Университет Аделаиды

Эта статья о существующем университете в Аделаиде. Чтобы узнать о предлагаемом объединенном университете, см. Университет Аделаиды .

Университет Аделаиды

Герб
Латынь : Университет Аделаиды.
Прежнее имя	Юнион Колледж (1872-1874)
Девиз	Sub Cruce Lumen ( латиница )
Девиз на английском языке	«Свет (учения) под (Южным) Крестом»
Type	Public research university
Established	6 November 1874 (1874-11-06)
Accreditation	TEQSA
Academic affiliations	Group of Eight APRU Australian Space Agency SAHMRI UniSA OUA Universities Australia
Endowment	A$393.4 million (2023)
Budget	A$1.09 billion (2023)
Chancellor	Catherine Branson
Vice-Chancellor	Peter Høj
Academic staff	1,700 (2023)
Administrative staff	1,978 (2023)
Total staff	3,678 (2023)
Students	30,279 (2023)
Undergraduates	19,493 bachelor (2023)
Postgraduates	7,962 coursework (2023) 2,362 research (2023)
Other students	772 (2023)
Address	North Terrace , Adelaide , South Australia , 5001 , Australia
Campus	Urban and regional with multiple sites
Colours	University Navy, blue and red           Sporting Black White
Nickname	The Blacks
Sporting affiliations	UniSport EAEN UBL
Mascot	Gus the Black Lion
Website	adelaide.edu.au

Университет Аделаиды — государственный исследовательский университет, расположенный в Аделаиде , Южная Австралия . Основанный в 1874 году, это третий старейший университет Австралии. Его главный кампус в центре Аделаиды включает в себя множество зданий из песчаника, имеющих историческое и архитектурное значение, таких как Bonython Hall . Его королевская грамота, выданная королевой Викторией в 1881 году, позволила ему стать вторым университетом в англоязычном мире, присуждающим ученые степени женщинам. Он соседствует с Университетом Южной Австралии и штаб-квартирой Австралийского космического агентства на четырнадцатом участке и активно работает в австралийской космической отрасли.

Университет был основан на базе бывшего Королевского южно-австралийского общества искусств Юнион-колледжем, и исследования первоначально проводились в здании его института . Общество также было первоначальным местом рождения Южно-Австралийского технологического института как Школы горнодобывающей промышленности и промышленности. Позже институт стал Университетом Южной Австралии во время Революции Докинза после слияния с продвинутым колледжем, относящимся к Школе искусств , также основанной при обществе. Два университета, на долю которых в 2022 году приходилось примерно три четверти населения государственных университетов штата, договорились о слиянии в середине 2023 года. Будущее объединенное учреждение будет переименовано в Университет Аделаиды (ранее это было разговорное название университета), при этом объединенный штат, как ожидается, начнет функционировать к 2026 году.

The university currently has four campuses, three in South Australia: its main North Terrace campus in central Adelaide, the Waite campus in Urrbrae, a regional campus in Roseworthy and a study centre in Melbourne, Victoria. Its academic activities are organised into three faculties, which are subdivided into numerous teaching schools. It also has several research subdivisions. In 2023, the university had a total revenue of A$1.13 billion, with A$334.15 million from research grants and funding. It is a member of the Group of Eight, an association of research-intensive universities in Australia, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.

Notable alumni of the university include the first female prime minister of Australia, two presidents of Singapore, the first astronaut born in Australia and the first demonstrator of nuclear fission. It is also associated with five Nobel laureates, constituting one-third of Australia's total Nobel laureates, 116 Rhodes scholars and 164 Fulbright scholars. It has had a significant impact on the public life of South Australia, having educated many of the state's leading businesspeople, lawyers, medical professionals and politicians. It has also been associated with the development of penicillin, space exploration, sunscreen, the military tank, Wi-Fi, polymer banknotes and X-ray crystallography, and the study of viticulture and oenology.

History

The founders of the University of Adelaide (1875 engraving, Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers)

Foundation

The history of the university dates back to the Union College established in 1872 to provide education to aspiring Protestant ministers who were previously required to travel to the United Kingdom. It provided education in the natural sciences, mathematics, English literature and theological studies of the Greek Testament. The college approached Scottish-born pastoralist Sir Walter Watson Hughes with the proposal for a then-called Adelaide University with a request for endowment towards its creation. Following an agreement, the Adelaide University Association was established by the Union College on 23 September 1872 to manage the creation of the university.

The University of Adelaide, which is named after its founding city namesake to Queen Adelaide, was formally established on 6 November 1874 following the passage of The Adelaide University Act of 1874 through the South Australian parliament. Its royal charter, which was granted by Queen Victoria in 1881, allowed the university to confer degrees to women. Its early benefactors, many of whom Scottish immigrants, made large donations to develop the university that are now worth tens of millions adjusted for inflation.

Queen Adelaide, namesake to the city where the university was founded

It was founded with the backing of its first benefactor Walter Hughes and Sir Thomas Elder, also a Scottish-born pastoralist and founder of the university, who each donated £20,000 towards the association. The university initially occupied the South Australian Institute Building prior to the construction of the University Building which housed the entire university at the time. Elder also bequeathed an additional £65,000 in his will following his death in 1897 of which £20,000 were allocated to set up the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Other donors include Scottish philosopher Sir William Mitchell who also taught literature and psychology, established many teaching schools and served as vice-chancellor and chancellor of the institution. The University Building was later renamed to the Mitchell Building in his honour and currently serves as the chancellery.

According to its founding Act, the university was intended as a secular institution to "promote sound learning in the Province of South Australia" to be "open to all classes and denominations of Her Majesty's subjects". It commenced its first class, a Latin lecture towards the Bachelor of Arts, in March 1876 following its inauguration at the Adelaide Town Hall. Its first chancellor was former premier Sir Richard Hanson and its first vice-chancellor was Anglican bishop Augustus Short. Its first graduate was Thomas Ainslie Caterer, who graduated in 1879 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1882, it was also the first university in Australia to provide degree programs in science and its faculty of arts was inaugurated in 1887. Its Adelaide Law School was established in 1883 as Australia's second law school, its medical school in 1885 and its Adelaide Business School in 1902 as the country's first business school. They have produced some of Australia's earliest businesspeople, lawyers, medical professionals and politicians.

"willing and ordaining that Degrees in Arts, Medicine, Law, Science and Music conferred by the University of Adelaide upon any person, male or female, should be recognised as academical distinctions and rewards of merit and be entitled to rank, precedence and consideration"

Sir William Jervois in a speech in 1882 paraphrasing Queen Victoria's royal charter from the year prior

Another early benefactor Robert Barr Smith, who had previously studied under financial hardship in Scotland and served on the University Council for 19 years, had long desired for education to be accessible to all students in Adelaide. In 1913, Robert wrote at the age of 89 that “tho' in its vigorous and lusty youth,” the university was poorly endowed and constructed on little land. His donations included a combined £9000 towards books for the then-struggling university library and £500 towards radiation research by Lawrence and William Henry Bragg who later won the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics.

