About UNSW@ADFA
UNSW@ADFA is the Canberra campus of The University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is located at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). The Academy was opened in 1986 and operates under an Agreement between The University of New South Wales and the Commonwealth of Australia. The 2009 Agreement states:
The primary aim of academic studies at ADFA is to provide midshipmen and officer cadets with a balanced and liberal undergraduate education, with a view to establishing the foundation of tertiary knowledge, skills and aptitudes that is required of them in their military profession. These studies occur in a military environment. A second aim is to instil in Defence sponsored students the higher-order critical and analytical thinking skills, research and problem solving abilities, and communication skills needed to enable them to operate effectively in an increasingly complex Defence environment.
The Academy provides tertiary education and military training for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Undergraduate students are mostly all midshipmen of the Royal Australian Navy and officer cadets of the Australian Regular Army or of the Royal Australian Air Force, who are in residence at the Academy. In addition to their academic studies, these midshipmen and officer cadets undertake programs of military training at the Academy and at Service training establishments around Australia.
At the Academy, UNSW is responsible for conducting academic programs and research. UNSW@ADFA offers undergraduate programs leading to UNSW bachelor degrees in Arts, Business, Engineering, Science, and Technology. In addition to educating undergraduate students for the ADF, UNSW@ADFA has a range of postgraduate programs open to the general community as well as Defence personnel. Applications for these programs may be made by Australian citizens/permanent residents, New Zealand citizens and international full-fee paying students who are eligible to apply for a valid student visa.
As at May 2011 the total number of students enrolled at UNSW@ADFA was some 2,850. Of these some 1,078 were undergraduate students, 1,345 were postgraduate coursework students, 302 were higher degree research students and the remaining were non-award students.
UNSW@ADFA is part of a significant research institution. Students studying at UNSW@ADFA gain all the advantages of studying with one of Australia’s largest, most well-established and research intensive tertiary institutions. The University of New South Wales is a member of Australia’s Group of Eight institutions and a member of Universitas 21.
The main campus of The University of New South Wales is situated in Kensington, an inner south-eastern suburb of Sydney. In addition to the campus at the Australian Defence Force Academy, there is a campus at Paddington and a number of research stations in other parts of New South Wales. It is one of the largest of the Australian universities, having a student population of more than 35,000 and a full-time staff of some 5000, of whom more than 2000 are teaching and research staff.
