VC Colin Stirling says it is enabled, “to deliver the world’s best nuclear education in-country as early as 2023, with the ability to rapidly scale our course offerings in line with defence industry needs”

The university announces “exclusive partnerships” with nuclear research strong Uni Manchester and Uni Rhode Island, providing, “ability to rapidly scale course offerings in-line with industry needs.”

The university also has a long-standing relationship with BAE, which builds British nuclear submarines and is leading construction of the RAN’s Hunter frigate class. Back in 2018 Flinders U announced it would use BAE tech to train project workers (CMM July 2 2018, Feb 9 2020).

Flinders U was certainly keen when a nuclear submarine force for Australia was floated in 2021, “we are keen to see more detail about the announcement so that we can examine our curriculum and our research priorities to best support the national interest,” a university representative told CMM (September 17 2021).

Yesterday’s announcement follows Uni Adelaide talking up its readiness “to help train the workforce and provide research expertise that will be required to help Australia achieve its goal to be a nuclear-powered defence,” within hours of PM announcing the submarine programme last week (CMM March 15).

The imminent SA based “skills academy” to train the submarine workforce may have something to do with both.