Adelaide Education

Education is rapidly becoming an important part of the Adelaide economy, with local government subsidising the cost of improved educational facilities to market Adelaide as a ‘Learning City’.  Adelaide has the largest number of International Baccalaureate schools in Australia and in 2008, recorded 23 000 international students living within the cities borders.

The University of Adelaide is the third oldest university in Australia and is a part of the Group of Eight, a ranking similar to the Ivy League schools in America.  The University of Adelaide was established in 1874 following a 20 000 pound donation from local grazier and copper miner William Watson Hughes.  The university today has a strong focus on agricultural studies.

The University of South Australia has four metropolitan campuses in Adelaide and two regional campuses in nearby Whyalla and Mount Gambier.  It offers studies in Education, Art, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Business, Information Technology and Engineering. 

Flinders University is nearly half the size, but has a worldwide reputation as a leading research institution with a focus on innovation.


Adelaide also has several international foreign universities.  The Heinz College Australia is an international campus for the Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, America, and was the first foreign campus to open in Australia.  Cranfield University in England established a postgraduate campus in 2007.  In 2010, the prestigious University College London will start offering postgraduate courses at an Adelaide campus.

Adelaide universities provide a high quality education against a beautiful, scenic backdrop.