Flinders University
Coat of arms
Latin: Universitas Flinderiana
Former name
The Flinders University of South Australia[1]
(1966-1991)
Motto
Fearless (English)[2]
TypePublic research university
Established1 July 1966 (1966-07-01)[3]
AccreditationTEQSA
Academic affiliation
EndowmentA$893.43 million (2022)[4]
BudgetA$516.79 million (2022)[5]
ChancellorJohn Hood [6]
Vice-ChancellorProf Colin J Stirling[7]
Academic staff
907 (FTE, 2022)[8]
Administrative staff
1,147 (FTE, 2022)[8]
Total staff
2,882 regular (2022)[9]
4,142 casual (2022)[10]
Students25,247 (2022)[8]
Address
Sturt Road
,
Adelaide
,
South Australia
,
5042
,
Australia[11]
CampusSuburban, parkland and regional, 156 hectares (1.6 km2) (Bedford Park campus)
Named afterCaptain Matthew Flinders
ColoursFlinders Gold and midnight blue[2]
            
Sporting affiliations
MascotTrim the Cat[12][13][14]
Websiteflinders.edu.au

Flinders University is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across 11 locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory. 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.

Flinders' main campus at Bedford Park in Adelaide's south is set upon 156 acres of gardens and native bushland, making it a verdant university. Other campuses include Tonsley, Adelaide Central Business District, Renmark, Alice Springs, and Darwin. It is a member of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) Group.[15]

Flinders University led the nation in postgraduate employment outcomes [16] according to the 2021 Graduate Outcome Survey - Longitudinal,[17] released by the Australian Government's Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching.[18]

History

Origins and construction

By the late 1950s, the University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus was approaching capacity. In 1960, Premier Thomas Playford announced that 150 hectares (370 acres) 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.[19]

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.[19]

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.[19]

Independence and opening

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.[19]

On 17 March 1966, a bill was passed by state parliament officially creating the Flinders University of South Australia.[20] 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.[19]

Flinders University was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 25 March 1966.[20] Peter Karmel was the first Vice-Chancellor and Sir Mark Mitchell the first Chancellor. The university commenced teaching on 7 March 1966 with a student enrolment of 400.

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.[20]

Expansion and restructuring

View of Flinders University main campus, with central plaza and lakeside area visible.

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,[21] and Biomedical Engineering[22] 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.[23]

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.[24]

Since 2000 the university has established new disciplines in areas including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and more disciplines of Engineering.[25][26]

In 2011, the bacteria genus Flindersiella was named after the university after the strain was found on a tree on campus grounds.[27]

In 2015, the university opened a new campus at Tonsley,[28] 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,[29] along with the Medical Device Research Institute,[30] the Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology (now known as the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology)[31] and Flinders technology start-up company Re-Timer.[32]

In 2016, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary with a calendar of public events,[33] and a publication[34] summarising the highlights of the university's history, research, and alumni achievements over the last 50 years.[35] 2016 also saw the opening of the award-winning student hub and plaza, transforming the central campus.[36]

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.[37]

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.[38]

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.[39]

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.[40] 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.[41][42] 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.[43]

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.[44]

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 UniSA, University of Adelaide and Flinders University.[45] The University of Adelaide and University of South Australia have indicated their intention to merge. Flinders University chose to remain an independent entity.[46]

Campuses

The university's main campus is in the Adelaide inner southern suburb of Bedford Park, about 12 km south of the Adelaide city centre.[47] The university also has a presence in Victoria Square in the centre of the city,[48] and Tonsley.[49] 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[50] and a number of offshore programmes are also offered, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.

Organisation

View of the courtyard of the Humanities building of the Flinders University.

Flinders University offers more than 160 undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as higher degree research supervision across all disciplines. Many courses use new information and communication technologies to supplement face-to-face teaching and provide flexible options.

