There is nothing like a big navy build requiring skilled staff, and quick, to encourage fraternity between universities of partner nations. Yesterday the University of Adelaide and Ensta Bretagne agreed to offer double  masters in marine engineering, as visiting French president Macron and the prime minister looked on. Flinders U was also there, signing one research collaboration on propellers with engineering school EC Nantes and another with contractor Thales and EC Nantes  on “electro-optical links,” (sorry, no idea.) Presumably, a learned reader remarks, Flinders U, has forgiven the French for imprisoning Matthew Flinders RN, for whom the university is named, during the Napoleonic Wars.