Founded in 1966 and ranked among the top eight research universities in Australia, Flinders University is a modern and progressive university with a global reputation for excellence in teaching and research. It is most frequently cited in international journals and its staff have consistently been recognized by the Australian Vice-Chancellors Council (AVCC) for excellence in teaching. It is a member of the IRU-Australia, a consortium of six innovative research universities in Australia.

The University has 14,000 students, of whom 1,700 are international students from more than 60 countries. The university offers more than 40 undergraduate degrees in four faculties and has postgraduate programs in a wide range of disciplines. It has produced a long list of notable graduates, including Japan's first astronaut, heads of government, entrepreneurs, diplomats, internationally renowned scholars, a world authority on artificial intelligence (robotics), artists, writers and an Australian Film Award-winning director.