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Government of South Australia - Department of State Development

    Building South Australia's competitive higher education sector

    See current focus areas
    H I E header min

    A progressive, globally recognised and internationally competitive higher education sector.

    The Higher and International Education team works across government, with industry and the community to support the skills, workforce, and international relations benefits brought about by a strong education sector.

    Functions of the higher and international education portfolio include:

    • Engaging with higher and international education providers to ensure they are effectively involved in addressing emerging skills gaps.
    • Supporting the attraction and retention of talented international students.
    • Facilitating collaboration across higher education, industry and government to produce high-quality, interdisciplinary research
    • Advocating on desirable policy settings for higher education providers and students in the state
    • Ensuring the alignment of higher and international education with state-wide industry policy and skilled migration policy, to strengthen the provision of workforce solutions for businesses.

    Current focus areas for the SA Government

    Coordination and engagement

    • Ongoing engagement, input and coordination on the Australian Government’s Universities Accord, which aims to drive lasting transformative reform in Australia’s higher education system.
    • Working closely with StudyAdelaide to support their work on destination marketing and student engagement initiatives to continue to drive the growth of international student numbers in South Australia.
    • Engagement with Nursing and Midwifery Office (NMO) and SA Health on workforce gaps and shortages in relation the provision of scholarships.


    Enabling Educator Excellence (E3)

    • To strengthen and diversify the teaching profession in South Australia, 400 university scholarships of $5,000 each, over four years have been provided to help with the costs of starting a teaching degree.
    • Agreements have been signed with the three public universities, allowing them to offer the Enabling Educator Excellence (E3) scholarships to eligible students.

    New Adelaide University

    • The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia have entered into a formal agreement to work together to support the State Government to create a combined new university for our state.

    • A Parliamentary Committee on the Establishment of Adelaide University formally endorsed the universities’ amalgamation in October 2023, after which the State Parliament passed the legislation required to proceed with the establishment of Adelaide University by its anticipated open date of 2026.

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    Creating a new university for the future in South Australia

    The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia have entered into a formal agreement to work together to support the State Government to create a combined new university.

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    Promoting Adelaide's education excellence to a global audience

    Funded through the Department of State Development, StudyAdelaide is a destination marketing and student support agency for the international education sector, promoting Adelaide as a centre of education excellence.

    Promoting Adelaide as the city designed for life, StudyAdelaide delivers targeted global digital campaigns, country specific websites and social media channels, roadshows and events, and a comprehensive inbound familiarisation program.

    Visit StudyAdelaide

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    Get in touch with the team at the Department of State Development about Higher and International Education.

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