Australia's first university (1850), with 70,000+ students and 150+ research centres working on chronic disease, sustainability and interdisciplinary research.
The University of Sydney was founded in 1850, making it Australia's first university. It enrolls more than 70,000 students and maintains an alumni network of 450,000 across more than 170 countries. It is consistently ranked among the world's top 25 universities. Its operations span higher education and scientific research, with named strengths in chronic disease treatment, sustainability and environmental solutions, and interdisciplinary work.
Its research capacity is organized around more than 150 research centres, which address applied problems ranging from new treatments for chronic diseases to sustainable environmental solutions. The institution's undergraduate and postgraduate programs admit students from diverse backgrounds; it has admitted women from its earliest days and states a commitment to making education accessible on the basis of talent and drive rather than circumstance.
Institutional culture is described as progressive and inclined toward challenging convention, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration among researchers from every faculty. The university was founded on the lands of the Cadigal people and acknowledges Indigenous heritage as part of its identity. Its stated orientation is toward leadership and work that improves lives, and toward community ahead of rankings or physical heritage.