Colleges

  • College of Business, Government and Law[51]
  • College of Education, Psychology and Social Work[52]
  • College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences[53]
  • College of Medicine and Public Health[54]
  • College of Nursing and Health Sciences[55]
  • College of Science and Engineering[56]

Chancellory

Sir Eric Neal, Chancellor of Flinders University (2002–2010)
Sir Eric Neal, Chancellor of Flinders University (2002–2010)
Prof. Colin Stirling, Vice Chancellor (2015–present)
Prof. Colin Stirling, Vice Chancellor (2015–present)

Flinders University has been served by seven Chancellors and eight Vice Chancellors since its establishment in 1966. They are:[57]

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

Affiliates

Academic profile

Rankings

University rankings
Global rankings
QS[59]425
THE[60]251–300 (266)
ARWU[61]401–500
U.S. News & World Report[62]435
Australian rankings
QS[63]23
THE[64]18-22
ARWU[65]23
U.S. News & World Report[66]24
ERA[67]21

Flinders University is amongst the world's top 300 institutions at 266 according to the 2022 Times Higher Education rankings.[68]

Student life

Student Union

Flinders University Students Association (FUSA) is a student union, formerly Student Association of Flinders University (SAFU).[69][70][71]

Housing

Flinders has two options regarding on-campus accommodation:

  • University Hall (catered)
  • Deirdre Jordan Village (self-catered).

For off-campus accommodation, Flinders Housing run a free, up-to-date accommodation service which lists private accommodation available on the rental market.

Media

Empire Times was published by the Students' Association of Flinders University (SAFU) from 1969 to 2006. 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. Empire Times ceased publication in 2006 as a result of voluntary student unionism, but resumed in 2013.[72]

Sports

Flinders University has many sports teams that compete in social and competitive competitions.

Flinders University has 22 affiliated sporting clubs including Aikido, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Fencing, Football, Hockey, Judo, Kendo, Korfball, Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Muay Thai, Netball, Squash & Racquetball, Table Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Underwater, Volleyball and Women's Soccer.[73]

Additionally, Flinders University students have the capacity to go away to annual university games events and compete in a range of sports while representing the university.

Notable people

Entertainment


Humanities

Medicine

Politics

Sciences

Sports

Literature

Flinders has produced one Australian of the Year[79] in Richard Harris, one Fields Medalist[80] in Terry Tao, five Rhodes scholars.[81] and 26 Fulbright scholars.

