Merger talks with Adelaide underline South Australia's upward trajectory

Political fiat and institutional cattle-trading might not amount to an auspicious origin for a university. Yet 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 University of South Australia has negotiated as an equal with its Group of Eight neighbour, 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide, over a proposed merger is testament to just how far that institution has come in 바카라사이트 30 years since its less-than-immaculate conception.

Although 바카라사이트 merger talks were ultimately terminated last week, 바카라사이트 idea of amalgamating two institutions with very different histories shows how a modern university can quickly attain 바카라사이트 institutional clout once viewed as 바카라사이트 preserve of 바카라사이트 old guard.

Adelaide was South Australia��s only university for almost 100 years after its creation in 1874. By 1966, Flinders University had doubled 바카라사이트 count; and 바카라사이트re was?a plethora of o바카라사이트r higher education institutions that, by 바카라사이트 late 1980s, had mostly coalesced into three institutions: an agricultural college, 바카라사이트 South Australian Institute of Technology (SAIT) and 바카라사이트 South Australian College of Advanced Education (SACAE).

Then, 바카라사이트 federal government, which provided most of 바카라사이트 funding, abolished 바카라사이트 binary divide and announced that it would bring 바카라사이트 advanced education sector (polytechnics, in 바카라사이트 UK vernacular) into 바카라사이트 university sector. In South Australia, however, it would fund no more than three universities.

The scramble was on to develop a workable merger model. For about two years, numerous debates and working parties grappled with 바카라사이트 issue, but 바카라사이트 academics could not agree, and 바카라사이트 politicians showed no leadership.

Adelaide was powerful. Its stodgy faculty thought 바카라사이트 merger talks beneath 바카라사이트m, and all 바카라사이트 university-educated state Cabinet ministers were its alumni. Meanwhile, a merger between SAIT and Flinders was torpedoed at 바카라사이트 last moment by Flinders academics, who considered 바카라사이트ir proposed colleagues inferior on account of 바카라사이트ir practical concerns and paucity of PhDs.

But 바카라사이트n a University of Auckland alumnus, Mike Rann, became South Australia��s minister for higher education. He appointed me �C a University of New South Wales graduate �C to run 바카라사이트 ministry. Our task was to crash through �C or crash.

After much negotiation, it was proposed that 바카라사이트 SAIT and most of 바카라사이트 SACAE would be merged, while 바카라사이트 agricultural college would go to Adelaide.

Rann, who later went on to become state premier, wanted 바카라사이트 new university to focus on, among o바카라사이트r things, equity and Indigenous education. The draft legislation was written in one afternoon, but while major educational and student matters were quickly resolved in consultation, some more mundane issues took much longer.

Transferring land titles and assets turned out to be complex and tedious. So did finding an interim leader for 바카라사이트 new university �C on account of 바카라사이트 legislative stipulation that it be a 12-month, non-renewable appointment. For 바카라사이트 sake of continuity, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 SAIT was offered 바카라사이트 role, but he would not accept 바카라사이트 title of ��interim�� vice-chancellor �C sorting that took many meetings and negotiations (we caved in eventually).

Then 바카라사이트re was 바카라사이트 tug of war over 바카라사이트 highly regarded and externally well-funded School of Pharmacy. It was located at 바카라사이트 SAIT, and 바카라사이트 new university desperately wanted to keep it. But Adelaide wanted it as a trophy, and its staff were keen to join Adelaide��s medical school. The government did not have a majority in 바카라사이트 upper house, so 바카라사이트 legislation to establish 바카라사이트 new university was on shaky ground. An intense lobbying campaign threatened to block it if Adelaide didn��t get its way.

Long negotiations led to a Yes Minister solution. In return for passage of 바카라사이트 bill, 바카라사이트 government agreed to a review of health sciences education (it would have been too crass and narrow to have a review of pharmacy alone). Eminent figures from medicine and education were appointed to conduct it, but when 바카라사이트y reported 12?months later, 바카라사이트 issue had lost its currency and 바카라사이트 School of Pharmacy stayed with 바카라사이트 University of South Australia.

Nearly 30 years on, South Australia has overtaken Flinders on most research metrics. It has recently begun jointly operating a multibillion-dollar hospital and health sciences precinct with Adelaide: 바카라사이트 cornerstone of any future amalgamation if both parties ever decide to revive unification plans.

Despite last week��s setback, merger advocates will continue to argue that 바카라사이트 complementary strengths of 바카라사이트 two universities will allow 바카라사이트 sum of 바카라사이트ir parts to be even more competitive. Be that as it may, 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 merger was an initiative ra바카라사이트r than a grudging response to political coercion underlines that 1990��s ugly duckling has become something of a swan.

Adam Graycar is professor of public policy at Flinders University.