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Former name | The Flinders University of South Australia[1] (1966–1991) |
|---|---|
| Type | Publicresearch university |
| Established | 1 July 1966; 59 years ago (1966-07-01) |
| Accreditation | TEQSA[2] |
Academic affiliation | Innovative Research Universities (IRU) |
| Budget | A$614.24million (2023)[3] |
| Chancellor | John Hood[4] |
| Vice-Chancellor | Colin J Stirling[5] |
Academic staff | 957 (FTE, 2023)[3] |
Administrative staff | 1,232 (FTE, 2023)[3] |
Total staff | 2,189 (FTE, 2023)[3] |
| Students | 25,921 (2023)[3] |
| Address | Sturt Road ,,,5042 ,Australia[6] |
| Campus | Suburban,parkland, andregional, 156 hectares (1.6 km2) (Bedford Park campus)[citation needed] |
| Named after | Matthew Flinders[7] |
| Colours | Gold Midnight |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Website | flinders.edu.au |
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Flinders University, established asThe Flinders University of South Australia is apublicresearch university based inAdelaide,South Australia, with a footprint extending across a number of locations inSouth Australia and theNorthern Territory. The main campus is inBedford Park, about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of theAdelaide city centre. Other campuses includeTonsley,Adelaide central business district,Renmark,Alice Springs, andDarwin.
Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of British navigatorMatthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the Australian and South Australian coastline in the early 19th century. In 2022, there were 25,247 students enrolled at the university.
By the late 1950s, the University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus was approaching capacity. In 1960, PremierThomas Playford announced that 150 hectares (370 acres) of state government-owned land in Burbank (nowBedford Park) would be allocated to the University of Adelaide for the establishment of a second campus.[8]
Planning began in 1961. The principal-designate of the new campus, economist and professorPeter Karmel, was adamant that the new campus should operate independently from the North Terrace campus. He hoped that the Bedford Park campus would be free to innovate and not be bound by tradition.[8]
Capital works began in 1962 with a grant of £3.8 million from the Australian Universities Commission. Architect Geoff Harrison, in conjunction with architectural firmHassell, McConnell and Partners, designed a new university that, with future expansions, could eventually accommodate up to 6000 students.[8]
In 1965, theAustralian Labor Party won the state election andFrank Walsh became premier. The ALP wished to break up the University of Adelaide's hegemony over tertiary education in the state, and announced that they intended the Bedford Park campus to be an independent institution.[8]
On 17 March 1966, a bill was passed by state parliament officially creating The Flinders University of South Australia.[9][10] Although the Labor Party had favoured the name "University of South Australia", academic staff wished that the university be named after a "distinguished but uncontroversial" person. They settled upon British navigatorMatthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in 1802. Its original coat of arms, designed by a professor in the Fine Arts faculty, included a reproduction of Flinders' shipInvestigator and his journalA Voyage to Terra Australis, open to the page in which Flinders described the coast adjacent the campus site.[8]
Flinders University was opened byQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 25 March 1966.[9]
Originally created as an extension of theUniversity of Adelaide, the university council resolved in August 1965 that it would become a separate, independent institution, functioning under its own council from 1 July 1966.Peter Karmel was the first Vice-Chancellor, and teaching at "the University of Adelaide at Bedford Park" began in 1966 with 400 students.[11]
A significant early initiative was the decision to build the Flinders Medical Centre on land adjacent to the campus and to base the university's Medical School within this new public hospital – the first such integration in Australia. Flinders accepted undergraduate medical students in 1974, with the FMC opening the following year.[9]
In 1990, the biggest building project on campus since the mid-1970s saw work commence on three new buildings – Law and Commerce; Engineering; and Information Science and Technology. Approval for the establishment of a School of Engineering was given in 1991 and degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering,[12] and Biomedical Engineering[13] were established shortly afterwards.
