Mission, vision & values

Mission

To be an Australian leader in research and teaching of excellence, unequalled in the positive impact our University has on the lives of our students, staff and alumni as well as the local, national and international community.

Vision

The University of Adelaide will build upon its tradition of innovation through high-impact research and excellent teaching across a broad range of disciplines and professions. It will be a growing, internationally focused and financially sustainable institution, enterprising in its approach to new opportunities as they arise but clear and consistent in its essential directions. It will provide a vibrant intellectual environment that will be satisfying for staff and rewarding for students, engendering in the whole University community a sense of pride in our association with the University and in what we do.

Values

1. The pursuit of excellence in all that we do
   The achievement of the vision will require that the whole University community remains committed to the highest intellectual and ethical standards in teaching and learning, research and research training, and the conduct of all our professional activities.



2. Fairness, integrity and responsibility
   The University supports the principles of social justice, equality of opportunity and cultural diversity, and seeks to implement these in the conduct of its activities and relationships. The University of Adelaide has reaffirmed its commitment to a vision for a united Australia, expressed in our July 2003 Statement of Reconciliation.



3. The rights and responsibilities of freedom of inquiry and expression
   Dispassionate, rigorous and honest intellectual inquiry is at the core of academic traditions, and should be reflected throughout our research, scholarship, education and management.



4. Service to the local, national and international communities
   Universities exist by the will of the communities of which they are a part. Shaping, recognising, and responding to community needs and expectations are essential to the mutual obligations that ensue from this relationship.



5. Innovation, creativity and breadth of vision
   The University's core characteristics of research intensity and high quality education across a broad discipline range depend on attitudes that actively encourage the creation of new knowledge and the preparation of students to impact positively at local, national and international levels. These values arise from our understanding of our individual roles within the University and of the community we seek to create.