The University of Sydney

www.usyd.edu.au

The University of Sydney, founded in 1850, is Australia's first university, and has an international reputation for outstanding teaching, as a centre of research excellence and as an active and engaged community leader.

The University of Sydney continues to rise in global rankings, confirming its place within the top 40 universities in the world. The University’s humanities teaching and research was ranked fifth best in the world in the UK’s Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) World University Rankings published in October 2006, while the University as a whole was ranked 35th in the world in the same league table. In the Newsweek global 100 for 2006, the University of Sydney was one of two Australian universities placed in the top 50 in the world.

A commitment to quality

The University of Sydney measures its organisational performance by benchmarking against world class peers and industry. The benefits from such benchmarking activities are clear. The Learning Community Scale was developed in conjunction with Oxford University. The development of the MEd (Higher Education) program was a result of benchmarking with Edinburgh University.

Professional accreditation is another way the University’s professional faculties benchmark themselves and the quality of their programs. The University has relationships with 41 accrediting bodies, including six international bodies.

Service, leadership and the community

The University is committed to the communities to which it belongs internationally, nationally and locally. Numerous community links have been forged by academic and research disciplines as well as dedicated units such as the Koori Centre and Yooroang Garang, which work closely with Indigenous communities.

Many student organisations, such as the debating club and drama society, have long traditions of enriching student life and providing a springboard for future careers. High profile Australians such as Prime Minister John Howard, Justice Michael Kirby and radio presenter Adam Spencer have been University of Sydney debaters.

Sydney University Sport has produced more Australian representatives and won more major competitions than any other club.