History

The Royal United Services Institute of Australia can trace its origins back to 1831 when the then British Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellington, founded the Naval and Military Library and Museum in London for the study and advancement of professional knowledge in the Armed Services. This became the Royal United Services Institution.

In Australia, the United Services Institution (USI) of New South Wales was founded in the centenary year of 1888. In 1890, the USI of Victoria was formed and, over a short time, similar Institutes were established in all the other States. The USI of the ACT was formed somewhat later in Canberra in 1971. While all these Institutes had similar aims and had patterned themselves on the RUSI in London, they were and remain, separate and independent organisations.

After much debate and discussion on the need to establish a national body, the constituent bodies in each State and the ACT agreed to federate and the United Services Institute of Australia formally came into being on 1 January 1974, with seven Constituent Bodies.

A national Journal was first published in 1977 and the 'Royal' prefix was granted to the National Body in 1979 with Constituent Bodies in each State similarly honoured in recent years.

International triennial seminars were also conducted by the RUSI of Australia featuring eminent speakers.