The interior of Bonython Hall, used for graduations ceremonies, during a public forum on nuclear energy

Bonython Hall, the great hall of the university, was built in 1936 following a donation of over £50,000 from the owner of The Advertiser newspaper, Sir John Langdon Bonython, who was inspired following his visit to the Great Hall of the University of Sydney. The hall, which is used during graduation ceremonies among other events, was designed by architect Louis Laybourne-Smith based on medieval great halls in a Gothic Revival architecture style inspired by the ancient universities in Europe.

Bonython Hall was inspired by the Great Hall of the University of Sydney and of ancient universities in Europe

The institution was the third of its kind on the Australian continent after the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne, which then educated solely men. The university, which allowed women to study alongside men since its commencement including eligibility for all academic prizes and honours, became the second university in the English-speaking world following the University of London in 1878 to formally admit women on equal terms as men in 1881. This was following a royal charter granted by Queen Victoria that same year, which allowed for women to be conferred degrees. This has contributed to its long history of achieving notable milestones and firsts for women's rights in higher education.

Neighbouring amalgamations

See also: Dawkins Revolution

The School of Art was founded in 1856 by the former Royal South Australian Society of Arts, predating the university which was also established there. The society also then included the South Australian Museum and later the State Library and Art Gallery of South Australia. The independent art school, which went through many name changes, resided for most of its history at the Jubilee Exhibition Building which was later transferred to the university in 1929. The art school remained on the campus until 1962 when the building, which was then located between Bonython Hall and the South Australian Institute of Technology, was demolished to make way for a number of university buildings.

State of the university and its neighbouring institutions in 1926

The Jubilee Exhibition Building was also the birthplace of the South Australian Institute of Technology which was established in 1889 as the School of Mines and Industries. It moved to the neighbouring Brookman Building in 1903, named after the Scottish-born businessman George Brookman who contributed £15,000 towards its construction. The institution acted de facto as part of the university while remaining legally distinct. The relationship was expanded in 1903 with the two institutions formally agreeing to combine teaching, laboratories and examinations across fields of engineering and sciences. Despite the university later establishing its own faculty of engineering in 1937, the reciprocal relationship remained intertwined to the University Council and studies completed at the institute were recognised as equivalent studies eligible for credit towards university courses. The institution expanded into the site of the former Adelaide Technical High School in 1963, to the regional city of Whyalla in 1962 and to the Adelaide suburb of Mawson Lakes as The Levels in 1972.

The university is adjacent to the State Library of South Australia where studies were initially conducted

The Adelaide Teachers College, which changed names and shifted locations multiple times throughout its existence, was established in 1876. Despite initially being located away from the university, students from the institution attended university lectures since at least 1878. The college later occupied the Elder Hall's basement between 1900 and 1902 before being moved to the University Building as a result of "inspiring yet distracting" musical performance. It renamed to the University Training College between 1900 to 1913 before re-naming again to the Teachers Training College following concerns that student teachers were focusing more on attaining university degrees. In 1921, it renamed again to the Adelaide Teachers College, in line with other interstate teaching colleges such as the Sydney Teachers College. Despite offers from the university to take control of the college, which was heavily integrated into the university, the Education Department retained administrative authority throughout its early history.

Hartley Building of the Adelaide Teachers College and later SACAE, now part of the university

After moving again, the college was constructed the Hartley Building on the western border of the university campus following a staff and student visit to the more opulent Melbourne Teachers College. The Hartley Building, which was built in the Spanish Revival style as a permanent home for the college, was named after former vice-chancellor John Anderson Hartley. It continued constructing new buildings such as the Scott Theatre, Madley and Schulz buildings and renamed to the Adelaide College of Advanced Education in 1973. It also established teacher colleges elsewhere including the Wattle Park Teachers College in 1957 and the Western Teachers College in 1962, the latter of which merged with the School of Art to form the Torrens advanced college in 1973. The Adelaide and Torrens advanced colleges eventually merged in 1979 to become the Adelaide College of the Arts and Education and the Wattle Park Teachers College became the Murray Park advanced college in 1973 during its relocation to Magill.

Scott Theatre, historically part of the Adelaide Teachers College and SACAE, is its largest lecture hall

The Adelaide College of the Arts and Education later merged with the Hartley, Salisbury and Sturt advanced colleges in 1982 to form the South Australian College of Advanced Education (SACAE). The Hartley advanced college was formed in 1979 following the merger between the Murray Park and Kingston advanced colleges, the latter of which was established in 1907 as the Kindergarten Training College. The Salisbury advanced college was established in 1973 as the Salisbury Teachers College and was initially located on the western side of the university, which later took over the branch following its departure in 1969. The Sturt advanced college was established in 1966 as the Bedford Park Teachers College. Following their merger as the SACAE, the combined institution continued its presence in the Hartley, Madley and Schulz buildings as its City campus and maintained joint teaching, facilities and committees with the university until the site merged with the university in 1991.

Stronger demand for advanced college places throughout the country resulted from a broadening appeal of higher education beyond the traditionally elite education provided by the universities. Advanced colleges were originally designed to complement universities, forming a binary system modelled on that of the United Kingdom. It was originally created by the Menzies government following World War II on the advice of a committee led by physicist Sir Leslie H. Martin, during a period of high population growth and corresponding demand for secondary and tertiary education. This sector ceased to exist when, between 1989 and 1992, the Hawke-Keating government implemented the sweeping reforms of Education Minister John Dawkins that dismantled the binary system. The states, eager for increased education funding, merged the colleges either with existing universities or with each other to form new universities. Following its increasing expansion and autonomy from the university, the South Australian Institute of Technology was given the option to merge with either TAFE South Australia or the South Australian College of Advanced Education. It chose to merge with the latter advanced college resulting in the establishment of the University of South Australia, which continues to remain neighbours with the university.

Ongoing merger with the University of South Australia

See also: Adelaide University and University of South Australia

The University of South Australia's Brookman Building located adjacent to Bonython Hall on North Terrace

The University of South Australia is the state's third public university, a continuation of the former South Australian Institute of Technology that merged with the SACAE, and maintained their presence next to the University of Adelaide, in the suburbs of Mawson Lakes and Magill and in the regional city of Whyalla. Its expansion over the next few decades, including to sites on the west end of North Terrace, and broadening fields of studies contributed to its status as the state's largest university by student population. It also became the second-largest university nationally by number of online students, either in the state or from other parts of the country, and expanded to Mount Gambier in 2005.

In June 2018, the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia began discussions regarding the possibility of a merger. The proposition was described as the formation of a "super uni" by then South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, and Simon Birmingham, but the merger was called off in October 2018 by the University of South Australia, which was less keen on the merger. Vice-chancellor David Lloyd, in an email to University of South Australia staff, claimed that the amalgamation lacked a compelling case. This statement was contradicted by the University of Adelaide's chancellor who said that the merger continues to be in the state's best interests and a spokesperson for the university added that it was still open to future talks. Following the release of several internal FOI documents retrieved by ABC News, it was later revealed that the merger talks failed due to disagreements on the post-merger institution's leadership structure. The name Adelaide University of South Australia was agreed upon by both universities and Chris Schacht, who previously served on the University of Adelaide Council, alleged that the merger talks failed due to disagreement on which vice-chancellor would replace the other following their amalgamation.

