Flinders University
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox university
Flinders University, established as The Flinders University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across a number of locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory. The main campus is in Bedford Park, about Template:Cvt south of the Adelaide city centre. Other campuses include Tonsley, Adelaide central business district, Renmark, Alice Springs, and Darwin.
Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of British navigator Matthew 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.
History
[edit]Origins and construction
[edit]By the late 1950s, the University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus was approaching capacity. In 1960, Premier Thomas Playford announced that Template:Convert of state government-owned land in Burbank (now Bedford Park) would be allocated to the University of Adelaide for the establishment of a second campus.<ref name="history1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Planning began in 1961. The principal-designate of the new campus, economist and professor Peter 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.<ref name=history1/>
Capital works began in 1962 with a grant of £3.8 million from the Australian Universities Commission. Architect Geoff Harrison, in conjunction with architectural firm Hassell, McConnell and Partners, designed a new university that, with future expansions, could eventually accommodate up to 6000 students.<ref name=history1/>
Independence and opening
[edit]In 1965, the Australian Labor Party won the state election and Frank 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.<ref name=history1/>
On 17 March 1966, a bill was passed by state parliament officially creating The Flinders University of South Australia.<ref name="history2">http://www.flinders.edu.au:80/about/our-university/our-history/1966---1971-the-first-students.cfm Template:Webarchive Flinders University – 1966–1971: The first students</ref><ref>Flinders University Act 1966, Version: 1.7.2021</ref> 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 navigator Matthew 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' ship Investigator and his journal A Voyage to Terra Australis, open to the page in which Flinders described the coast adjacent the campus site.<ref name=history1/>
Flinders University was opened by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 25 March 1966.<ref name=history2/>
Originally created as an extension of the University 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.<ref name=id>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref name=history2/>
Expansion and restructuring
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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,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Biomedical Engineering<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1992 a four-faculty structure was adopted.
In 1998, the Centre for Remote Health, a rural teaching hospital based in Alice Springs, was established jointly with the Northern Territory University (now Charles Darwin University). This was expanded further in 2011 with the establishment of the Northern Territory Medical Program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 2000 the university has established new disciplines in areas including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and more disciplines of Engineering.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2011, the bacteria genus Flindersiella was named after the university after the strain was found on a tree on campus grounds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2015, the university opened a new campus at Tonsley,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the former site of the Mitsubishi Motors Australia plant in Southern Adelaide. This campus houses the university's School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> along with the Medical Device Research Institute,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology (now known as the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Flinders technology start-up company Re-Timer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2016, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary with a calendar of public events,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a publication<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> summarising the highlights of the university's history, research, and alumni achievements over the last 50 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2016 also saw the opening of the award-winning student hub and plaza, transforming the central campus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The university's strategic plan Making 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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 as Flinders Village the decade-long development will deliver research facilities, student accommodation, commercial premises and amenities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Flinders railway station</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Stage one of the Flinders 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2021 the university announced it would be expanding its Central Business District 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2022, the newly elected state Labor government led by Peter Malinauskas proposed setting up a commission to investigate the possibility of a merger of South Australia's three public universities: the University of South Australia, the University of Adelaide, and Flinders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The University of Adelaide and University of South Australia indicated their intention to merge. Flinders University chose to remain an independent entity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Governance and structure
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University Council
[edit]The responsibilities of the university council are set out in the Flinders University Act, and include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- appointing the Vice-Chancellor as chief executive officer of the university, and monitoring his or her performance
- approving the mission and strategic direction of the university, as well as the annual budget and business plan
- overseeing and reviewing the management of the university and its performance
Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor
[edit]The chief executive consists of the president and vice-chancellor, who is supported by the senior executive team. The senior executive team includes the vice-president and executive dean of each of the six colleges.<ref name=structure>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:As of the vice-chancellor is Colin J Stirling.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The chancellor is John Hood, a chartered accountant and alumnus of the university, who has served two terms on the council (since 2004).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Constituent colleges
[edit]There are six colleges, covering teaching and research expertise in various areas:<ref name=structure/>
- College of Business, Government and Law
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
- College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- College of Medicine and Public Health
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- College of Science and Engineering
College of Business, Government and Law
[edit]Template:As of the College of Business, Government and Law includes three research centres:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI)
- Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies (JBC; after Jeff Bleich)
- Centre for Social Impact
College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
[edit]The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences is subdivided into three areas:<ref name="d954">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Anchor
- Creative Arts and Media. Specialisations include acting, directing, visual arts, film and television, and visual effects, among others.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Drama was established as a foundational area of study in 1967 under playwright Wal Cherry,<ref name=adb/> and Flinders Drama Centre now has an international reputation. A review was undertaken in the years leading up to 2022, and four new permanent academic staff were appointed.<ref name=future>Template:Cite web</ref> The Flinders Drama Centre started offering professional acting and directing programs in 1971, and many successful actors, directors, and playwrights are alumni of the centre. Alumni also include founding members of many performance groups of different types, including Circus Oz, The Angels, Redgum, and Brink Productions.<ref name=fdcgrads>Template:Cite web</ref> is where Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama) students study, and includes the 425-seat Matthew Flinders Theatre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bachelor of Creative Arts Screen (BCA) was introduced in 2002 and proved both popular and successful, with graduates winning awards and placements in the film industry, in jobs such as production managers, editors, sound recordists, producers, and directors, in television, new media, and feature films.<ref name=wotherspoon2002>Template:Cite journal </ref>
- Humanities and Social Sciences. Template:As of there are 24 majors available in the Bachelor of Arts degree, and the only Bachelor of Archaeology in the state, as well as diplomas and postgraduate degrees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Languages, Culture and Tourism. A variety of modern languages are taught at undergraduate level for Bachelor of Languages or Bachelor of Arts, as well as applied linguistics and Indigenous and Australian culture; in addition, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are offered in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Finances
[edit]In 2022 the university's budget was Template:AUD516.79 million.<ref>Flinders University on ACNC</ref> It had 907 full-time academic and 1,147 administrative members of staff (total 2,054).<ref name=ar2022>Template:Cite web</ref>
Campuses and buildings
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Flinders' main campus at Bedford Park in Adelaide's southern suburbs is set upon Template:Cvt of gardens and native bushland,Template:Citation needed about Template:Cvt south of the Adelaide city centre.<ref>Location and getting to Flinders Template:Webarchive, http://www.flinders.edu.au Template:Webarchive</ref> Other campuses include Tonsley,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Adelaide central business district, Renmark, Alice Springs, and Darwin.Template:Citation needed
The city campus is on North Terrace,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the centre of the city.<ref>Flinders in the City Template:Webarchive</ref> It also maintains a number of external teaching facilities in regional South Australia, south-west Victoria and the Northern Territory. As of 2020 international students made up 19.5% of the on-campus student population<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a number of offshore programmes are also offered, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.