In 1991, as part of a restructuring of higher education in South Australia, Flinders merged with the adjacent Sturt Campus of the former South Australian College of Advanced Education.[14]
In 1992, a four-faculty structure was adopted.[citation needed]
In 1998, the Centre for Remote Health, a rural teaching hospital based inAlice Springs, was established jointly with theNorthern Territory University (nowCharles Darwin University). This was expanded further in 2011 with the establishment of the Northern Territory Medical Program.[15]
Since 2000, the university has established new disciplines in areas including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and more disciplines of Engineering.[16][17]
In 2011, the bacteria genusFlindersiella was named after the university after the strain was found on a tree on campus grounds.[18]
In 2015, the university opened a new campus atTonsley,[19] the former site of theMitsubishi Motors Australia plant in Southern Adelaide. This campus houses the university's School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics,[20] along with the Medical Device Research Institute,[21] the Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology (now known as the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology)[22] and Flinders technology start-up companyRe-Timer.[23]
In 2016, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary with a calendar of public events,[24] and a publication[25] summarising the highlights of the university's history, research, and alumni achievements over the last 50 years.[26] 2016 also saw the opening of the award-winning student hub and plaza, transforming the central campus.[27]
The university's strategic planMaking a Difference - The 2025 Agenda released in 2016 set an ambitious vision for the coming decade for Flinders to reach the top ten of Australian Universities, and the top one per cent in the world.[28]
On 1 July 2017, the university restructured from a two-tier academic system of four faculties and 14 schools, to a single-tier structure consisting of six colleges.[29]
In 2019, the university announced an additional $100 million investment in research and a further $100 million in education over a five-year period to support it to meet its strategic goals.[30]
The university also in 2019 announced plans for a substantial development on a tract on land on the northern portion of the Bedford Park Campus adjacent to the Flinders hospitals precinct. Known asFlinders Village the decade-long development will deliver research facilities, student accommodation, commercial premises and amenities.[31] The catalyst for the initiative was the extension of the Clovelly Park rail line to the Flinders precinct. The $141m rail line and Flinders Station project began operation in December 2020.[32][33] Stage one of theFlinders Village development is the construction of a Health and Medical Research Building. Construction began in December 2021 and the building, which will be home to Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, is scheduled for completion in 2024.[34]
In 2021, the university announced it would be expanding itsAdelaide CBD presence, establishing a vertical campus as the anchor tenant in Festival Tower, a major development scheduled for completion in 2024 adjacent to Parliament House and the Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace.[35]
In 2022, the newly elected state Labor government led byPeter Malinauskas proposed setting up a commission to investigate the possibility of a merger of South Australia's three public universities: theUniversity of South Australia, theUniversity of Adelaide, and Flinders.[36] The University of Adelaide and University of South Australia indicated their intention to merge. Flinders University chose to remain an independent entity.[37]
The responsibilities of the university council are set out in theFlinders University Act, and include:[38]
The chief executive consists of the president andvice-chancellor, who is supported by the senior executive team. The senior executive team includes the vice-president and executive dean of each of the sixcolleges.[39] As of August 2024[update] the vice-chancellor isColin J Stirling.[40]
Thechancellor is John Hood, a chartered accountant and alumnus of the university, who has served two terms on the council (since 2004).[41]
There are six colleges, covering teaching and research expertise in various areas:[39]
As of 2025[update] the College of Business, Government and Law includes three research centres:[42]
The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences is subdivided into three areas:[43]
In 2022, the university's budget wasA$516.79 million.[52] It had 907 full-time academic and 1,147 administrative members of staff (total 2,054).[53]
Flinders' main campus at Bedford Park in Adelaide's southern suburbs is set upon 156 acres (63 ha) of gardens and native bushland,[citation needed] about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of theAdelaide city centre.[54] Other campuses includeTonsley,[55]Adelaide central business district,Renmark,Alice Springs, andDarwin.[citation needed]
The city campus is onNorth Terrace,[56][57] in the centre of the city.[58] It also maintains a number of external teaching facilities in regionalSouth Australia, south-westVictoria and theNorthern Territory. As of 2020 international students made up 19.5% of the on-campus student population[59] and a number of offshore programmes are also offered, primarily in theAsia-Pacific region.