In early 2022, the topic of a merger was raised again by the new state government led by premier Peter Malinauskas, which proposed setting up an independent commission to investigate the possibility of a merger between the state's three public universities should they decline. He had made an election promise to take a heavy-handed approach towards the merger to reduce students departing to higher-ranking institutions on the east coast and to improve the state's ability to attract researchers. At the time, staff's opinions were evenly divided on the idea of the commission. Following the appointment of merger advocate Peter Høj as University of Adelaide vice-chancellor, both universities announced that a merger would once again be considered. The universities began a feasibility study into a potential merger at the end of the year. The invitation to merger negotiations was rejected by Flinders University, the state's third public university.

The University of Adelaide (right) is set to merge with the University of South Australia (left) by 2026

The agreement for the merger was reached on 1 July 2023 by the two universities, which then accounted for approximately two-thirds of the state's public university population, in consultation with the South Australian Government. The rationale for the amalgamation was a larger institutional scale may be needed in order to increase the universities' ranking positions, ability to secure future research income and a net positive impact on the state economy. The two universities argued that by combining their expertise, resources and finances into a single institution, they can be more financially viable, with stronger teaching and research outcomes. Support for the merger among existing staff were mixed, with a National Tertiary Education Union SA survey showing that only a quarter were in favour of the amalgamation. Warren Bebbington, who previously served as vice-chancellor at the University of Adelaide, described the proposed institution as a "lumbering dinosaur" in reference to size-dependent funding models that are under review. Vice-chancellor Colin Stirling described plans to provide the new institution with AU$300 million in research funding and scholarships as "unfair" to students who choose to study at Flinders University. The combined figure was later revised to AU$464.5 million to include land purchases, with an additional AU$40 million research fund set up for Flinders University.

Murray House on the Magill site, one of two UniSA campuses where land will be sold for development

In November 2023, legislation passed state parliament enabling the creation of the new university to be named Adelaide University, previously a colloquial name used by the University of Adelaide. An application for self-accreditation authority was submitted to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) on 15 January 2024, which was needed for the institution to offer courses that issue qualifications. Following approval on 22 May 2024, students starting studies at the pre-merger institutions from 2025 onwards will be issued degree certificates from Adelaide University. Students enrolled on or prior to 2024 will also be able to opt in adding antecedent institutions' names and logos on their parchments. The combined institution is expected to become operational by January 2026, with an additional transitional period extending to 2034. Prior to federal cuts to migration caused by a national housing shortage, the state government had projected the combined institution would enrol over 70,000 students, create 1,200 new jobs and bring in an estimated A$500 million per year to the South Australian economy by 2034. The amalgamation decision has been subject to mixed reactions.

Campuses and buildings

Adelaide

The Barr Smith Library on the Adelaide campus in North Terrace

The primary campus of the university is located on North Terrace in the Adelaide city centre, one of four terraces bounding the inner city's central business district. It is co-located on its west with the historical Royal South Australian Society of Arts which then included the Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum and the State Library of South Australia where the university initially conducted studies prior to the construction of the Mitchell Building. The building that then housed the entire university now serves as the chancellery and is the oldest building on campus. Built in the Gothic Revival architecture style, it was called the University Building until 1961 when it was renamed after former chancellor and vice-chancellor Sir William Mitchell. The Barr Smith Library is the main library on the site and is notable for its large reading room. On the western border, the campus is planned to merge with the neighbouring City East campus of the University of South Australia and the City West campus on the west end of the terrace to form the combined Adelaide City campus following the merger.

The University Building, later the Mitchell Building, housed the entire university during its first years

Bonython Hall, the great hall used during graduation ceremonies, is a prominent building facing the terrace. The hall takes inspiration from the Great Hall of the University of Sydney and is constructed in the Gothic Revival architecture style to resemble the medieval halls used by the ancient universities in Europe. In between it and the Mitchell Building, which both face the terrace, is the Elder Hall which was the former graduation venue. It is a large concert hall that is used by the Elder Conservatorium of Music among others. It also hosts lunchtime concerts and, along with Bonython Hall, both feature large organs.

The university also has other venues including the Scott Theatre, Little Theatre and the College Green. The Scott Theatre is the largest lecture theatre on site and is frequently hired out for performances of various kinds such as the Adelaide Fringe events. The Little Theatre is located in the Cloisters and is primarily used for dramatic performances by the Theatre Guild. The College Green stretches from the Cloisters across the lawns down to Victoria Drive, next to the River Torrens. It hosts various social events throughout the year including parties, live bands, DJs and open-air cinema among others. It was created in response to the impact of social distancing restrictions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, which hit many live music venues.

Elder Hall, named after early benefactor Thomas Elder, integrates freestone from Mount Gambier

The Napier and Ligertwood Buildings were among several buildings built following the demolition of the Jubilee Exhibition Building in 1962. They are named after Sir Mellis Napier and Sir George Ligertwood who were both former chancellors of the university. Some other notable buildings include the Ingkarni Wardli Building, Benham Building, Hartley Building, Lady Symon Building, George Murray Building, Mawson Building and the Helen Mayo North and South Buildings. The A$100 million Braggs Building, named after two Nobel laureates associated with the university, was built in 2013 and features a large number of cross-disciplinary scientific research facilities. The university also has a presence in the adjacent Lot Fourteen precinct, that is home to the national headquarters of the Australian Space Agency among other institutions in the fields of science and technology.

On the west end of North Terrace, the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building is surrounded by the University of South Australia's City West campus and the Royal Adelaide Hospital as part of the Adelaide BioMed City precinct. The A$246 million biomedical teaching and research facility was finished in 2017 and is home to various clinical and simulation facilities in the fields of healthcare. Additionally, the university previously had a presence in Thebarton approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) north of the campus. It operated research facilities across 5 hectares (12 acres) related to physical sciences and various fields of engineering until 2020 when it was sold for housing development. Notably, the flames for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics among other sporting events were developed there with the now-called FCT Flames.

The Adelaide University Union redevelopment, also known as Union Buildings or Union Building Group, was completed in stages between 1967 and 1975. It created one of the most significant buildings in the complex. The redevelopment was designed by lead architect Robert Dickson and includes a heritage-listed group of buildings including the Union House, the Lady Symon Building named after the wife of Sir Josiah Symon, the George Murray Building, the Cloisters and the Western Annexe. The earlier Georgian-style buildings were designed by the architects Woods, Bagot, Jory and Laybourne-Smith who also designed Bonython Hall, the Mitchell Gates, the Johnson Laboratory, the Barr Smith Library and the Benham Building.

Waite

The Waite campus in Urrbrae is home to the Waite Research Institute

The Waite campus specialises in agricultural science, viticulture, oenology, plant breeding, food research and biotechnology. It is home to the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine and research centres including the Waite Research Institute. It is located adjacent to the Urrbrae Agricultural High School. The early campus was largely donated through the will of Scottish-born pastoralist Peter Waite of which half was dedicated for studies in agriculture and the remainder as a park.

