Flinders University Explained

Flinders University
Image Upright:.7
Former Name:The Flinders University of South Australia[1] (1966–1991)
Motto:Fearless[2]
Motto Lang:eng
Established:[3]
Free Label:Named after
Academic Affiliation:Innovative Research Universities (IRU)
Budget:516.79 million (2022)[4]
Chancellor:John Hood[5]
Vice Chancellor:Colin J Stirling[6]
Total Staff:2,054 (2022)
Students:25,247 (2022)[7]
Address:Sturt Road
Postalcode:5042
Country:Australia[8]
Campus Size:156ha (Bedford Park campus)
Colours:Gold Midnight[9]
Academic Staff:907 (FTE, 2022)[10]
Administrative Staff:1,147 (FTE, 2022)[11]

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.[12]

Flinders University led the nation in postgraduate employment outcomes [13] according to the 2021 Graduate Outcome Survey – Longitudinal,[14] released by the Australian Government's Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching.[15]

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 150ha 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.[16]

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.[16]

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.[16]

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.[16]

On 17 March 1966, a bill was passed by state parliament officially creating the Flinders University of South Australia.[17] 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.[16]

Flinders University was opened by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 25 March 1966.[17] 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.[17]

Expansion and restructuring

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,[18] and Biomedical Engineering[19] 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.[20]

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.[21]

Since 2000 the university has established new disciplines in areas including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and more disciplines of Engineering.[22] [23]

In 2011, the bacteria genus Flindersiella was named after the university after the strain was found on a tree on campus grounds.[24]

In 2015, the university opened a new campus at Tonsley,[25] 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,[26] along with the Medical Device Research Institute,[27] the Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology (now known as the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology)[28] and Flinders technology start-up company Re-Timer.[29]

In 2016, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary with a calendar of public events,[30] and a publication[31] summarising the highlights of the university's history, research, and alumni achievements over the last 50 years.[32] 2016 also saw the opening of the award-winning student hub and plaza, transforming the central campus.[33]

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.[34]

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.[35]

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.[36]

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.[37] 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.[38] [39] 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.[40]

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.[41]

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 University.[42] The University of Adelaide and University of South Australia indicated their intention to merge. Flinders University chose to remain an independent entity.[43]

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.[44] The university also has a presence on North Terrace,[45] [46] in the centre of the city,[47] and Tonsley.[48] 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[49] and a number of offshore programmes are also offered, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.

Organisation

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

Chancellory

Flinders University has been served by seven chancellors and eight vice-chancellors since its establishment in 1966. They are:[56]

NameYearsPosition
Peter Karmel AC CBE1966–1971Vice-Chancellor
Sir Mark Mitchell1966–1971Chancellor
Sir Charles Hart Bright1971–1983Chancellor
Roger Russell1972–1979Vice-Chancellor
Keith Hancock AO1980–1987Vice-Chancellor
Francis Robert Fisher AO1983–1988Chancellor
John Francis Lovering AO1987–1994Vice-Chancellor
Deirdre Frances Jordan AC1988–2002Chancellor
Ian Chubb AC1995–2000Vice-Chancellor
Anne Edwards AO2001–2007Vice-Chancellor
Sir Eric Neal2002–2010Chancellor
Michael Barber AO2008–2014Vice-Chancellor
Stephen Gerlach AM2010–2023Chancellor
Colin Stirling2015–presentVice-Chancellor
John Hood2023–presentChancellor

Affiliates

Academic profile

Rankings

Uniname:Flinders University
Qs W:=336
Thes W:251–300 (266)
Arwu W:401–500
Usnwr W:435
Qs Aus:21
Thes Aus:18-22
Arwu Aus:23
Usnwr Aus:24
Era Aus:21

Flinders University is amongst the world's top 300 institutions at 266 according to the 2022 Times Higher Education rankings.[58]

Student life

Student Union

See main article: Flinders University Student Association. Flinders University Students Association (FUSA) is a student union, formerly Student Association of Flinders University (SAFU).[59] [60] [61]

Housing

Flinders has two options regarding on-campus accommodation:

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

Media

See main article: Empire Times. 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.[62]

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.[63]

