About

Our purpose

IRU aims to deliver value to its member universities, students and stakeholders through the pursuit of three key objectives:

1. To build profile and a strong voice with government and other influential bodies
2. To enhance quality through the sharing of policy and practice
3. To create opportunities for students and stakeholders through collaboration and partnership

Our ethos

The IRU member universities share a common ethos: focused on research with impact; innovative; passionate about social inclusion and making a real difference to people’s lives; accessible and approachable; flexible; and connected with their communities.

They collectively have a long tradition and outstanding track record in attracting and retaining Indigenous students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds and possess research expertise in a diverse range of social inclusion areas.

• Extending Opportunity: Social inclusion research informing policy and practice

Our areas of focus

To facilitate the achievement of its objectives, IRU has identified four areas of focus for 2009-2011:

1. Social inclusion – education and research
2. Research collaboration
3. Work-integrated learning
4. Collaboration in course delivery

• IRU Strategy 2009 - 2011 (pdf)

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 founding universities included Flinders University, Griffith University, La Trobe University, Murdoch University and The University of Newcastle.

In 2007, the network was joined by another institution of similar origin and research intensity - James Cook University - established in 1970 to bring university education and research expertise to the communities of northern Queensland.

In 2009, the network welcomed Charles Darwin University, a research university founded on 50 years of post-secondary education tradition in the Northern Territory and IRU’s first dual sector institution.