A number of other organisations are co-located in the Waite Research Precinct including the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) (part of Primary Industries and Regions SA which is also headquartered at the campus); Australian Grain Technologies; Australian Wine Research Institute; and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

It is located in the suburb of Urrbrae in Adelaide's south-eastern foothills on 184 hectares (450 acres), a large amount of which was donated in 1924 by the pastoralist Peter Waite. The Urrbrae House built in 1891, now a museum, served as the home of Peter and Matilda Waite who purchased the land with support from Thomas Elder. Its interior is designed by Aldam Heaton, who was also responsible for designing interiors for the Titanic. The campus is also home to the Waite Arboretum and Conservation Reserve. The Waite Arboretum is a tree museum which is home to over 2,400 tree specimens from over 1,000 taxa, many of which are endangered in the wild. The Waite Conservation Reserve is home to native plants and wildlife.

The Plant Accelerator phenotyping facility on the Waite campus

Following donations from Rosina and John, the widow and son of William Tennant Mortlock, the Peter Waite Institute of Agricultural Research was established in 1924. Its first director was Arnold E. V. Richardson. Later renamed to the Waite Research Institute, it produces approximately 70% of Australia's research output in viticulture and oenology and around 80% of cereal varieties used in southern Australia were created there. A Soil Research Centre was founded in 1929 with a donation of £10,000 from Harold Darling of J. Darling and Son, grain merchants. In 2004, State Premier Mike Rann opened the A$9.2 million Plant Genomics Centre at the campus. In 2010, he opened The Plant Accelerator, a A$30 million research facility – the largest and most advanced of its kind in the world.

Roseworthy

Main article: Roseworthy College

The main building on the campus in Roseworthy was built in 1883

Located north of the city, the Roseworthy campus comprises 16 km² (6.2 sq mi) of farmland and is a large centre for agricultural research. Established in 1883 as the first agricultural college in Australia, it merged with the university in 1991 to become its Roseworthy campus. Its teaching and research in oenology and viticulture were transferred to the Waite campus, along with the bulk of its work in plant breeding. Before studies in oenology were transferred to the Waite campus, Roseworthy had produced a number of highly regarded and awarded winemakers and wine critics.

The Roseworthy Memorial Chapel was built following World War II

Following the merger, the campus expanded its focus in dryland agriculture, natural resource management and animal production by the mid-1990s. The campus is also now home to South Australia's first veterinary science training program, which commenced in 2008. The Veterinary Science Centre houses teaching facilities including a surgical skills suite, a public veterinary clinic offering general practice as well as emergency and specialist veterinary services for pet animals. There are also specialised pathology laboratories at the centre for teaching, research and diagnostics. In 2013, the veterinary science facilities were expanded with the opening of the Equine Health and Performance Centre, a specialised facility for equine surgery, internal medicine, sports medicine and reproduction.

In 2021, the university opened the $7 million Roseworthy Solar and Energy Storage Project, a solar farm with an output of 1.2MW with a 420/1200kWh hybrid battery. Its 3,200 solar panels are estimated to produce 42% of the campuses' energy requirements.

Governance and structure

Entrance to Bonython Hall, the great hall of the university and venue for graduation ceremonies

Faculties and departments

The university's research and teaching is organised into three faculties, each of which contains a number of schools, departments and institutes. This is down from five in 2022 following a merger between the Arts and Professions faculties and the Faculty of Sciences into the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences. The establishment of faculties and academic departments is formally the responsibility of the University Council.

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Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

• Adelaide Dental School
• Adelaide Medical School
• Adelaide Nursing School
• Adelaide Rural Clinical School
• School of Allied Health Science and Practice
• School of Biomedicine
• School of Psychology
• School of Public Health

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Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

• School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
• School of Architecture and Civil Engineering
• School of Biological Sciences
• School of Chemical Engineering
• School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
• School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
• School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
• School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

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Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

• Adelaide Business School
• Adelaide Law School
• Elder Conservatorium of Music
• School of Economics and Public Policy
• School of Education
• School of Humanities
• School of Social Sciences

Catherine Branson at a ceremony to present the 2010 Human Rights Medal to Therese Rein prior to her chancellorship

University Council

The main governing body of the institution is its Council. It is the executive committee responsible for managing operations, setting policies and appointing the chancellor and vice-chancellor. The Council comprises the chancellor, vice-chancellor, a member of the academic staff, a member of the professional staff, an undergraduate student, a postgraduate student, at least one member with a commercial background, two members with prior experience in financial management and other members appointed by the selection committee. The selection committee, which comprises the chancellor and six other appointed members, can appoint members to the Council to serve for between 2 and 4 years. This excludes elected staff and student members, which have a term limit of 2 years.

Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor

The chancellor of the university is a limitless term position that is mainly ceremonial and is held currently by former Federal Court judge Catherine Branson who succeeded Kevin Scarce following his retirement in May 2020. Branson was appointed by the University Council. The current vice-chancellor is Danish biochemist Peter Høj, who began his role in February 2021 following similar roles at the University of South Australia and the University of Queensland. While the chancellor's office is ceremonial, the vice-chancellor serves as the university's de facto principal administrative officer. The university's internal governance is carried out by the University Council formed through the University of Adelaide Act 1971. The legislation, which superseded the Adelaide University Act 1874, is scheduled to be superseded by the Adelaide University Act 2023.

Finances and endowment

In 2023, the University of Adelaide had a total revenue of A$1.13 billion (2022 – A$1 billion) and a total expenditure of A$1.09 billion (2022 – A$995.46 million). Key sources of income included A$228.2 million from research grants and fees (2022 – A$190.97 million), A$105.95 million from other research funding (2022 – A$93.22 million), A$350.71 million from tuition fees and grants (2022 – A$318.44 million), A$313.91 million from HESA funding (2022 – A$305.91 million) and A$134.47 million from donations and investments (2022 – A$86.48 million). At year-end the university had endowments of A$393.4 million (2022 – A$366.3 million) and total net assets of A$2.19 billion (2022 – A$2.15 billion).

In 2023, the State Government estimated the merger with the University of South Australia would inject A$500 million into the South Australian economy by 2034 and announced plans to create a A$350 million investment fund to support research and accessibility.

Heraldry and insignia

Coat of arms

While all Australian universities have common seals that are used on parchments, some Australian universities also possess a coat of arms. These were usually grant by the College of Arms in London due to, as opposed to the United Kingdom and Canada, an absence of a national heraldic authority. The coat of arms of the university was grant during the reign of George V in 1925 and has historically since been used on all degree parchments issued by the university. While some universities such as the Universities of Western Australia and Queensland have modified the coat of arms issued on parchments over time, its design has mostly remained the same with the exception of a minor tweak to the crux. The motto in Latin reads Sub Cruce Lumen translated "the light (of learning) under the (Southern) Cross". The official coat of arms, in heraldic terminology, is:

Coat of arms of the University of Adelaide hide

Granted in 1925 by the College of Arms, London Escutcheon Per pale Or and Argent an Open Book proper edged Gold on a Chief Azure five Mullets, one of eight, two of seven, one of six and one of five points of the second, representing the Constellation of the Southern Cross

University mace

Many universities possess ceremonial maces used during graduation ceremonies. The University of Adelaide Mace was forged by silversmiths using silver-gilt under the supervision of Frederick Millward Grey. It features the coat of arms on an orb symbolising the world protruding from an open book representing learning with gum leaves-inspired design. Grey was a designer based at the School of Fine Arts in Adelaide which later became an antecedent institution of the University of South Australia. The first mace bearer was KH Boykett in 1926 who carried it during the 50th anniversary jubilee of the first classes at St Peter's Cathedral. The mace symbolises protection of the chancellor and the mace bearer, who is usually a student of the university, carries it in front of the chancellor during ceremonies.

