Launching the Unified National System: What happened in South Australia

The focus of this article ison the processes by which five tertiaryinstitutions in South Australia were integratedinto the Unified National System in 1991. Incontrast with what occurred in some otherStates, the South Australian institutions wereallowed unusual scope for self-determinationwithin the broad national policy framework. Inpractice, this apparent freedom of choiceproved a mixed blessing. Institutionalambitions no less than individual aspirationsand self-interest tended to modify and delaydecision-making processes. However, the longdrawn-out wrangling and debate eventually ledthe key participants from conflict tocooperation and an acceptable compromise.