Vice-Chancellor's review
This was another year in which the University managed the many challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic, while continuing to build positive momentum as we surge ahead in both education and research.
Our international ranking has continued to improve and our extraordinary growth in research activity has continued with yet another record year for research income.
The impressive research growth during the past year highlights both increased performance by our dynamic researchers, and the quality of their engagement with government, industry, and the wider community. In fact, our research income has increased by more than 70% in the past four years, and we have set our sights on maintaining this trend into the future.
Two major research successes included the announcement in June of the $270 million Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre – the first successful CRC bid led by Flinders University – that will transform Australia’s emerging marine bioproducts sector into a sustainable, clean, and globally competitive industry.
This was followed by the announcement in December 2021 of federal support for the $34 million Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research facility underlining Flinders’ leading role in the advance of aged care reform in Australia. The contribution of leading researchers from the Caring Futures Institute to inform the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will now be amplified through the new Centre – which in future will be known as ARIIA, or Aged care Research and Industry Innovation Australia – with a focus on the crucial mission of improving the lives of the older Australians.
All this has occurred while we continued to operate under the shadow of COVID-19 disruption. Flinders University’s response to the
pandemic has been exemplary on many fronts and is a testament to the commitment of our staff to our student-centred ethos.
Our students have told us, through the national Student Evaluation Survey, that we supported them through this difficult period and our agility in adopting new ways of teaching and embracing digital innovation has delivered the ‘best of both worlds’, where students have the flexibility of online content coupled with opportunities for immersion in rich on-campus activities. We credit this pragmatic and balanced approach for helping maintain strong student numbers and are especially delighted the lifting of restrictions at the end of the year enables us to welcome back our international students.
We’ve continued to excel, with the Good Universities Guide naming us South Australia’s leading university for undergraduate learner engagement, student support and starting salary, and leading the nation in postgraduate full-time employment.
Our commitment to excellence is clearly evident in the Northern Territory, where Flinders celebrated 10 years of its Northern Territory Medical Program. This important milestone highlights the University’s dedication to medical education in the NT, which had its seed in our rural clinical school in Darwin some 25 years ago. The current programme’s strengths in preparing graduates to work in Indigenous and remote health is exemplified by the graduation of more than 130 students, which includes nine Indigenous doctors.
The effectiveness of Flinders’ programmes underlines the excellence of our people, which is recognised through such awards as our trio of 2021 SA Young Tall Poppies of Science – neuroscience researcher Dr Yee Lian Chew, hydrogeologist Dr Eddie Banks and epidemiologist Dr Ash Hopkins, recognised for their eminence in science communication. The outstanding advances in Green Chemistry by Professor Justin Chalker won him Innovator of the Year at the South Australian Science Awards, while Professor Giselle Rampersad was named STEMM Educator of the Year. Meanwhile, Matthew Flinders Fellow and Professor in Cardiology in the College of Medicine and Public Health Professor Derek Chew was named the new Commissioner for Excellence and Innovation in Health for South Australia. This is but a glimpse of the incredible expertise of our people, and the difference they’re making.
We can all reflect on an extraordinary year of great accomplishment, for which I would especially like to thank our staff for their commitment, fortitude, and hard work in staying focused on the needs of our students.
Professor Colin J Stirling
President and Vice-Chancellor
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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