Academic profile

The university is a member of the Group of Eight, a coalition of research-led Australian universities. It is also a member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, an international association of research-intensive universities, and the former Academic Consortium 21. The university maintains historically strong ties with the neighbouring University of South Australia and the adjacent Australian Space Agency. The university also offers a wide range of free online MOOC courses on online learning platforms edX and FutureLearn, including the MathTrackX bridging program.

The university also offers degree programs in Singapore as part of a joint venture with the Ngee Ann Kongsi foundation.

Research and publications

A South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute building

In 2023, the University of Adelaide had a total research income of A$261.59 million, of which A$121.62 million was from the National Competitive Grants Program; A$65.48 million from other public sector research; A$8.04 million from Cooperative Research Centres; and A$66.44 million from industry and other research. Additionally, it also received A$49.59 million from the Research Support Program and A$53.24 million from the Research Training Program as research block grants.

In the 2018 ERA National Report, the Australian Research Council evaluated work produced between 2014 and 2018. 100 per cent of the university's research activity was judged to be "at or above world standard" (3-5*) with 57 of the 67 fields of research evaluated being "above world standard" (4*) or "well above world standard" (5*). The university had a positive trajectory since 2010.

Research institutes

The university operates a large number of disciplinary-specific research institutes in partnership with other research institutions and private enterprises. Notable examples include:

The Australian Institute for Machine Learning next to the Australian Space Agency HQ in Lot Fourteen

Australian Institute for Machine Learning

Main article: Australian Institute for Machine Learning

The Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) is an artificial intelligence and machine learning research and translation institute based on Lot Fourteen, a business and technology precinct. It is located in a former Royal Adelaide Hospital building in-between the Australian Space Agency headquarters and the University of South Australia's Brookman Building. Established in 2018 with funding from the South Australian government, it is the largest university-based research site dedicated to machine learning in Australia, as well as ranking among the global top sites for its computer vision research capability.

The institute runs on an open access basis; most of its research is open to the rest of the world, either through conferences and journals or via open source software. Its researchers have used machine learning to support industries such as agriculture, medical imaging, defence, space exploration, manufacturing, mining operations and filmmaking. Notable partners have included its foundational partner Lockheed Martin, Rising Sun Pictures and Microsoft.

Defence and Security Institute

The Defence and Security Institute in Lot Fourteen conducts research in the defence and security sectors including lasers, robotics, autonomous systems, CBRN defence, space exploration, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and fields of quantum mechanics.

Environment Institute

Main article: Environment Institute University of Adelaide

The Environment Institute specialises in environmental sciences and research in the areas of climate, biodiversity, ecology and marine sciences.

Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing

Researchers working using glove boxes at the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing

The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing specialises in photonics, sensing and precision measurement technology. It is based in the Braggs Building, a purpose-built A$95 million headquarters funded with support from the federal and state governments. The institute has 10 research groups and is home to various interdisciplinary scientific and advanced manufacturing facilities. It has developed high-precision measuring instruments used in the agriculture, defence, health, space exploration, tectonics, earth system science, manufacturing, mining and resources sectors.

Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources

The Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources conducts research in the sustainability, energy, mining and resources sectors. It has over 20 research centres in fields including mineralology, geosciences, ecology, energy generation, space resources, food production, mineral processing, radiation science, hydrogen production, supply chains, environmental and natural resources.

Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building next to the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

Robinson Research Institute

The Robinson Research Institute conducts biomedical research concerning fertility, pregnancy and child health. It has over 45 research groups specialising in fields including biotechnology, congenital disorders, endocrinology, epigenics, genomics, gynaecology, immunology, medical machine learning, medicine, metabolic health, neurology, nutrition, obesity, obstetrics, oncology, ovarian development, placental development, pharmacology, polysomnography, reproductive biology, vaccinology and women's health.

South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute

The South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute is a planned cancer research institute. It was established through A$80 million in funding from the federal government. It is located in the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building in-between the University of South Australia's Bradley Building and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute adjacent to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Waite Research Institute

The Waite Research Institute specialises and conducts research in agricultural science, viticulture, oenology, plant breeding, food research and biotechnology. It is located on the Waite campus in Adelaide's south-eastern foothills, in the suburb of Urrbrae on 184 hectares (450 acres), a large amount of which was donated in 1924 by the pastoralist Peter Waite. Following donations from Rosina and John, the widow and son of William Tennant Mortlock, the institute was established originally as the Peter Waite Institute of Agricultural Research. A Soil Research Centre was founded in 1929 with a donation of £10,000 from Harold Darling of J. Darling and Son, grain merchants. The institute produces approximately 70% of Australia's research output in viticulture and oenology and around 80% of cereal varieties used in southern Australia were created there. In 2004, State Premier Mike Rann opened the A$9.2 million Plant Genomics Centre at the campus. In 2010, he opened The Plant Accelerator, a A$30 million research facility – the largest and most advanced of its kind in the world.

Libraries and archives

Barr Smith Library

Main article: Barr Smith Library

Corinthian pillars incorporated into the Barr Smith Library entrance

The Barr Smith Library is the third-oldest university library in Australia and was originally located in the Mitchell Building. The library purchased its first book in 1877 for £11, prior to its formal establishment in 1882. It was later named after its founder Robert Barr Smith who throughout his life had donated £9,000 to purchase books towards the struggling library, which previously had no librarian and an annual budget of £200 of which £150 were spent on books. William Barlow, the registrar, acted as the de facto first librarian of the then-small library and R. J. M. Clucas was the first official librarian in 1900 who died three weeks prior to the opening of the current building in 1932.

The Reading Room inside the Barr Smith Library features guilded ivory arches, pillars and a high ceiling

Following Robert's death in 1915, an additional endowment of £11,000 in 1920 was made by his family. In 1928, his son Tony Elder Barr Smith donated almost £35,000 towards a new building for the library to reduce congestion at its original site. Robert's granddaughter Christine Margaret Mcgregor also donated almost 5,000 books in 1974. It was designed in the Georgian Revival architecture style by Walter Hervey Bagot of the Adelaide-based architecture firm Woods, Bagot & Laybourne Smith and was inspired by Kensington Palace in London. Following its completion, its collection was transferred from the Mitchell Building through a zip line. The building features red-brick exteriors with an entrance with Corinthian pillars below an inscription reading "The Barr Smith Library". It was later expanded twice to increase capacity, reaching a peak of 2 million books in 1999.

The Barr Smith Reading Room is a notable feature of the library on Level 2. It features oak flooring and furniture with white pillars holding the guilded and ivory arches that form the rounded ceiling. Between the pillars and the arches are two large Latin inscriptions that run across both sides of the room in gold and commemorate the donations from Robert and his family who played a major role in its development. In mid-2023, over 61 paper planes were found in ledges around the ceiling of the reading room, including one made using a university brochure dating back to 1991.

The library is also home to a collection of rare books, the archives documenting the development of the university among other collections across various subject areas. This includes books belonging to Sir Samuel Way's collection, who had donated 16,000 books.

