Media Release

Monday, 20 March 2000

Adelaide University's Council has endorsed a set of principles for the development of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the State Government.

The principles are as follows:

• That the Elder Conservatorium and the Flinders Street School of Music will merge as part of the University of Adelaide.
• That the merged School will be located on the North Terrace campus or immediately adjacent to it.
• That the name of the merged school will include the name 'Elder'.
• That a Memorandum of Understanding be concluded, setting out the terms of agreement and specifying the financial contributions to be made by both parties for a period of five years. The arrangement is to be reviewed at the end of this period.
• That the State Government will be asked to make a capital contribution to allow suitable facilities to be established.
• That the new School will be an organisational unit in a Faculty of the University of Adelaide and an Executive Dean of the University will be responsible for it. It will also have an External Advisory Board to be chaired by a high profile individual, agreed to by both parties. The Elder Professor should be appointed at a date that will allow the incumbent to participate in the amalgamation process.
• That the merged School will offer a single suite of degree and sub-degree programmes, and will include a range of musical sub-disciplines and styles.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mary O'Kane, said she was delighted with the outcome.

"What's important now is that we all work together to ensure that the new school is a truly leading music school," she said.