Flinders University of South Australia

For over 50 years, Flinders has been at the center of inspiring achievements: from our pioneering research and exceptional teaching to the positive impact we have on the communities we serve.

Inspiration brings innovation. But innovation is not just a buzzword for Flinders.

It extends from the plea of our founding vice president Peter Carmel to 'bravely experiment and experiment' to the creative and pioneering work of our faculty, students, and alumni.

As we enter an era of disruptive change and exceptional technological innovation, Flinders is fully prepared for this unpredictable and exciting future.

Our powerful external connectivity network keeps our work dynamic, enabling us to overcome obstacles and create ambitious solutions for the future, making a difference by changing lives and ultimately changing the world.

1958 — 1965

The idea of a second university in South Australia was proposed, and in 1960, the government-owned Bedford Park land was allocated to the University of Adelaide as its second campus. At that time, the population of South Australia was rapidly growing, and more and more people were seeking higher education. In 1961, the Planning Committee was established and Professor Peter Karmel was appointed as the President elect. In 1962, Mr. Geoff Harrison was appointed as an architect along with the architectural firm Hassell, McConnell, and Partners. Between 1964 and 1966, the Australian University Council allocated £ 3.8 million ($7.6 million) for basic infrastructure. In 1963, the first academic appointment was completed, and infrastructure construction began later that year. The first meeting of Professor Bedford Park was held at the Bedford Park Planning Office located on Adelaide North Terrace. In 1965, after winning the state election, the Australian Labour Party decided to separate the Bedford Park campus from the University of Adelaide and establish it as an independent university.

1960

The Liberal government allocated 150 hectares of land in Burbank (now Bedford Park) to the University of Adelaide. The land was originally owned by the indigenous people of Kauna and was previously privately owned. It was used as a horse exchange station, a soldier's sanatorium, and a young male offender correctional facility. The government has reserved eight hectares of land for the future teacher training college.

1964

Physicist Max Brennan is the foundation president of the School of Physical Sciences, which includes research centers for chemistry, mathematics, physics, and oceanography.

1966

Flinders University was named in 1966 after British navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and measured the southern coastline of Australia in 1802.

1966

The university emblem was designed by Kevyn Graham Whisson in 1966. The badge includes a replica of Flinders' ship 'Investigator' and an excerpt from his book 'A Voyage to Terra Australis'.

1966

The Flinders University Library was opened in 1966.

1966 — 1971

Professor Peter Carmel was appointed as the President elect on July 1, 1961, and served as the first Vice President. Peter Carmel gave a speech at a public meeting, explaining his ambitious vision for the new campus: 'We want to bravely experiment.'. As he said, he designed a non-traditional academic structure for Flinders aimed at expanding students' experiences and academic opportunities by establishing four schools: language and literature, social sciences, physical sciences, and biological sciences. Flinders demonstrated its uniqueness by teaching several courses that were not previously available in the state, including sociology, drama, art, Spanish, Indonesian, oceanography, and meteorology. He played an important role in the planning of another radical but persistent aspect of Flinders: the medical school and Flinders Medical Center are located in a new hospital building on the west edge of the campus. He served as the president until May 1971 when he became the chairman of the Australian University Council and later became the vice president of the Australian National University.

1966

Sir Mark Mitchell was the first president of the university - officially invited at the first meeting of the council on July 11, 1966.

1966

The first meeting of the University Council was held on July 11, 1966.

1966

The university was founded in 1966 and has a total of 90 faculty members and 400 students (250 "humanities" students and 150 "science" students, plus 70 first-year medical students who will complete an additional 5 years of courses on North Terrace), with less than 10 elective courses. On March 7th, four colleges began formal teaching: the School of Language and Literature, the School of Social Sciences, the School of Biological Sciences, and the School of Physical Sciences.

March 7th, 1966

In the 1960s, the term "freshman" in university vocabulary entered the campus. During the first O Week, there were libraries, visits, lectures, debates, speeches, and seminars, including "Is God on Campus?", meetings were held to form political, sports, and cultural clubs, and song and dance performances were held in the league cafeteria.

March 25th, 1966

The university was officially unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on March 25th.

July 1st, 1966

Flinders University was established as an independent university on July 1, 1966, the day the University Act came into effect.

July 1st, 1966

A chicken and champagne breakfast was held at the Bedford Park Union Building restaurant to commemorate the university's independence from the University of Adelaide. Subsequently, approximately 200 students (half of the student population at the time) were escorted by police to the city and raised funds along the way to support a "food delivery service". The statue of Matthew Flinders in North Taiwan read out the Declaration of Independence.

1967

The students celebrated Independence Day by playing pranks and opening the "Sir Lavatory Bonython Fountain" on the square.

1967

Spanish foundation professor Ken Garrard often parks his car in unconventional places. One morning in mid-1967, his station wagon rolled down the mountain from the parking spot at the end of the temporary parking lot and fell into the lake.

August 1967

The first Geography Field Training Camp was held in Clare, and citizens in the central and northern regions felt a bit uneasy about the camp. However, the event went smoothly and a congratulatory editorial was published in the North Argus newspaper. The newspaper published a student report on retail service provision, which provided an opportunity for those who were opening supermarkets for the first time in the area. A shrewd young shop owner in a nearby town saw this report and used it as a reason to borrow money from the bank to establish his first supermarket in Claire.

1969

The student magazine Empire Times was founded in March 1969. The founding editor is Martin Fabinyi, and the name of the newspaper is Michael Fowler. This is the only student publication in Australia that has its own printing press, which means editors have almost complete control over the content. Over time, it has been described as "lively, argumentative, politically radical, often vulgar and obscene". It was produced until 2006 when the Voluntary Student Union (VSU) caused it to cease publication. The Imperial Times resumed publication in 2013.

1970

The university auditorium is open at the Bedford Park campus, providing accommodation for international and rural students studying at Flinders University. Flinders University is the only university in Adelaide that provides on campus accommodation for students.

1971

John Moriarty, a Bachelor of Arts, became the first indigenous graduate of the university.

1971

Sir Charles Brett became the second Chancellor of the Exchequer.

1971

Medical school established.

1972

Professor Roger Russell became the second president. Before joining Flinders University, he served as the Chair of the Psychology Department at University College London, Secretary General of the American Psychological Association, Vice President of the University of California, Irvine, and Visiting Professor at the University of Sydney for one year. The condition he proposed was to appoint Flinders University as a professor of psychology and psychobiology, during which he would continue to serve as a researcher and administrative staff. Flinders Medical Center is one of his major contributions to the university; He is able to put into practice the ideas of medical schools and on-site hospitals that have been formulated but not yet implemented. He has had highly productive and influential careers in three countries: the UK, the US, and Australia; His research career lasted for over 60 years and he published more than 200 research papers. His work has enhanced our understanding of drug tolerance, learning and memory, and clinical applications of psychopharmacology.

1972

With the election of the first elected union committee, the Flinders University union was controlled by students. Robert Fletcher was the first elected president.