator. Industry partners include Elders and Meat & Livestock Australia; international research partners include the Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad, PJTAU, and Indian institutions BeST and CoEFPO. GTM is primarily direct-to-consumer via the study portal, with channel support from international education agents, articulation partners in China and Hong Kong, and dedicated programs for First Nations students through the Connections Direct Entry pathway.
The university's technology and research footprint centres on digital agriculture and renewable process heat. Flagship platforms include the Global Digital Farm and AgriPark at Wagga Wagga, the AI-enabled National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture (integrating satellite Earth Observation, IoT sensors, climate data, and agronomic models), and the Vineyard of the Future facility hosting the world's first cost-effective concentrated solar thermal demonstrator with patented lightweight plastic mirrors. CSU also operates dedicated research subsidiaries — the Gulbali Institute, the Rural Health Research Institute, the Children's Voices Centre, and the AI and Cyber Futures Centre. Recent strategic moves include the launch of the India-Australia Smart Farm Network in May 2026 and a deepened Australia-India AgriTech partnership in June 2026.
Charles Sturt University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charles Sturt University
- Legal name
- Charles Sturt University
- Website
- https://csu.edu.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university operating across more than ten NSW campuses plus a Hyderabad partnership hub, serving domestic and international students with on-campus and online programs spanning agriculture, health, education, IT and business, and generating additional revenue through government-funded research and industry partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charles Sturt University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where Charles Sturt University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bathurst
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices11 records
Markets served
Charles Sturt University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Domestic Student Tuition Fees: Fee-for-service education revenue from Australian domestic students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses. Students can defer fees through HECS-HELP or pay upfront.
- International Student Tuition Fees: Full-fee paying international students studying on campus in Australia or online from their home country. International scholarships offering up to 50% tuition fee reduction are available.
- Government-Funded Education Programs: NSW Department of Education funding for specific workforce development programs such as the $1.9 million Connected Early Childhood Pathway to address early childhood educator shortages.
- Research Grants and Funding: Australian Government Future Drought Fund investment ($7.94 million over five years) for drought resilience research in partnership with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and University of Tasmania.
- Industry Partnership and Commercialisation: Revenue from industry partnerships including the National Digital Twin initiative supported by Elders and Meat & Livestock Australia, and AgriPark commercialisation and innovation activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | International Student Scholarships - Up to 50% tuition fee reduction |
| Subscription | Annual | Connected Early Childhood Pathway - $6,000 per student support |
| Subscription | Annual | Domestic Student Fees - HECS-HELP eligible |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Charles Sturt University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programs across agriculture, health, business, education, IT, and sciences through 10 NSW campuses and a fully online study mode. It operates research and innovation facilities including the Global Digital Farm, AgriPark, and Vineyard of the Future, and delivers workforce development programs in partnership with government and industry. The university also runs dedicated student support services including First Nations pathways, scholarships, and study abroad exchange programs with international partners.
Product overview
Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs across multiple disciplines including agriculture, medicine, health, business, IT, arts, and more. The university's product portfolio includes educational programs (Bachelor of Education, medical programs), research facilities (Global Digital Farm, Vineyard of the Future, AgriPark innovation hub), and technology platforms (National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture). The institution operates both on-campus and online learning through its Brightspace learning management system, with recent initiatives focused on agricultural technology innovation including the Australia-India AgriTech partnership and AI-enabled digital agriculture platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AgriPark: Commercialisation and innovation hub focused on agricultural technology and research translation.
- Global Digital Farm
- Vineyard of the Future
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% increase in Australian premium agricultural exports to India since Australia-India ECTA came into force in late 2022
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Charles Sturt University
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Charles Sturt University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
Charles Sturt University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RiCH (Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad)coreRiCH is part of the Australia-India AgriTech partnership with Charles Sturt University, connecting the Global Digital Farm and AgriPark at Wagga Wagga to India's $636 billion agriculture industry to accelerate digital agriculture and climate-smart farming.
- BeST (Bharat Swadeshi Turmeric or other Indian institution)minorBeST is an Indian institution partner in the Australia-India AgriTech partnership with Charles Sturt University, designed to accelerate digital agriculture and climate-smart farming.
- CoEFPOminorCoEFPO is an Indian institution partner in the Australia-India AgriTech partnership with Charles Sturt University, designed to accelerate digital agriculture and climate-smart farming.
- Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH)coreRICH collaborated with Charles Sturt University, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU), and other Indian and Australian institutions to launch the India-Australia Smart Farm Network (IASFN) in Hyderabad on May 14, 2026. The initiative strengthens bilateral collaboration in climate-smart agriculture, digital agriculture technologies, precision farming, and sustainable agricultural systems through joint research, pilot projects, start-up engagement, and capacity building.
- Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU)corePJTAU served as the host institution for the formal launch of the India-Australia Smart Farm Network on May 14, 2026 at its Hyderabad campus. The university is a key partner in bilateral collaboration for climate-smart and digital agriculture featuring joint research, pilot projects, and startup engagement.
- NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentcoreThe Australian Government, through its Future Drought Fund, invested $7.94 million in a five-year research initiative with Charles Sturt University leading in partnership with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and University of Tasmania to help NSW winegrape, apple, and cherry growers strengthen drought resilience.
- University of TasmaniaminorUniversity of Tasmania partnered with Charles Sturt University and NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on a $7.94 million Future Drought Fund research initiative to help NSW winegrape, apple, and cherry growers strengthen drought resilience.
