[5] Toward the end of the 1920s, the Institute engaged in discussions with academia to deepen its connection with higher learning, and in 1929 the Diploma of Public Administration was established as a joint venture with the University of London.
A plebiscite of members of the Australian Regional Groups was held in 1977 to get their views on the possibility of revising constitutional arrangements with the Royal Institute of Public Administration.
A clear majority of members voted in favour of a proposal to form an autonomous Australian Institute of Public Administration.
Trust status was achieved in 1950, and corporate membership was introduced, attracting many local authorities and other organisations, thus increasing the resources available through subscriptions.
For instance in 1963, Deputy Director John Sargent became a member of the Governing Board of the Institute of Administration in Ife, Nigeria.
[6] OSU's consulting staff provided specialist expertise in public sector organisation and methods, human resource development and related fields.
The journal, which is now published by Wiley, reports, reviews and assesses the practice of public administration in less industrialised economies and remains highly ranked today.
[5] In 1992, against a difficult economic background including public expenditure cuts, RIPA experienced severe financial difficulties, and negotiations were initiated to dispose of the International Division as a viable commercial enterprise.