You’ve already made the hard decision to pursue further study. Don’t lose yourself at a degree factory. Give yourself space to think, learn and have fun. Find your way at The Australian National University (ANU).

ANU is consistently placed among the best universities in the world by a whole range of international ranking systems. In 2006, the University was ranked first in Australia and 16th internationally by the Times Higher Education Supplement. That same year, in the Institute of Higher Education rankings released by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ANU was ranked above all of its Australian peers. In the 2006 Newsweek International list of the Top 100 Global Universities, ANU was ranked 38th, the highest position of any Australian university. By a whole range of measures, it’s clear than ANU is considered a leader in education and research. This is a tradition that would make its founders proud.

Australia’s only national university was established in 1946 by the Australian Government to lead the intellectual development of the nation through research and postgraduate study of the best international standards. The University began offering programs for undergraduate students in 1960. Today, ANU graduates are playing important roles in society such as politicians, business leaders, scientists, artists and policy advisors.

The ANU campus in central Canberra – Australia’s capital city – is leafy and beautiful. It is home to fewer students and more academics, which means ANU offers learning opportunities the others can’t provide. The Australian Government recently placed ANU in the top band for teaching excellence across its entire undergraduate teaching profile. The University was rated in the ‘A1’ band in three discipline groups: Science, Computing, Engineering, Architecture and Agriculture; Business, Law and Economics; and Humanities, Arts and Education. They’re not the only ones who think highly of the educational offerings at ANU. The 2006 edition of the Good Universities Guide in Australia gives ANU five star ratings for staff/student ratios, staff qualifications, graduate staring salaries, graduate employment prospects and positive graduate outcomes.

Our students perform well because they live well, too. Unlike most crowded metropolitan campuses, ANU combines the best aspects of its parkland setting with nearby cafes, bookshops and cinemas. Canberra has a buzzing social life and is home to many of the nation’s cultural icons. But if you feel like getting away, magnificent beaches and alpine areas are only a short drive away. Researchers and students also make use of observatories at Mt Stromlo near Canberra and Siding Spring at Coonabarabran, or study Australia’s coastal environment at the Kioloa campus on the south coast of New South Wales. Facilities are also available at the North Australia Research Unit in Darwin in the Northern Territory.

ANU continues to attract some of the best students and staff from Australia and around the world. Its reputation for distinctive research is widely recognised, and its teaching programs are among the nation’s best. A culture of discovery and inquiry informs all aspects of research and education, including the University’s connections with the world’s top institutions.

ANU has international links with leading universities in the US, UK, Europe and Asia. As the only Australian member of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), ANU students and staff have numerous opportunities for collaboration and exchange that contribute to the University's rich intellectual climate.

The IARU is an alliance of 10 of the world's leading research universities. Members include ANU, ETH Zürich, National University of Singapore, Peking University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Cambridge, University of Copenhagen, University of Oxford, the University of Tokyo and Yale University. This alliance is a strategic drawing together of universities that share a similar vision and have a commitment to educating future leaders. The alliance is fostering northern hemisphere internships, key academic conferences, student exchange at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, and the development of joint degree arrangements.

ANU is also forging close links with government, business and research institutions in Australia and abroad. The University is involved in collaborative projects with organisations ranging from NASA to the European Union.

ANU is strengthening its resources and links to the community through the ANU Exchange project. Under a 10-year agreement with the ACT Government, ANU is developing a range of exciting projects with private enterprise on land bordering the campus and the city. A 500 bed residential complex was opened recently, adding to the diverse range of accommodation options available to ANU students. There are also plans to develop a research and technology precinct, arts complex, and a college for secondary students in the ANU Exchange.

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