Celebrating 55 years of success – and bold plans for the future

On the 25th of March 1966, Flinders University was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling says we were born to be different, to be creative and innovative.

‘On our 55th birthday we can celebrate our heritage and our success and we re-affirm our commitment to the unique spirit that has served us so well,’ he says.

‘Our ten year strategic plan, Making a Difference – the 2025 Agenda, was unveiled for our 50th birthday and set us on a course to be a top ten university in Australia and in the top 1% in the world.

‘Now at the halfway point, not even a pandemic has been able to slow our progress. In the past three years we have increased our research funding by over 42%, with a 26% uplift in 2020 alone making last year our highest ever. Students continue to be attracted to Flinders in growing numbers by our range of excellent course offerings and by our reputation as a provider of an outstanding student experience. Our industry partnerships are also expanding, with more to be announced shortly, as we seek to meet the future needs of business and industry through our contemporary education and excellent research.  

‘Despite the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic we are financially strong and are continuing to invest in our people and facilities. Our new Health and Medical Research Building is expected to be under construction by the end of the year and will represent a further step-change in our performance.

‘The new Flinders train service from the Adelaide CBD is now in operation, opening up access to our campus and making it easier for future students to take advantage of the unique experience we offer. We have also expanded our reach with campuses across South Australia, the Northern Territory and overseas, taking educational opportunities to a widening community.    

‘We have come a long way from our early days when we started with just 90 staff and 400 students. Today we have over 2,500 staff and almost 27,000 students. However, as we’ve grown, so too has our commitment to student success and our investment in a quality experience for all.

‘Our success is due to the extraordinary staff whose efforts combine to create the thriving and innovative culture that makes us unique. To all of them, Happy Birthday!’, Professor Stirling says.

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