Sir John Salmond Law Library

Established in 1883, the Sir John Salmond Law Library holds a collection of legal works from Australian and overseas sources including the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. In 1967, the law library moved to the Ligertwood Building, which was among those that replaced the demolished Jubilee Exhibition Building. It was renamed two years later after Sir John William Salmond who was the third Professor of Law at the Adelaide Law School.

Roseworthy Library

See also: Roseworthy Agricultural College

The Roseworthy Campus Library, formerly the Roseworthy Agricultural College Library, is located on the Roseworthy campus.

It dates back to the former Tassie Memorial Library which was funded by John Tassie in 1920. It was built as a memorial to his son, also named John Tassie, who was a student at the then Roseworthy College who died during World War I in France. It was later expanded in 1945 through donations by A Lowrie, the widow of former principal William Lowrie. The William Lowrie Memorial Annexe, which connected to the previous library in a T-shape, was completed in 1947. The library moved to its the current site in 1974 due to increasing size constraints.

Waite Woolhouse Library

The Waite Campus Library, also known as the Woolhouse Library, is located on the Waite campus in Urrbrae.

Museums and exhibitions

Elder Conservatorium of Music

Main article: Elder Conservatorium of Music

The Elder Hall was inspired by Florentine Gothic architecture

Established in 1883, the Elder Conservatorium of Music is the oldest tertiary music academy in Australia. It offers study and research programs in jazz, classical performance, musical theatre, classical voice, pop music, sonic arts, music production, song-writing, music composition, conducting, teaching, ensembles and performance studies. It is also home to the Australian String Quartet, Sia Furler Institute and the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music. The conservatorium also offers theatre performances and Lunchtime and After Hours concert series. The academy's first Professor of Music was Cambridge graduate Joshua Ives, also the first professor of music in Australia. Edward Harold Davies was the first Australian to graduate with a Doctor of Music in 1902 and Ruby Claudia Davy was the first Australian woman to earn the doctorate.

The Elder Hall used by the conservatorium was built following the death of its namesake and music lover Sir Thomas Elder who left £20,000 towards its construction. The founding stone, made from nearby gumtree, was placed on 26 September 1898 by then-state governor Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton. The building was officially opened exactly two years later on 26 September 1900 in a formal ceremony despite having been already used for months. The South Australian Register reported the next day that the great hall was opened by Lord Tennyson "positively for the last time" and that "the majority of those who were present had already attended at two more or less appropriate ceremonial openings of the Elder Hall". Its current organ is built by Casavant Freres of Quebec in 1979, having replaced the previous Dodd organ that later was purchased by St Mark’s Cathedral in Port Pirie.

The great hall, which was previously used for graduation ceremonies until the construction of Bonython Hall in 1936, was constructed in the Florentine Gothic architectural style integrating freestone from Mount Gambier.

Tate Museum

The Tate Museum moved to the Mawson Laboratories from the former Prince of Wales building in 1952

The Tate Museum is one of the largest geological museums in Australia with a collection of approximately 29,000 rocks and fossils including meteorites, tektites, asteroids and specimens of early life. It was established in 1902 following the death of its namesake botanist and geologist Ralph Tate, though the museum existed informally since 1881 when he first began the collection. In 1952, it moved from the former Prince of Wales Building to the Mawson Laboratories named after geologist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. The museum also hosts artefacts from Mawson's various expeditions to the Antarctic, including one of his original sleighs. Its first official curator is Tony Milnes who had worked to restore and document the large collection. Notable specimens include some of earth's earliest organisms, a number of which are from up to 550 million years ago, and segments of an asteroid that smashed into the state's Gawler Ranges around 580 million years ago.

The Urrbrae House is a museum in the Waite Historic Precinct

Waite Historic Precinct

The Waite Historic Precinct includes the Urrbrae House museum, Waite Arboretum and Waite Conservation Reserve. The museum resides in the former home of Peter Waite and was built in 1891. Its interior is designed by Aldam Heaton, who was also responsible for designing interiors for the Titanic. The Waite Arboretum, a tree museum, is home to over 2,400 tree specimens from over 1,000 taxa, many of which are endangered in the wild. The Waite Conservation Reserve is home to native plants and fauna.

National Wine Centre

Main article: National Wine Centre of Australia

The National Wine Centre of Australia on North Terrace

Located in the Adelaide Park Lands at the eastern end of North Terrace, the National Wine Centre offers some of the university's oenology courses. Opened in 2001, the facility also hosts public exhibitions about winemaking and its industry in South Australia. It contains an interactive permanent exhibition of winemaking, introducing visitors to the technology, varieties and styles of wine. It also has wine tasting areas, giving visitors the opportunity to taste and compare wines from across Australia. The building, which is adjacent to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, was designed by Phillip Cox and Grieve Gillett and uses building materials to reflect items used in making wine.

University rankings
Global rankings
QS	=82
THE	=111
ARWU	151-200
U.S. News & World Report	92
CWTS Leiden	247
Australian rankings
QS	8
THE	7
ARWU	8
U.S. News & World Report	9
CWTS Leiden	18
ERA	8
AFR	5

Academic reputation

National publications

In the 2023 AFR Best Universities Ranking, the university attained a position of #5 among Australian universities.

Global publications

In the 2025 QS World University Rankings (published 2024), the university tied 82nd place (8th nationally) with a net increase of 7 places. In the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the university tied 111th place (7th nationally). The university had a positive trajectory since 2016. In the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the university attained a position of #151-200 (8th nationally). In the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings, the university attained 92th place (9th nationally) with a net decrease of 20 places. In the 2023 Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities, which measures aggregate performance across the QS, Times and ARWU rankings, the university attained a position of 98th place (8th nationally). The university had a positive trajectory since 2012. Additionally, the university ranked within the top 100 in a number of subject rankings across all four publications.

Student life

Student association

Main article: Adelaide University Union

YouX SRC Political Groups
Structure
Political groups	Left Action (5)   Grassroots (2)   UNITE (4)   Progress (12)   Activate (1)   Independent (2)   Vacant (0)*
Website
youx.org.au/voice/src/
Footnotes
Accurate as of 23 July 2024

Founded in 1895, the Adelaide University Union, trading as YouX, is one of the oldest students' unions in Australia. The union operates both as the representative voice for university students and as a provider of a wide range of services. It is democratically controlled through its Board and Students Representatives Council and is run by elected student officers. The union also supports a range of services, including numerous clubs and societies, social events and an advice service. Union members also receive various discounts including at the UniBar, cafes and shops.
As of 2024, there are over 175 clubs and societies under the umbrella of the union. These include the Adelaide University Sciences Association (the oldest society at the union not related to sports), On Dit (the third oldest student-run magazine in Australia) and formerly the Adelaide University Sports Association that predates and ultimately founded the union. The sports association, which was founded in 1896, became directly affiliated with the university in 2010.

Following the passing of the Adelaide University Act of 2023, the union is planned to remain as the student union following the ongoing universities' amalgamation. The legislation recommends, but does not enforce, its merger with the University of South Australia Students Association (USASA). In early 2024, both student unions held virtual meetings to discuss collaborative opportunities following a request from USASA to hold merger negotiations.