- Australasian Space Innovation Institute (ASII)coreASII launched a $15 million National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture with Charles Sturt University as a founding partner. The sovereign AI-enabled geospatial platform integrates satellite Earth Observation, IoT sensors, climate data, and agronomic models to create a virtual replica of Australia's agricultural landscapes.
- ElderscoreElders is a founding partner of the National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture initiative, supporting coordinated decision-making across productivity, climate resilience, biosecurity, and water management for the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector.
- Meat & Livestock AustraliacoreMeat & Livestock Australia is a founding partner of the National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture initiative, supporting predictive scenario modelling across climate resilience, biosecurity, water management and productivity.
- NSW Department of EducationcoreNSW Department of Education provided $1.9 million funding to Charles Sturt University to deliver the Connected Early Childhood Pathway, a fully online Bachelor of Education (Birth to Five Years) program supporting 100 students from March 2026 to address early childhood educator workforce shortages.
- University of South AustraliacoreUniversity of South Australia partnered with Impacts Renewable Energy Pty Ltd and Charles Sturt University to build a world-first cost-effective concentrated solar thermal (CST) demonstrator, funded by the Australian Federal Government's Economic Accelerator Ignite program. The first phase constructs and tests two full-scale models at CSU's Vineyard of the Future facility.
- Impacts Renewable Energy Pty LtdcoreImpacts Renewable Energy Pty Ltd partnered with University of South Australia and Charles Sturt University to develop a world-first concentrated solar thermal (CST) demonstrator using patented lightweight plastic mirrors with reflective coatings to generate industrial process heat.
- HKU Space (Hong Kong)minorCharles Sturt University offers study abroad and exchange opportunities with HKU Space in Hong Kong as one of its international partner institutions.
- Jilin University of Finance and Economics (China)minorCharles Sturt University offers study abroad and exchange opportunities with Jilin University of Finance and Economics as one of its international partner institutions in China.
- Tianjin University of Commerce (China)minorCharles Sturt University offers study abroad and exchange opportunities with Tianjin University of Commerce as one of its international partner institutions in China.
- Yangzhou University (China)minorCharles Sturt University offers study abroad and exchange opportunities with Yangzhou University as one of its international partner institutions in China.
- Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (China)minorCharles Sturt University offers study abroad and exchange opportunities with Yunnan University of Finance and Economics as one of its international partner institutions in China.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Charles Sturt University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Federation University Australia: Public regional Victorian university with multiple campuses, applied research, and a TAFE pathway focus. Comparable in scale, regional access mission, and applied teaching focus.
- La Trobe University: Public regional-Victoria university with strong agriculture, health and education programs and a sizeable online cohort. Comparable in multi-campus regional model and discipline mix.
- James Cook University: Public regional university with applied tropical/agricultural research, large online footprint, and similar workforce-aligned health and education programs. Comparable scale and mission.
- Southern Cross University: Public regional NSW/QLD university with similar coastal-regional footprint, strong online offering, and ag/tourism/health discipline mix. Comparable in size, online scale, and student demographics.
- University of New England: Public regional NSW university with a similarly strong agricultural sciences focus and comparable online learning infrastructure. Directly comparable in mission, regional positioning, and ag-tech research profile.
- University of Tasmania: Public regional university partner on the $7.94M Future Drought Fund initiative with overlapping agricultural research strengths and a similarly distributed campus footprint.
- University of South Australia: Public applied-research partner on the CST demonstrator with comparable online learning scale and applied industry partnerships. Direct collaboration and overlap in technology and applied research positioning.
- Western Sydney University: Public multi-campus NSW university with strong engagement with non-traditional student cohorts and applied research. Comparable in regional/metro blended positioning and equity-driven admissions.
- CQUniversity Australia: Public regional university with multi-campus model across Queensland, large online enrolment, and applied research profile. Closely mirrors CSU's regional-access, online-first GTM and workforce-aligned programs.
Broad incumbents
- University of Queensland: Large Go8 research university with leading agricultural and veterinary sciences. Indirect competitor for top-tier research talent, ag-research grants, and high-fee international students, but at materially larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Charles Sturt University social profiles
Digital presenceCharles Sturt University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Charles Sturt University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charles Sturt University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Charles Sturt University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Charles Sturt University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charles Sturt University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Charles Sturt University
What does Charles Sturt University do?
Charles Sturt University is an Australian public university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programs across agriculture, health, business, education, IT, and sciences through 10 NSW campuses and a fully online study mode. It operates research and innovation facilities including the Global Digital Farm, AgriPark, and Vineyard of the Future, and delivers workforce development programs in partnership with government and industry. The university also runs dedicated student support services including First Nations pathways, scholarships, and study abroad exchange programs with international partners.
Is Charles Sturt University a public or private company?
Charles Sturt University is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Charles Sturt University founded?
Charles Sturt University was founded in 1989. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Charles Sturt University based?
Charles Sturt University is headquartered in Bathurst, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Charles Sturt University make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Domestic Student Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are international Student Tuition Fees, government-Funded Education Programs, research Grants and Funding and industry Partnership and Commercialisation.
Who are Charles Sturt University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Federation University Australia, La Trobe University, James Cook University, Southern Cross University, University of New England, University of Tasmania, University of South Australia, Western Sydney University and CQUniversity Australia. University of Queensland is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Charles Sturt University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charles Sturt University.
What industry is Charles Sturt University in?
Charles Sturt University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAB, Land-Grant Public Research Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAG, Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.