Flinders University has welcomed the launch of the new Keep It Clever campaign, which will highlight the crucial role played by the university sector in improving society and in the transition of Australia’s economy.

Flinders Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling said the Universities Australia campaign would focus on the role that universities play in people’s day-to-day lives, telling the stories of university graduates and university research breakthroughs that save lives, create new businesses, and generate economic growth.

Professor Stirling says that in its 50-year history Flinders has a proud record of contributing to the wellbeing of the Australian community.

“Not only do we prepare professionals – from doctors to engineers to teachers – to take up their pivotal roles in society, but our researchers are constantly contributing to the betterment of our communities at large,” Professor Stirling says.

Professor Stirling pointed in particular to Flinders’ pioneering research work that has benefited Australian health and wellbeing.

“The role played by the University’s medical scientists, especially in the area of cancer treatment and prevention, has been truly extraordinary,” he says.

“The work of our researchers, which has been given new focus by the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer (FCIC), is not only saving lives but is also making enormous differences across the cancer continuum from prevention and diagnosis to rehabilitation.

“The introduction of a national testing regime for bowel cancer, pioneered by a team led by Professor Graeme Young at FCIC, has saved thousands of lives.”

FCIC Director Professor Ross McKinnon said the University’s innovative approach puts research alongside treatment to maximise their benefits.

“Our clinicians and researchers work hand in hand to ensure our discoveries have an immediate impact, both for our patients and to help prevent cancer,” Professor McKinnon says.

The expanded Keep It Clever campaign was promoted yesterday by chairman of Universities Australia, Professor Barney Glover, in the leadup to the federal election.

In addition to underlining the indispensable role that universities play in people’s day-to-day lives, the campaign will also highlight the essential role of universities in economic transition and job creation.