Students on horse cart taking part in the annual Prosh parade in 1905 with a poster that reads "DO NOT BRAGG ABOUT RADIUM"

Annual Prosh

Main article: Prosh (University of Adelaide)

The student union also organises the Prosh week events. The annual event began in 1905 as a means for students to poke fun at established South Australian institutions such as the horse-drawn trams. The Prosh parade has in modern times included live band performances on flatbed trucks, student club-made floats and booze cruisers transporting inebriated students. Among notable pranks, students suspended a car on Adelaide University Footbridge in 1971 above the River Torrens as part of Operation Bridge-hang. Since 1954, the event has also involved the sale of satirical newspapers in public settings. The Prosh Rag, later an annual issue of the On Dit student magazine, contains humorous references to various well-known persons of the day and is sold to raise funds for charities. Prosh week winds up with the Prosh After Dark social event in the UniBar which has its origins from the Prosh Ball.

Student newspapers and radio

Main article: On Dit

The student union buildings are surrounded by the Cloisters

On Dit (pronounced on-dee), the second-oldest student-run print media in Australia, was established by the student union in 1932. It is named after the French expression "we say" and operates independently of the university. It also occasionally uses the name "Hearsay" as a creative writing edition of the magazine that dates back to 1972 when the then-newspaper changed its name to "Heresay" in Volume 14 as part of a protest against nuclear testing in the Pacific by France. The Prosh Rag, which contains satirical content, is another special issue that is sold by students to the public to raise funds for charities. On Dit often publishes content on national and global politics and is an example of student activism at the university. Former writers of the newspaper include politicians Julia Gillard, Christopher Pyne, Penny Wong, Nick Xenophon and John Bannon.

A footpath along the southern fence on War Memorial Drive

It is the successor to the Varsity Ragge, the original student newspaper, which was founded in 1929. It also published news, poetry and comedic works from various student clubs and societies, including the neighbouring Adelaide Teachers College which later became part of the university campus. According to On Dit, the original newspaper failed due to student apathy.

Adelaide University Student Radio was established in 1975 and is the oldest student-run radio program in Australia.

Sports and athletics

Main article: Sport at the University of Adelaide

The Barr Smith Boat Shed of the Adelaide University Boat Club was donated by Robert Barr Smith

Established in 1896, Adelaide University Sport has 37 sports clubs, including some that predate its establishment. Its historical motto is Mobilitate Vigemus translated "we thrive by mobility". Its sporting colours black and white are likely from the white-backed magpie, an Australian bird found on its crest and the state badge. Its mascot is Gus, a black lion, which replaced the piping shrike on its historical crest.

The Adelaide University Lacrosse Club "A" team in sporting colours during the 1896 state premiers

The Adelaide University Boat Club was founded in 1881 and operates from the River Torrens in the Adelaide city centre and from West Lakes. Its primary boat shed was donated by Robert Barr Smith in 1909. Each year the club competes in a number of events including the Oxford and Cambridge Cup, which was donated by Old Blues of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the 1890s. The Adelaide University Tennis Club was founded in 1885 and is a lawn tennis club. The Adelaide University Lacrosse Club was founded in 1889 by future Nobel laureate William Henry Bragg and is one of the oldest in Australia.

Following the 1895 establishment of the Adelaide University Union, the student association, the three clubs co-founded the Adelaide University Sports Association in 1896. Additional sports clubs such as the Adelaide University Football Club were established throughout the 20th century. The sports association was administered by the student union for over 100 years before becoming directly affiliated with the university in 2010.

Residential colleges

The university did not set any land aside on its main campus for student accommodation due to ideological opposition to the culture of live-in students at the time but also influenced by the small size of the original campus. However, demand for residential college accommodation led to the establishment of private colleges affiliated to the university.

Newland Building of St. Mark's College, one of several private residential colleges

St. Mark's College was founded in 1925 by the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and is the oldest of the colleges. It was developed by some former residents of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge among others with the goal of developing a similar collegiate lifestyle.

Aquinas College was founded as a men's college in 1950 by the Catholic Church at Montefiore House, the former residence of Sir Samuel Way who was a chancellor and vice-chancellor at the university. It later expanded to surrounding sites and became co-residential.

Abraham House, a heritage building in Lincoln College

St Ann's College was founded as a women's college in 1947. The college's honorary founder is politician Sir Josiah Symon who in 1924 suggested that female students at the university should have somewhere to live. It became co-educational in 1973.

Lincoln College was founded in 1952 by the Methodist Church and named after the Lincoln College at the University of Oxford. Originally established as a men's college, it became co-residential in 1973. It features a number of historical buildings.

Other private student accommodation providers include Scape, which has three sites near the university, and Yugo Adelaide City. The university also manages the University Village, Mattanya Student Residences and the Roseworthy Residential College.

Former colleges

Kathleen Lumley College was a postgraduate college founded by the university in 1965. It closed in 2022 following a drop in overseas students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notable people

Main article: List of University of Adelaide people

The University of Adelaide's alumni also includes students from past mergers including the Roseworthy Agricultural College and the City campus of the former South Australian College of Advanced Education (including its predecessors the Adelaide Teachers College and the Adelaide College of Advanced Education).

• Notable students of the university include:
• 
  Julia Gillard
  First female Prime Minister of Australia
• 
  Andy Thomas
  Aerospace engineer and first Australian-born astronaut
• 
  Julie Bishop
  Former politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs
• 
  Tony Tan
  7th President of the Republic of Singapore
• 
  Penny Wong
  Current Leader of the Senate and Minister for Foreign Affairs
• 
  Roma Mitchell
  First female Australian judge, chancellor and state governor
• 
  Howard Florey
  Nobel laureate pharmacologist and pathologist
• 
  Tirana Hassan
  Executive director of Human Rights Watch
• 
  Lawrence Bragg
  Nobel laureate physicist and X-ray crystallographer
• 
  William Henry Bragg
  Nobel laureate physicist, mathematician and chemist
• 
  Robin Warren
  Nobel laureate pathologist
• 
  Laura Margaret Hope
  First female surgeon in Australia
• 
  Guy Sebastian
  Singer-songwriter and musician
• 
  Ong Teng Cheong
  5th President of the Republic of Singapore
• 
  Simon Birmingham
  Senate opposition leader and former minister
• 
  Don Dustan
  Former Premier of South Australia
• 
  Mark Oliphant
  Nuclear physicist and humanitarian
• 
  Lionel Logue
  Speech and language therapist
• 
  Matthew Cowdrey
  Paralympian and state politician
• 
  Peter Malinauskas
  Current premier of South Australia
• 
  Christopher Pyne
  Former politician and minister with portfolio
• 
  Helen Mayo
  First female university council member in Australia
• 
  Edward Holden
  Industrialist and founder of GM Holden
• 
  Winifred Kiek
  First female minister of a church in Australia
• 
  Edith Emily Dornwell
  First Australian Bachelor of Science graduate

The history of the university includes a large number of influential alumni and staff, including domestic and international political leaders; Nobel laureates; businesspeople; pioneers in fields of science, mathematics and medicine; media personalities; musical, visual, performance and written artists; and sportspeople, including multiple Olympic medallists.