The university website acknowledges that its campuses cover land traditionally associated with a number ofAboriginal Australian peoples, includingArrernte,Dagoman,Jawoyn,Kaurna,LarrakiaNgadjuri,Ngarrindjeri,Ramindjeri, andWarumungu peoples.[60]
The university is a member of theInnovative Research Universities network, which comprises seven universities "committed to inclusive excellence in teaching and research in Australia".[61]
Flinders University is also affiliated with the following institutions:
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World[62] | 401–500 (2025) |
| CWTS World[63] | 524[a] (2024) |
| QS World[64] | 387 (2026) |
| THE World[65] | 301–350 (2026) |
| USNWR Global[66] | =434 (25/26) |
| National – Overall | |
| ARWU National[67] | 21–24 (2025) |
| CWTS National[68] | 22[a] (2024) |
| ERA National[69] | 21 (2018) |
| QS National[70] | 21 (2026) |
| THE National[71] | 21–22 (2026) |
| USNWR National[72] | 25 (25/26) |
| AFR National[73] | 15 (2024) |
In the 2024Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which measures aggregate performance across the QS, THE and ARWU rankings, the university attained a position of #313 (23rd nationally).[74]
In theAustralian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking 2024, the university was ranked #15 amongst Australian universities.[75]
In the 2026Quacquarelli SymondsWorld University Rankings (published 2025), the university attained a position of #387 (21st nationally).[76]
In theTimes Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 (published 2025), the university attained a position of #301–350 (tied 21–22th nationally).[77]
In the 2025Academic Ranking of World Universities, the university attained a position of #401–500 (tied 21–24th nationally).[78]
In the 2025–2026U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities, the university attained a tied position of #434 (25th nationally).[79]
In theCWTS Leiden Ranking 2024,[a] the university attained a position of #524 (22nd nationally).[80]
The Australian Government's QILT[b] conducts national surveys documenting the student life cycle from enrolment through to employment.[81] These surveys place more emphasis on criteria such as student experience, graduate outcomes and employer satisfaction[81] than perceived reputation, research output and citation counts.[82]
In the 2023 Employer Satisfaction Survey, graduates of the university had an overall employer satisfaction rate of 78%.[83]
In the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey, graduates of the university had a full-time employment rate of 76.6% for undergraduates and 90.3% for postgraduates.[84] The initial full-time salary wasA$70,000 for undergraduates andA$93,900 for postgraduates.[84]
In the 2023 Student Experience Survey, undergraduates at the university rated the quality of their entire educational experience at 78.7% meanwhile postgraduates rated their overall education experience at 74.6%.[85]
In 2022, there were 25,247 students enrolled across all campuses.[53]
Flinders University Student Association (FUSA), formerly Student Association of Flinders University (SAFU), is astudent union.[86][87][88]
Empire Times is Flinders University'sstudent newspaper.[89] It has been published by theFlinders University Student Association since 1969, but ceased publication in 2006 as a result ofvoluntary student unionism, before resuming in 2013 with the reintroduction ofSSAF.[90][91][92] The founder and first editor of the newspaper wasMartin Fabinyi, and the newspaper was originally printed in the back of his house by fellow studentRod Boswell.Empire Times had a history of controversial humour and anti-establishment discussion. Notable former editors and contributors includedMartin Armiger andGreig (HG Nelson) Pickhaver,Steph Key, andKate Ellis.[93]
Flinders University has many sports teams that compete in social and competitive competitions. It has affiliated sporting clubs, including aikido, athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, fencing, football, hockey, judo, lacrosse, men's soccer, netball, squash, table tennis, volleyball, and women's soccer.[94]
Flinders has two options for on-campus accommodation:[95]
For off-campus accommodation, Flinders Living run a free, up-to-date accommodation service which lists private accommodation available on the rental market.[96]
The university has also partnered with a student accommodation facility located in the city called The Switch, which provides rooms, shared facilities and living areas.[97]
The biennial Wal Cherry Lecture[98] is held in honour of prolific playwrightWal Cherry, who was foundation professor of drama from 1967. He also chaired the school of language and literature (which became the school of humanities) from 1968 to 1970, and the theatre management committee in from 1968 until 1978, and was dean of University Hall in from 1970 to 1974.[45]
In 2024, Flinders graduateScott Hicks' 1982 documentary film about the 11thAdelaide Festival of the Arts under artistic director,Jim Sharman, titledThe Hall of Mirrors: A Festival, was screened at theSpace Theatre in theAdelaide Festival Centre, followed by a conversation with the two men.[99] The 2024 lecture, presented by the Assemblage Centre for Creative Arts at Flinders, in partnership with theHelpmann Academy and theDon Dunstan Foundation,[100] was part of the celebration of 50 Years of Flinders Drama Centre.[99]
Graduates of Flinders University include:
Flinders University has been served by seven chancellors and eight vice-chancellors since its establishment in 1966. They are:[104]
| Name | Years | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Karmel AC CBE | 1966–1971 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Sir Mark Mitchell | 1966–1971 | Chancellor |
| SirCharles Hart Bright | 1971–1983 | Chancellor |
| Roger Russell | 1972–1979 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Keith Hancock AO | 1980–1987 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Francis Robert Fisher AO | 1983–1988 | Chancellor |
| John Francis Lovering AO | 1987–1994 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Deirdre Frances Jordan AC | 1988–2002 | Chancellor |
| Ian Chubb AC | 1995–2000 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Anne Edwards AO | 2001–2007 | Vice-Chancellor |
| SirEric Neal | 2002–2010 | Chancellor |
| Michael Barber AO | 2008–2014 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Stephen Gerlach AM | 2010–2023 | Chancellor |
| Colin Stirling | 2015–present | Vice-Chancellor |
| John Hood | 2023–present | Chancellor |
This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 17, (Melbourne University Press), 2007
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