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[69] in Richard Harris, one Fields Medalist[70] in Terry Tao, five Rhodes scholars,[71] and 26 Fulbright scholars.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/__legislation/lz/c/a/flinders%20university%20act%201966/current/1966.23.auth.pdf
  2. https://staff.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/staff/documents/brand/flinders-university-fearless-style-guide.pdf
  3. Web site: Independence Day .
  4. https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/a24ae0a2-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
  5. Web site: Chancellor .
  6. Web site: President Vice-Chancellor, Flinders University, Professor Colin Stirling .
  7. https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/about/annual-reports/2022-annual-report.pdf
  8. Web site: Contact Flinders University .
  9. https://staff.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/staff/documents/brand/flinders-university-fearless-style-guide.pdf
  10. https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/about/annual-reports/2022-annual-report.pdf
  11. https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/about/annual-reports/2022-annual-report.pdf
  12. http://www.irua.edu.au/ Innovative Research Universities
  13. Web site: Flinders leads nation in postgraduate employment . 24 September 2021 . 18 July 2022 . 18 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220718073446/https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2021/09/24/flinders-leads-nation-in-postgraduate-employment/ . live .
  14. Web site: Graduate Outcomes Survey - Longitudinal . 18 July 2022 . 18 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220718073449/https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey---longitudinal-(gos-l)/ . live .
  15. Web site: About . 18 July 2022 . 7 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220707052614/https://www.qilt.edu.au/About . live .
  16. Web site: 1958 - 1965 From the ground up . https://web.archive.org/web/20090715023452/http://www.flinders.edu.au/about/our-university/our-history/1958---1965-from-the-ground-up.cfm . 15 July 2009 . Flinders University.
  17. http://www.flinders.edu.au:80/about/our-university/our-history/1966---1971-the-first-students.cfm Flinders University – 1966–1971: The first students
  18. Web site: Electrical and Electronic Engineering. 15 July 2015. 16 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150716020854/http://flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/disciplines/eee/. live.
  19. Web site: Biomedical Engineering. 15 July 2015. 16 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150716041959/http://flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/disciplines/bme/. live.
  20. Web site: Antecedent History . 2023-10-10 . Home . en.
  21. Web site: Opportunities for Northern Territory applicants. www.flinders.edu.au. 5 February 2012. 18 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120118185434/http://www.flinders.edu.au/medicine/sites/nt-clinical-school/nt-medical-program/. live.
  22. Web site: Disciplines within the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics. www.flinders.edu.au. 23 November 2012. 16 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121216052723/http://www.flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/disciplines/. live.
  23. Web site: Mechanical Engineering. 15 July 2015. 16 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150716042143/http://flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/disciplines/mecheng/. live.
  24. Web site: Flindersiella. Parte. A.C.. LPSN. 9 June 2017. 24 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924124409/https://lpsn.dsmz.de/genus/flindersiella. live.
  25. Web site: Flinders Future Focus. Flinders Future Focus. 21 January 2016. en-US. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160115155130/http://flindersfuturefocus.flinders.edu.au/major-projects/tonsley/about-tonsley/. 15 January 2016. dmy-all.
  26. Web site: Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics. flinders.edu.au. 5 February 2012. 15 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120115235658/http://flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/csem/. live.
  27. Web site: Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) – Flinders University. www.flinders.edu.au. 23 November 2012. 14 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121114042317/http://flinders.edu.au/science_engineering/research/mdri/. live.
  28. Web site: Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology. www.flinders.edu.au. 27 August 2018. 21 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220821063421/https://www.flinders.edu.au/institute-nanoscale-science-technology.html. live.
  29. Web site: Flinders' Tonsley campus links students, research and business. Ministers for the Department of Industry and Science. 21 January 2016. en. Ian. Macfarlane. 26 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160126055807/http://minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/macfarlane/media-releases/flinders-tonsley-campus-links-students-research-and-business. live.
  30. Web site: 50th Anniversary – Flinders University. Flinders University. en-au. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145528/https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/history/50th-anniversary. live.
  31. Book: The Investigator transformed : 50 Years of Flinders University. Winkler. Tim. Hedley. Katea. 2016. Flinders University. 9780646950808. en. 17 October 2017. 21 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220821063429/https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/224198820. live.
  32. Web site: The Investigator Transformed – Flinders University. Flinders University. en-au. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145648/https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/investigator-transformed. live.
  33. Web site: The Plaza and Student Hub. 27 May 2021. 26 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211703/https://www.flinders.edu.au/campus/bedford-park/hub. live.
  34. Web site: Flinders' ambitious decade of making a difference. 18 May 2016. 27 May 2021. 27 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527050133/https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2016/05/18/flinders-ambitious-decade-of-making-a-difference/. live.
  35. News: Flinders edges closer to restructure. 24 November 2016. 17 October 2017. 29 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161129060914/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/flinders-edges-closer-to-restructure/news-story/2ea4c83925a3ae10c6d6613d32e15511. live.
  36. Web site: Flinders announces $100m research investment. 7 March 2019. 27 May 2021. 27 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527050131/https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2019/03/07/flinders-announces-100m-research-investment/. live.
