University of South Australia

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. J. S. Lee:

1. Congratulates the University of South Australia for celebrating its 25^th anniversary in 2016;

2. Acknowledges the significant contribution made by the University of South Australia throughout its 25 year history; and

3. Highlights the remarkable achievements and significant impact the University of South Australia has made for South Australia, both nationally and internationally.

(Continued from 6 July 2016.)

The Hon. T.T. NGO (21:04): I rise to support this motion to congratulate the University of South Australia on its 25^th anniversary. The University of South Australia or, as it is known, UniSA, was founded on 1 January 1991 under visionary federal Labor government's reforms, with the merger of the South Australian Institute of Technology and the South Australian College of Advanced Education.

I am a proud graduate of UniSA with a degree in computer and information science. As a student at the time, I remember that consultation was conducted before the merger and several acronyms for the newly formed university were proposed. Interestingly, the popular choice among students was USA. Unfortunately, this was eventually ruled out because the university was worried that it would be confused with the country USA, and if students were asked which university they attended and they said 'USA', people would think they were not from South Australia but from another country. Fortunately, great confusion was avoided when they settled on the now well-recognised abbreviation UniSA.

In its 25^th year I am delighted that UniSA holds a place among the world's best and brightest, ranking 25^th in the QS World University Rankings for universities under 50 years old, and ranking 57^th in the world's top 150 under-50 universities by Times Higher Education.

One of the university's many notable achievements is that 97 per cent of its research is rated at or above world-class standard, according to Excellence in Research for Australia. This commitment to world-class research was evident when the university welcomed eminent physicist Professor Tanya Monro (who I knew very well when I was the adviser to the Minister for Science and Information Economy) to oversee research and innovation as deputy vice-chancellor. Given the changing nature of our economy, this excellence in research will be crucial in fostering the businesses and jobs of tomorrow.

The historic decision made years ago to combine the two educational institutions has been a tremendous success. From modest origins, UniSA has become a research powerhouse and one of Australia's top research universities. In today's globalised world, we need academic institutions like UniSA that embrace change, engage with the community and collaborate with industries. I commend the collective efforts and dedication of the chancellor, vice-chancellor and the entire leadership team at UniSA, and the outstanding work of staff both past and present.

My warmest congratulations go to the University of South Australia on this significant milestone. I trust there is no limit to what UniSA can achieve, and I look forward to celebrating many more successes in the coming years.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (21:08): I would like to thank the Hon. Tung Ngo for his contribution to the congratulatory motion for the University of South Australia on its 25^th anniversary. I believe that while the Hon. Tung Ngo is the only one making a contribution today, all of the members in this chamber would like to share in this congratulatory message for the university. We are very proud of the university's achievement and I commend this motion to the council.

Motion carried.