Australia’s universities once ranked among the best in the world. For a long time, reputation was enough to draw international students and reassure industry partners. But global competition has changed the game.

Asian institutions, especially in China and Singapore, have poured billions into research and branding, racing up the league tables. Australia, by contrast, has slipped. Our universities are still respected, but certainly not world leaders. Prestige alone doesn’t stretch as far as it used to.

That pressure is reshaping the sector. Faculties are being merged, courses cut, and redundancies announced in nearly every State. And in South Australia, the most radical move is underway: the University of Adelaide and UniSA are fusing into a single Adelaide University, opening in 2026.

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