  37. Web site: Flinders Village to transform education, health in southern Adelaide. 2 June 2019. 27 May 2021. 27 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527050131/https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2019/06/03/flinders-village-to-transform-education-health-in-southern-adelaide/. live.
  38. [Flinders railway station]
  39. Web site: Flinders Link Project, Australia. 22 May 2023. 21 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121015649/https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/flinders-link-project/. live.
  40. Web site: Flinders Health and Medical Research. 27 May 2021. 27 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527050131/https://www.flinders.edu.au/health-medical-research-institute. live.
  41. Web site: Flinders is moving on up - New City campus opening 2024 . 18 July 2022 . 18 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220718073447/https://www.flinders.edu.au/festival-plaza . live .
  42. Web site: South Australian University Merger . 18 July 2022 . 18 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220718073447/https://www.petermalinauskas.com.au/policies/south-australian-university-merger . live .
  43. Web site: Flinders University congratulates the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia on historic decision to merge . 2 July 2023 .
  44. http://www.flinders.edu.au/campus/location/location_home.cfm Location and getting to Flinders
  45. Web site: Building access and facilities .
  46. https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/study/domestic/festival-plaza/festival-plaza-brochure.pdf
  47. http://www.flinders.edu.au/victoriasquare/victoriasquare_home.cfm Flinders in the City
  48. Web site: Flinders at Tonsley – Flinders University. Flinders University. 12 March 2015. 21 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140921073233/http://www.flinders.edu.au/tonsley/. live.
  49. Web site: Student and staff numbers. 27 May 2021. 26 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211709/https://www.flinders.edu.au/about/fast-facts/student-staff-numbers. live.
  50. Web site: College of Business, Government and Law – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145546/https://www.flinders.edu.au/college-business-government-law. live.
  51. Web site: College of Education, Psychology and Social Work – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 16 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220316085133/https://www.flinders.edu.au/college-education-psychology-social-work. live.
  52. Web site: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 19 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170919001626/http://www.flinders.edu.au/sabs/social-and-policy-studies-files/spss/2100493%20Kate%20Tone%20-%20Sistergirls%20and%20the%20impact%20of%20community%20and%20family%20on%20wellbeing%20-%20SOAD.pdf. live.
  53. Web site: College of Medicine and Public Health – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145540/https://www.flinders.edu.au/college-medicine-public-health. live.
  54. Web site: College of Nursing and Health Sciences – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145534/https://www.flinders.edu.au/college-nursing-health-sciences. live.
  55. Web site: College of Science and Engineering – Flinders University. Flinders University. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145559/https://www.flinders.edu.au/college-science-engineering. live.
  56. Web site: Flinders University. www.flinders.edu.au. 18 April 2016. 26 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160426101731/http://www.flinders.edu.au/about/governance/university-officers/former-officers.cfm. live.
  57. http://www.acd.edu.au/campus/about.php About_ACD
  58. Web site: Flinders University . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210410231233/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/flinders-university . 10 April 2021 . 27 May 2021 . Times Higher Education (THE) . en-US.
  59. Web site: About – FUSA – Flinders University Student Association . 2023-10-28 . en-US.
  60. Web site: Financial help, loans and grants (FUSA) - Flinders University Students . 2023-10-28 . Flinders University . en.
  61. Web site: 2023-06-02 . 2022 FUSA Annual Report by FUSA Association - Issuu . 2023-10-28 . issuu.com . en.
  62. Web site: Student Newspapers AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. Austlit. www.austlit.edu.au. en. 3 December 2017. 4 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171204171103/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/9566701. live.
  63. Web site: 2016-02-21 . Clubs . 2023-09-13 . Flinders University Sport and Fitness . en-AU.
  64. Web site: Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama) . 2022-05-22 . Flinders University . en . 21 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220821063421/https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/creative-arts-media/creative-arts-drama . live .
  65. Web site: Louisa Mignone loves playing the man - The Advertiser . 22 May 2022 . 22 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220522042444/https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/confidential/louisa-mignones-loving-playing-the-man/news-story/3e968d8f772f8cbf5f77c8d96e3048ce . live .
  66. Web site: Danger 5 Season 2 Dario Russo - The Guardian . . 30 December 2014 . 22 May 2022 . 22 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220522042444/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/30/danger-5-director-dario-russo-on-the-tricky-task-of-mocking-world-villains . live .
  67. Web site: Tu'ivakano became Prime Minister Designate . Matangi Tonga . 21 December 2010 . 21 December 2010 . 30 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111130071216/http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/parliament/20101221_tonga_new_prime_minister_designate.shtml . live .
  68. Web site: Home . seanwilliams.com . 7 August 2022 . 7 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220807134832/http://seanwilliams.com/ . live .
  69. Web site: Recipients - Australian of the Year. 27 May 2021. 14 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210514201531/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/. live.
  70. Web site: Fields Medal | International Mathematical Union (IMU). 27 May 2021. 26 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181226015744/https://www.mathunion.org/imu-awards/fields-medal. live.
  71. Web site: Rhodes scholars – Flinders University. Flinders University. en-au. 17 October 2017. 17 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017150712/https://www.flinders.edu.au/alumni/our-alumni/awards-and-honours/prestigious-fellowships/rhodes-scholars. live.