It has had a significant impact on the public life of South Australia, having educated many of the state's leading businesspeople, lawyers, medical professionals and politicians. It has also produced 116 Rhodes scholars, 164 Fulbright scholars and is associated with five Nobel laureates which constitute one-third of Australia's total Nobel laureates. The university throughout its history has been associated with the development of penicillin, space exploration, sunscreen, the military tank, Wi-Fi, polymer banknotes and X-ray crystallography, and the study of viticulture and oenology.

Women's education

Following a royal charter granted by Queen Victoria in 1881, the university became the second university in the English-speaking world to formally admit women to degree-conferring programs on equal terms as men, contributing to a number of firsts in the history of women's education in Australia. Its first female graduate was Edith Emily Dornwell who concurrently became the first person in Australia to receive the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1885. The university also graduated Australia's first female surgeon Laura Margaret Fowler in 1891. Ruby Claudia Davy was the first Australian woman to receive a doctorate in music in 1918. Other notable firsts include Winifred Kiek, Margaret Reid and Janine Haines. In 1914, the university was also the first to elect a woman, Helen Mayo, to a university council in Australia. It is also the alma mater of Dame Roma Mitchell who was Australia's first female judge, the first woman to be a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the governor of an Australian state. Australia's first female prime minister Julia Gillard had also studied at the university and the first Aboriginal Rhodes Scholar Rebecca Richards in 2010.

Nobel laureates

Nobel laureates associated with the university include Lawrence Bragg, who held the record for the youngest laureate ever until 2014, co-recipient with his father William Henry Bragg for their work in x-ray crystallography in 1915. Howard Florey, a pharmacologist and pathologist, shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Sir Alexander Fleming and Sir Ernst Chain for their role in the development of penicillin. J. M. Coetzee, a novelist and linguist, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. Robin Warren was a pathologist who, alongside Barry Marshall, discovered that peptic ulcers were largely caused by the infection Helicobacter pylori, graduated from the university in 1961. Warren and Marshall won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery in 2005.

Controversies

Rathjen sexual misconduct

In May 2020, then vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen commenced an indefinite leave of absence after chancellor Kevin Scarce resigned without public explanation the previous day. Later in the week, the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) confirmed he was investigating allegations of improper conduct by the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide. Rathjen, accused of engaging in "a personal relationship with a staff member", was succeeded by acting vice-chancellor Mike Brooks. Rathjen formally resigned in July 2020, "due to ill health".

In August 2020, the ICAC found that Rathjen had committed "serious misconduct" by sexually harassing two University of Adelaide colleagues, had lied to the then chancellor Kevin Scarce, and also lied to the Commissioner in his evidence with respect to an investigation of sexual misconduct with a postgraduate student when he was employed at the University of Melbourne. The ICAC Commissioner Bruce Lander acknowledged there were "further issues" in the full 170-page report on the investigation which he chose not to release due to privacy concerns surrounding the victims, instead releasing an abridged 12-page version 'Statement about an Investigation: Misconduct by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide'.

In determining his findings, the Commissioner relied in part on the personal blog of US journalist Michael Balter who documented Rathjens prior history of sexual harassment, and was largely responsible for bringing the matter to the public's attention, and ultimately ICAC's. The ICAC Commissioner's damning findings against Rathjen have put the University of Adelaide's culture under intense scrutiny in both the local and international media. Claiming ill-health, Rathjen formally resigned in July 2020 and, despite the ICAC Commissioner's findings, received a large payout from the university.

University merger

Initial merger discussions

The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia had previously engaged to discuss a merger in 2018 but failed due to disagreements from the latter about the post-merger leadership structure.

Opinion polling on staff

The National Tertiary Education Union SA conducted a survey of 1,100 university staff and found that only a quarter of respondents were in support of a merger. In addition, the state government has been accused of coercing the universities to agree to merge, indicating that a commission of inquiry would be established to find ways to compel the two universities to merge had their two councils refused to do so, with less financial support available.

Andrew Miller, the state secretary of the union, raised concerns that staff were under "extreme psychosocial pressure" to meet the 2026 launch deadline. Backing his claims with communications from the Integration Management Office staff responsible for merging the two institutions, he added that the "Game of Thrones" perception among staff competing "for the final spots of the new Adelaide University" was causing tensions, breakdowns and disharmony. The institutions' vice-chancellors David Lloyd and Peter Høj criticised the claims, referring to them as "whispers of Little Birds or Littlefingers".

Despite previous polls claiming low support from staff, the vice-chancellors added that the over 3,000 staff who attended the July 2024 Adelaide University launch event were enthusiastic about the new brand identity. They also said that criticism should instead be directed towards the proposed caps to international students caused by the national housing shortage.

The post-merger plan to switch to a trimester academic calendar has also been criticised by the union whose internal poll showed that more than 4 in 5 members were against the move. The University of New South Wales had previously also switched to a trimester model, allowing students to complete a 3 year bachelor's degree program in 2 years with shorter breaks. As of 2024, UNSW is considering reversing the change following a 40% drop in paid hours for staff, decreased time for non-academic activities and student burnout from increased workload.

Land re-development

Around half of UniSA's Mawson Lakes campus will be sold for development as part of the merger

In February 2024, the State Government drew criticism for its future plans to convert sports parks it had purchased from two University of South Australia campuses for housing and commercial re-development. As part of the merger agreement, the sports parks adjacent to the campus were sold to the South Australian Government for A$114.5 million and leased back to the university. Following the release of several internal FOI documents retrieved by InDaily from the Premier's Office, it was later revealed that the land was "earmarkedfor future development" for residential and commercial purposes. The original media release replaced the phrase with "short-term transitional lease to university", referring to the leaseback period of 10 years, following concerns from UniSA vice-chancellor David Lloyd that the original draft would "create enormous community reaction which will be particularly unhelpful at this time".

Gallery

• 
  Barr Smith Library
• 
  University buildings
• 
  Bonython Hall during sunset
• 
  Entrance to Bonython Hall
• 
  Statue of Walter Hughes
• 
  Elder Conservatorium
• 
  SA State Library
• 
  Adelaide University Footbridge
• 
  Mitchell Building
• 
  Courtyard with students
• 
  View across the River Torrens
• 
  View across Barr Smith Library
• 
  Shaded courtyard
• 
  Barr Smith Library ceiling
• 
  University shield near library
• 
  Bonython Hall during autumn

Tram stop

The university is served by two stops on the Glenelg tram line, University and City West, which connects the main campus on the east with the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building on the west end of North Terrace.

Preceding station	Adelaide Metro			Following station
Art Gallery towards Adelaide Entertainment Centre		Glenelg tram line		Botanic Gardens Terminus

See also

• List of universities in Australia
• University of Adelaide College - a private pre-university pathways college for international students

References

Другие источники

Макдугалл, Катрина; Шумерлинг, Патрисия (август 2006 г.). « Город Аделаида: Тематическая история ». Макдугалл и Вайнс . Аделаида, Южная Австралия: McDougall & Vines. Архивировано из оригинала 16 декабря 2019 года.

Исторические архивы на Trove .

Внешние ссылки

• Официальный сайт
• Союз университетов Аделаиды (YouX)
• Университетский спорт Аделаиды