The stated purpose of ADFA is "to serve Australia by providing the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with tertiary graduates who have the attributes, intellect and skills required of an officer".

After World War II, each of the three Armed Services adopted, as policy, that the educational standards should be raised for officers in training.

[citation needed] In 1967, an agreement was reached between the Department of Defence and the University of New South Wales, under which they would co-operate to develop the Royal Military College (RMC) into a degree-level institution.

[2] Also in 1967, the University of New South Wales entered into an association with the RAN College enabling it to present approved courses.

Investigations on a wider scale followed with the result that in 1974 the Commonwealth Government announced its intention of establishing a single tertiary institution for the Defence Force.

[citation needed] In 1986, ADFA opened and began providing military and tertiary academic education for Midshipmen and Officer Cadets.

[6][7] A parliamentary inquiry conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on Public Works in 1979 opposed the creation of the planned Defence Force Academy and suggested that each individual service maintain oversight of academic training of its officers.

The committee's chair Mel Bungey stated the "there was no clear evidence [...] that the training of cadets of all Services in a common establishment would of itself provide any improvement in the quality of officers".

Notwithstanding these improvements, the national publicity associated with the review caused considerable damage to the academy's reputation.

[12] The Broderick Review found that ADFA was a greatly improved institution since the 1990s, and that the extreme cultural concerns identified by Bronwen Grey in 1998 were no longer apparent.

Notwithstanding, the Broderick Review found there were still structural and cultural deficiencies at ADFA which contributed to widespread, low-level sexual harassment.

Currently, undergraduate degrees include: However, those who do well academically and militarily have the possibility to return to ADFA for one year in order to do honours, as long as their respective services authorise further training.

YOFT ends with the return of second- and third-year cadets to ADFA, and the conduct of the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) Parade in late February/early March.

The JMET program encompasses Character, Leadership and Ethics (CLE), Joint Professional Military Education (JPME), Capability and Technology and Physical Training (PT).

Army Officer Cadets continue this training for another 12 months after leaving ADFA at the Royal Military College, Duntroon (RMC-D), to later be commissioned as Lieutenants.

By the end of their first year, Army OCDTs are expected to be qualified as private soldiers, with recent cohorts undertaking the reservist recruit course at 1RTB Kapooka.

Since a cadet chain of command is absent, a key opportunity to gain leadership experience is by captaining one of the varsity or club sports teams.

While not compulsory, it is strongly encouraged that each and every OCDT/OFFCDT and MIDN takes up at least one sport each year to develop their team, leadership and social skills.

As a result of the 'Skype incident' in April 2011, the Commandant of ADFA – Commodore Bruce Kafer – was temporarily stood down from duty.

A major inquiry into ADFA's management of the incident was undertaken by Andrew Kirkham QC, and during this period several officers filled the role of Acting Commandant; Colonel Paul Petersen, Group Captain 'Loch' Mitchell and Rear Admiral James Goldrick.

CDF squadron members receive minor benefits as recognition of their hard work and efforts in the previous year.

The Squadron chain of command is as follows: Within each division a Midshipman/Officer Cadet is appointed as the Divisional Duty Officer (DDO) on a weekly or fortnightly basis.