前著名报刊杂志总编加盟RMIT大学新闻系主任

Former magazine editor heads Journalism at RMIT

Maree Curtis, new Head of Journalism at RMIT.

Newspaper journalist and magazine editor, Maree Curtis, who has travelled the world interviewing extraordinary people, is the new Head of Journalism at RMIT University.

A lecturer and tutor in the School of Applied Communication since the mid-1990s, Ms Curtis has extensive experience as a print news reporter, feature writer and editor.

Starting her career at RMIT as a guest lecturer and sessional tutor in PR Writing, Ms Curtis has written and coordinated courses for the undergraduate, post graduate and masters programs, and also for RMIT Training.

“As a journalist and academic, I am extremely excited and proud to be heading such a respected program as Journalism,” Ms Curtis said.

“I have no doubt that my new job would be much more difficult had I not had the advantage of my three years with the PR program, learning not only about RMIT, but also building my confidence and skill as an educator.

“RMIT's Journalism program is, without doubt, the best of its kind offered in Victoria, and one of the most respected in the country.

“One of RMIT’s greatest strengths is its reputation for producing industry-ready graduates, which is becoming increasingly significant as media organisations cut back on their in-house training programs.

“We already have strong links with industry and will continue to build such relationships,” she said.

Ms Curtis began her journalism career with The Sun News Pictorial in the mid-1980s. Since then she has enjoyed postings with The Age, The Sunday Age and Herald Sun newspapers, and was the Melbourne editor for Woman's Day.

When the production of News Limited’s Sunday Magazine moved to Sydney three years ago, Ms Curtis, the senior writer with the publication, accepted a full-time lecturing position in RMIT’s PR program, teaching writing.

“Being the senior writer for the Sunday Magazine was the best journalism job in Australia,” Ms Curtis said.

“I got to fly around the country, and the world, interviewing interesting people – celebrities, politicians, sportspeople, writers, drug smugglers and ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations,” she said.

“But one can take only so much of a good thing and I found that while I was still passionate about the craft of journalism, I was losing my passion for actually doing it.

“In recent years, a number of universities have introduced Journalism studies, and I’m mindful that RMIT can’t afford to rest on its laurels.

“The challenge, for the entire Journalism staff team, is to ensure that RMIT remains the leader in the field of Journalism education.

“Our graduates are respected, not only for their ability to direct a television news program, produce a radio show or write a news story, but because they have been taught to think about what they do, and why they do it, not just how they do it,” Ms Curtis said.