An increasingly diversified student population and aggressive growth in research feature in the University of Adelaide's new strategic plan.
The university will also offer more scholarships to support students from a broader range of backgrounds as it moves towards its 150th year in 2024.
"Our University will be more locally connected as well as globally connected," vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen said.
"We will become a cultural and thought leader for the community of Adelaide."
The university's plan aspires to an international cohort that hails from a broad range of cultures and that is distributed more evenly across all faculties and research institutes.
It looks to attract more students from interstate, more mature-age students and more online students.
"Students will be attracted by our international reputation, seeking access to the specialised knowledge we offer and to the opportunities our university opens for them," it said.
The university said it would also seek to grow the number of indigenous students to "enrich the experience and understanding of international visitors and students".
The plan seeks to better align its research programs with the needs of industry by establishing a repertoire of Industry Engagement Priorities with particular emphasis on the defence and space sectors, energy and mining, health and biotech and agriculture and wine.
"Under our new strategic direction, we will see the University of Adelaide move from being a commentator on society to becoming an active participant in society," Professor Rathjen said.
"We will help to connect South Australia to the world and the world to South Australia."
Established in 1874, the University of Adelaide has more than 27,000 students and 3800 staff.
The new strategic plans come after it ditched plans last year for a possible merger with the University of South Australia.
