Adelaide University and UniSA to officially explore merging their institutions

ADELAIDE University and UniSA will officially explore a merger to create a more powerful institution that could deliver greater educational and economic benefits for the state. DO YOU SUPPORT THE IDEA?

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ADELAIDE University and UniSA will officially explore the merits of a merger to create a more powerful institution that could deliver greater educational and economic benefits for the state.

The move would make the new university one of the biggest in Australia and likely place among the world’s top 100 in international quality rankings.

The governing councils of the two universities have agreed to a six-month project to discuss a potential amalgamation.

UniSA vice-chancellor David Lloyd and Adelaide University vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen will oversee a report to be delivered by the end of the year.

It will then be considered by the councils.

In a joint statement, Adelaide University chancellor Kevin Scarce and UniSA chancellor Jim McDowell say a merger must be looked at because of the “rapidly changing” higher education industry in Australia and overseas.

“Now is the time to facilitate a conversation about whether uniting our universities would create a new internationally renowned university of scale that would be well placed to anticipate and respond to this changing landscape,” they said.

“We need to determine whether this would enable us to deliver greater access and benefits to students, create more opportunities for staff, enable greater collaboration with and contribution to our community, and make greater economic, social and cultural contributions to South Australia.

Historic merger talks: UniSA chancellor Jim McDowell, UniSA vice-chancellor David Lloyd, Adelaide University vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen, Adelaide University chancellor Kevin Scarce.

“We can foresee, for example, that combining and consolidating our complementary expertise, particularly in areas like defence, health, agriculture, education and engineering, would position a new university in the top few in Australia for size and scale; may place it firmly within the world’s top 100; and have a reach that could make it one of the most international universities in Australia.”

A joint body to oversee the merger discussions will include former lord mayor and state education minister Jane Lomax-Smith, UniSA graduate, benefactor and Sydney Swans president Andrew Pridham, Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis and University of Technology Sydney former vice-chancellor Ross Milbourne.

The universities are promising extensive consultation with staff, students and alumni, as well as the business community and the broader public, with details to be announced in coming weeks. Submissions will be called for in August and September.

Premier Steven Marshall and federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham both welcome the move.

“I applaud the universities of Adelaide and South Australia for their courage in addressing this long-standing issue head on,” Mr Marshall said.

Premier Steven Marshall has applauded the two institutions to address what he has described as a long-standing issue.

“No matter what the outcome of this process, their intention to work together shows that both institutions have the best interests of South Australia and its prosperity at heart.”

Senator Birmingham said the unis had “distinctive but complementary missions”.

“It’s pleasing to see the universities of Adelaide and South Australia acknowledging that bold leaps may be required to deliver higher education that best serves South Australia’s future requirements,” he said.

“Thorough analysis to establish the benefits of any change are quite properly a precondition of final decisions and I look forward to closely assessing the outcomes of this work.”

University mergers have been discussed on and off in Adelaide for the past 20 years. Prof Rathjen revived the issue earlier this year when he took up the vice-chancellor position, saying they should be explored.

In their statement, the chancellors said they needed to look at “all strategic avenues to develop the best breadth and depth of expertise that will provide our students with the opportunity to thrive in the workforce of the future”.

“We also need to explore whether this new university will create a wider range of pathways to enable greater access to education for more South Australians, they said.

“Both our universities have unique histories and we have both evolved to meet the needs of each generation. We are now wanting to explore together whether we might build on that proud history, leading to more opportunity for the communities we serve.”