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/__legislation/lz/c/a/flinders%20university%20act%201966/current/1966.23.auth.pdf
  2. 1 2 https://staff.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/staff/documents/brand/flinders-university-fearless-style-guide.pdf
  3. ↑ https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/history/independence-day
  4. ↑ https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/a24ae0a2-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
  5. ↑ https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/a24ae0a2-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
  6. ↑ https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/governance/university-council/chancellor
  7. ↑ https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/structure/vice-chancellor
  8. 1 2 3 https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/about/annual-reports/2022-annual-report.pdf
  9. ↑ https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/a24ae0a2-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
  10. ↑ https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/a24ae0a2-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
  11. ↑ https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/contact-us
  12. ↑ https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2019/01/23/students-endorse-flinders-nation-leading-assets/dsc_5688/
  13. ↑ https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2018/03/15/dashing-tales-trim-famous-seafurrer/
  14. ↑ https://blogs.flinders.edu.au/explorer/2014/06/24/why-is-flinders-fascinated-by-a-cat-called-trim/
  15. ↑ Innovative Research Universities Archived 8 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Flinders leads nation in postgraduate employment". 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Graduate Outcomes Survey - Longitudinal". Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  18. ↑ "About". Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.flinders.edu.au:80/about/our-university/our-history/1958---1965-from-the-ground-up.cfm Archived 15 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine Flinders University – 1958–1965: From the ground up
  20. 1 2 3 http://www.flinders.edu.au:80/about/our-university/our-history/1966---1971-the-first-students.cfm Archived 1 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Flinders University – 1966–1971: The first students
  21. ↑ "Electrical and Electronic Engineering". Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  22. ↑ "Biomedical Engineering". Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  23. ↑ "Antecedent History". Home. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  24. ↑ "Opportunities for Northern Territory applicants". www.flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  25. ↑ "Disciplines within the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics". www.flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  26. ↑ "Mechanical Engineering". Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  27. ↑ Parte, A.C. "Flindersiella". LPSN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  28. ↑ "Flinders Future Focus". Flinders Future Focus. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics". flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  30. ↑ "Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) – Flinders University". www.flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  31. ↑ "Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology". www.flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  32. ↑ Macfarlane, Ian. "Flinders' Tonsley campus links students, research and business". Ministers for the Department of Industry and Science. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  33. ↑ "50th Anniversary – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  34. ↑ Winkler, Tim; Hedley, Katea (2016). The Investigator transformed : 50 Years of Flinders University. Flinders University. ISBN 9780646950808. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  35. ↑ "The Investigator Transformed – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  36. ↑ "The Plaza and Student Hub". Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  37. ↑ "Flinders' ambitious decade of making a difference". 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  38. ↑ "Flinders edges closer to restructure". 24 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  39. ↑ "Flinders announces $100m research investment". 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  40. ↑ "Flinders Village to transform education, health in southern Adelaide". 2 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  41. ↑ Flinders railway station
  42. ↑ "Flinders Link Project, Australia". Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  43. ↑ "Flinders Health and Medical Research". Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  44. ↑ "Flinders is moving on up - New City campus opening 2024". Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  45. ↑ "South Australian University Merger". Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  46. ↑ https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2023/07/02/flinders-university-congratulates-the-university-of-adelaide-and-university-of-south-australia-on-historic-decision-to-merge/
  47. ↑ Location and getting to Flinders Archived 29 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, http://www.flinders.edu.au Archived 26 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  48. ↑ Flinders in the City Archived 11 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  49. ↑ "Flinders at Tonsley – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  50. ↑ "Student and staff numbers". Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  51. ↑ "College of Business, Government and Law – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  52. ↑ "College of Education, Psychology and Social Work – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  53. ↑ "College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  54. ↑ "College of Medicine and Public Health – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  55. ↑ "College of Nursing and Health Sciences – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  56. ↑ "College of Science and Engineering – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  57. ↑ "Flinders University". www.flinders.edu.au. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  58. ↑ About_ACD Archived 30 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine accessed 7 June 2011
  59. ↑ "QS World University Rankings 2024". Quacquarelli Symonds Limited.
  60. ↑ "World University Rankings 2024". Times Higher Education.
  61. ↑ "Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022". Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.
  62. ↑ "U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report.
  63. ↑ "QS World University Rankings 2024 - Australia". Quacquarelli Symonds Limited.
  64. ↑ "World University Rankings 2024 - Australia". Times Higher Education.
  65. ↑ "Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022 - Australia". Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.
  66. ↑ "U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities in Australia". U.S. News & World Report.
  67. ↑ "Australian University Rankings". Australian Education Network.
  68. ↑ "Flinders University". Times Higher Education (THE). Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  69. ↑ "About – FUSA – Flinders University Student Association". Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  70. ↑ "Financial help, loans and grants (FUSA) - Flinders University Students". Flinders University. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  71. ↑ "2022 FUSA Annual Report by FUSA Association - Issuu". issuu.com. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  72. ↑ Austlit. "Student Newspapers | AustLit: Discover Australian Stories". www.austlit.edu.au. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  73. ↑ "Clubs". Flinders University Sport and Fitness. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  74. ↑ "Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama)". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  75. ↑ "Louisa Mignone loves playing the man - The Advertiser". Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  76. ↑ "Danger 5 Season 2 Dario Russo - The Guardian". TheGuardian.com. 30 December 2014. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  77. ↑ "Tu'ivakano became Prime Minister Designate". Matangi Tonga. 21 December 2010. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  78. ↑ "Home". seanwilliams.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  79. ↑ "Recipients - Australian of the Year". Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  80. ↑ "Fields Medal | International Mathematical Union (IMU)". Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  81. ↑ "Rhodes scholars – Flinders University". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
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