Matters of Agreement

The university for the future presents a shared vision to create Australia’s new for-purpose university – a leading contemporary comprehensive university of global standing.

Ahead of the feasibility assessment stage, and the decision to amalgamate, both university Councils agreed on the following threshold matters:

• The combined university is intended to be operational from January 2026.
• There would be no net job losses as a consequence of creating the combined university.
• The combined university would be called ‘Adelaide University’.
• A new brand would be developed informed by market testing and brand experts, careful consideration of the appropriate recognition of the legacies of both institutions and the preservation of the favourable profiles of the existing institutions.
• The combined university would be created and governed by new legislation modelled in large part on the University of South Australia Act 1990.
• The respective Councils of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia would continue to govern their respective universities until such time as the combined university commences operation.
• A Transition Council would be created with up to 14 members plus a Chancellor. Each existing university would nominate 50% of the members of the Transition Council. The University of South Australia would nominate the Chancellor of the Transition Council subject to consultation with the University of Adelaide.
• The Transition Council would determine the process and time frame to be used to identify and appoint a new Chancellor for the combined university whose term would commence no later than upon the commencement of the second year of operation of the combined university.
• The Transition Council would also commence and oversee an open and competitive global recruitment process to appoint a Vice-Chancellor for the combined university.
• A co-leadership model would be implemented initially, with University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide each appointing one of two co-Vice Chancellors. The co-leadership model would operate until the appointment and commencement of a Vice-Chancellor for the combined university.
• There should be a joint approach to the State and Federal Governments to seek a package of funding for implementation and transition costs which must be acceptable to both existing universities.