Flinders University has partnered with Blueforge Alliance Australia (BFAA) to advance maritime research, education and workforce development in support of AUKUS defence programs.

The partnership will see Flinders and BFAA collaborate on research and education initiatives that strengthen advanced manufacturing for undersea platforms and build sovereign capability.

Under the agreement, Flinders researchers will contribute to supply chain capability uplift while also developing workforce programs for current and future students.

Flinders Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Raymond Chan said the agreement with Blueforge reinforces the university’s long-standing leadership in research and education that supports Australia’s current and future defence needs.

“Flinders University is internationally recognised as a leader in advanced manufacturing capability at our innovation campus at Tonsley in Adelaide, South Australia and is already supporting the naval shipbuilding industry through capability uplift, making us a natural academic partner for Blueforge Alliance in Australia,” he said.

“This agreement builds on our strength in advanced manufacturing at the Flinders’ Factory of the Future and innovative education programs, enabling an impactful partnership with Blueforge Alliance and its US partners.”

BlueForge Alliance Australia, an affiliate of US-based BlueForge Alliance, is a strategic enabler for AUKUS, designed to partner across industry, government and academia to uplift Australia’s sovereign submarine and maritime industrial base.

The agreement, which was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at Indo Pacific 2025, builds on BFAA’s recent agreement with the South Australian Government to strengthen the AUKUS workforce.

Flinders University continues to demonstrate its excellence in defence research, education and workforce development. It offers Australia’s first nuclear engineering major in partnership with the University of Rhode Island and delivers programs such as the award-winning Diploma in Digital Technologies and a new mechanical engineering degree apprenticeship developed with the defence industry and the State Government.

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Photo: BlueForge Alliance Australia CEO designate Sam Guthrie, Flinders Defence Partnerships Director Tony Kyriacou, and BlueForge Alliance President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gorham.