The university website acknowledges that its campuses cover land traditionally associated with a number of Aboriginal Australian peoples, including Arrernte, Dagoman, Jawoyn, Kaurna, Larrakia Ngadjuri, Ngarrindjeri, Ramindjeri, and Warumungu peoples.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Academic profile
[edit]The university is a member of the Innovative Research Universities network, which comprises seven universities "committed to inclusive excellence in teaching and research in Australia".<ref name="t377">Template:Cite web</ref>
Flinders University is also affiliated with the following institutions:
- Australian Science and Mathematics School, a coeducational public senior high school for senior years, located on the Bedford Park campus
- Flinders Medical Centre, a large teaching hospital, co-located with the university
- Helpmann Academy, an organisation supporting opportunities for emerging practitioners in the performing and visual arts; in partnership with the University of Adelaide and UniSA
Academic reputation
[edit]Template:Infobox Australian university ranking In the 2024 Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which measures aggregate performance across the QS, THE and ARWU rankings, the university attained a position of #313 (23rd nationally).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- National publications
In the Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking 2024, the university was ranked #15 amongst Australian universities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Global publications
In the 2025 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (published 2024), the university attained a tied position of #336 (21st nationally).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 (published 2024), the university attained a position of #301–350 (tied 20–24th nationally).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the university attained a position of #401–500 (tied 22–24th nationally).<ref name="ARWU Rankings">Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 2024–2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities, the university attained a position of #421 (26th nationally).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024,Template:Efn the university attained a position of #524 (22nd nationally).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student outcomes
[edit]The Australian Government's QILTTemplate:Efn conducts national surveys documenting the student life cycle from enrolment through to employment.<ref name="About QILT" /> These surveys place more emphasis on criteria such as student experience, graduate outcomes and employer satisfaction<ref name="About QILT">Template:Cite web</ref> than perceived reputation, research output and citation counts.<ref name="Bridgestock 2024">Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 2023 Employer Satisfaction Survey, graduates of the university had an overall employer satisfaction rate of 78%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref name="GOS Survey 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> The initial full-time salary was Template:AUD for undergraduates and Template:AUD for postgraduates.<ref name="GOS Survey 2023" />
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%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student life
[edit]Student demographics
[edit]In 2022 there were 25,247 students enrolled across all campuses.<ref name=ar2022/>
Student union
[edit]Template:Main Flinders University Student Association (FUSA), formerly Student Association of Flinders University (SAFU), is a student union.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student newspaper
[edit]Template:Main Empire Times is Flinders University's student newspaper.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It has been published by the Flinders University Student Association since 1969, but ceased publication in 2006 as a result of voluntary student unionism, before resuming in 2013 with the reintroduction of SSAF.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The founder and first editor of the newspaper was Martin Fabinyi, and the newspaper was originally printed in the back of his house by fellow student Rod Boswell. Empire Times had a history of controversial humour and anti-establishment discussion. Notable former editors and contributors included Martin Armiger and Greig (HG Nelson) Pickhaver, Steph Key, and Kate Ellis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sports and athletics
[edit]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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student accommodation
[edit]Flinders has two options for on-campus accommodation:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- University Hall (catered)
- Deirdre Jordan Village (self-catered)
For off-campus accommodation, Flinders Living run a free, up-to-date accommodation service which lists private accommodation available on the rental market.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Events
[edit]Wal Cherry Lecture
[edit]The biennial Wal Cherry Lecture<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is held in honour of prolific playwright Wal 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.<ref name=adb>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 2024, Flinders graduate Scott Hicks' 1982 documentary film about the 11th Adelaide Festival of the Arts under artistic director, Jim Sharman, titled The Hall of Mirrors: A Festival, was screened at the Space Theatre in the Adelaide Festival Centre, followed by a conversation with the two men.<ref name=cherry2024>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2024 lecture, presented by the Assemblage Centre for Creative Arts at Flinders, in partnership with the Helpmann Academy and the Don Dunstan Foundation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was part of the celebration of 50 Years of Flinders Drama Centre.<ref name=cherry2024/>
Notable people
[edit]Notable alumni
[edit]Graduates of Flinders University include:
- Australian of the Year:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Richard Harris
- Fields Medalist (for maths):<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Terry Tao
- Several Rhodes scholars<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Past chancellors and vice-chancellors
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Flinders University has been served by seven chancellors and eight vice-chancellors since its establishment in 1966. They are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Name | Years | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Karmel AC CBE | 1966–1971 | Vice-Chancellor |
| Sir Mark Mitchell | 1966–1971 | Chancellor |
| Sir Charles 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 |
| Sir Eric 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 |
See also
[edit]Footnotes
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References
[edit]External links
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