University of Adelaide’s Undergraduate Programs Foster Support for a Nuclear-Powered Future
The University of Adelaide has today, Wednesday 29 November, received Federal Government commitment to fund the training of hundreds more domestic undergraduate students to join the defence workforce of the future.
Under the Federal Government’s Nuclear-Powered Submarines (NPS) program the University of Adelaide has received an allocation of $38,634,835 between 2024 and 2030 to deliver an additional 700 Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs).
The University of Adelaide received by far the largest number of places allocated to any university under this announcement.
“The University of Adelaide is pleased to receive this commitment of funding from the Federal Government to help train the defence workforce of the future,” said Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President, the University of Adelaide.
“This is a massive endorsement of the University’s capability to support the Australian Government’s plans to become a nuclear-powered defence-force under the AUKUS program.
“The University will lead developments in defence-related education as well as invest in research and research infrastructure to support the training of the best and brightest minds.”
The 700 additional places at the University of Adelaide will deliver more graduates from STEM disciplines.
A total of 4001 CSPs have been supported nationally under this program with 1030 allocated to South Australia.
The Commonwealth and South Australian Government will also be funding schemes that will support eligible students to take up these new opportunities. These schemes include degree apprenticeships and scholarships, announced recently as part of the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Action Plan.
Under the AUKUS trilateral security pact announced in September 2021 the US and the UK will assist Australia in building nuclear-powered submarines at Osborne Naval Shipyard, South Australia.
As one of Australia’s leading comprehensive research institutions, ranked in the top 100 in the world and as the lead institution for the national Defence Trailblazer program, the University is at the forefront of academic defence research nationally.