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This is how the Innovative Research University group describes itself.
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Our Purpose
IRU delivers value to its member universities, students and stakeholders through the pursuit of three key objectives:
- To build profile and a strong voice with government and other influential bodies
- To enhance quality through the sharing of policy and practice
- To create opportunities for students and stakeholders through collaboration and partnership
Our History
In 2003, a group of universities sharing common origins established a collaborative network for the purpose of enhancing the outcomes of higher education.
Each were established as research-intensive universities during the 1960s and 1970s, a dynamic period characterised by massive expansion in higher education and extensive innovation in educational design and delivery – hence, the network name of ‘Innovative Research Universities’.
The network currently comprises:
- Charles Darwin University
- Flinders University
- Griffith University
- James Cook University
- La Trobe University; and,
- Murdoch University.
Macquarie University joined the network as the sixth member until 2008 when they decided to leave the the network. The University of Newcastle left in December 2014.
James Cook University joined in 2007, followed by Charles Darwin University in 2009 resulting in the current six members.
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Charles Darwin University (CDU) is the Northern Territory’s university, with eight campuses and centres stretching from the tropical savannas in the north to the central desert area in the south.
As a dual-sector university, CDU programs are among the most diverse in the country. Awards range from certificates through to doctorates, and education and training is delivered into more than 170 remote locations across the Territory.
Its research activity, which is often carried out in partnership with other universities nationally and internationally, reflects the cultural and biological diversity of the Northern Territory. Areas of expertise include tropical knowledge, desert knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, and south-east Asian studies.
Charles Darwin University Presentation
La Trobe University was established in 1964 as Victoria’s third university.
The university now includes seven campuses across the state and is one of Australia’s leading teaching and research universities.
La Trobe’s areas of research strength include agribioscience and the environment; health and society; human behaviour and thought; human communication; human society and organisation; molecular science; and studies of the past.
The university recently commenced construction of the worldleading
Centre for Agribioscience, and established the $97.9 million La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science and the $88.9 million La Trobe Rural Health School.
La Trobe University Presentation
James Cook University (JCU) is one of the world’s leading universities focusing on the tropics, and is dedicated to creating a brighter future for northern Queensland, and the tropics worldwide.
Since its proclamation as an independent university by Queen Elizabeth II in 1970, the University has grown into a dynamic, multi-campus research and teaching institution offering courses in all major disciplines.
JCU is a world leader in marine biology and coral reef ecology, and its research profile includes internationally recognised work in tropical ecology and environments, geosciences, disaster management, tourism, Indigenous education and tropical medicine and health.
A regional university with global impact, JCU is committed to producing graduates and discoveries that make a difference.
James Cook University Presentation
Griffith University has come to be regarded as one of Australia’s most innovative tertiary institutions and one of the most influential universities in the Asia-Pacific region since opening its doors in 1975.
Griffith offers more than 300 degrees in four broad academic groups: arts, education and law; business; science, engineering, environment and technology; and health.
Griffith’s strategic research places it on track to be a world leader in the fields of Asian politics, trade and development; climate change adaptation; criminology; drug discovery and infectious disease; health; sustainable tourism; water science; music and the arts.
Griffith University Presentation
The University of Newcastle is recognised across the globe for significant discoveries in energy and the environment, science and engineering, and health.
Nationally, it ranks among Australia’s top 10 research universities. Internationally, the esteemed Shanghai Jiao Tong World University ranking places Newcastle in the top four per cent of universities in the world.
Key to its research success are partnerships with forward thinking local and global corporate partners. Backing its research are cutting-edge learning and teaching practices, many drawing on evidence-based approaches.
One hundred per cent of graduates in the fields of computer engineering, geology, chemistry and electrical engineering find full-time jobs within four months of finishing their degree.
The University of Newcastle Presentation
Flinders University was set up to be different. Inspired by the pioneering spirit of British navigator Matthew Flinders, the founding Vice Chancellor set about creating an institution that would challenge traditional academic structures and broaden education and research opportunities.
Flinders is proud to be the host and lead institution in the new National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training. Its expertise in health and medical training and research, particularly with outreach to rural and remote areas, has been instrumental in changing the way medicine and health is taught in Australia.
Other areas of education and research expertise include environmental science, creative arts, biomedical engineering, public policy and management, and psychology.
Flinders University Presentation
Murdoch University helps people discover how to make a difference, through education and research endeavour.
It remains one of the most inclusive universities in the country, providing students with quality education and recognised academic standing within an engaging and caring environment.
Murdoch has a wide range of courses, with state-of-the art facilities such as a fully operational veterinary clinic, fully equipped TV and radio studios, and a world-class moot court. Its researchers work with industry to identify and tackle some of the greatest challenges facing Australia and the world in the 21st Century in fields such as water, renewable energy, agriculture and biotechnology, social justice and Asian politics, development and security.
Murdoch Presentation