Establishment and Early Years
- Founded in 1850, making it the oldest university in Australia
- Proposed by William Wentworth and Sir Charles Nicholson
- Established via the University of Sydney Act 1850
- Inaugurated on October 11, 1852
- First principal was John Woolley
Achievements and Recognition
- Five Nobel laureates and two Crafoord laureates affiliated with the university
- Educated eight Australian prime ministers
- Produced 110 Rhodes Scholars and 19 Gates Scholars
- Member of the Group of Eight, CEMS, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities
- Received a royal charter from Queen Victoria in 1858
Admission of Women and Equality
- One of the first universities in the world to admit women on an equal basis with men
- Women admitted from 1881
- First women to receive BA degrees were Mary Elizabeth Brown and Isola Florence Thompson
- Thompson became the first woman to graduate with an MA in 1887
- Played a role in promoting gender equality in higher education
Expansion and Incorporation
- The university expanded through the incorporation of various institutions
- Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Cumberland College of Health Sciences, and Sydney College of the Arts incorporated in 1990
- Sydney Institute of Education and Institute of Nursing Studies incorporated in 1990
- Guild Centre of the Sydney College of Advanced Education incorporated in 1990
- Orange Agricultural College was originally part of the university
Notable Figures and Contributions
- John Bradfield awarded the university's first Doctor of Science in Engineering degree
- John Anderson, professor of philosophy from 1927 to 1958, was a significant figure in academia
- Contributions to fields such as chemistry, experimental physics, and engineering
- Controversial views of John Anderson raised debates and discussions
- The university played a role in the development of Sydney Harbour Bridge
The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's six sandstone universities. It was one of the first universities in the world to admit students solely on academic merit, and opened their doors to women on the same basis as men. The university comprises eight academic faculties and university schools, through which it offers bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
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| Motto | Sidere mens eadem mutato (Latin) |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "The stars change, the mind remains the same" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 1850 |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | A$4.072 billion (2022) |
| Chancellor | Belinda Hutchinson AC |
| Vice-Chancellor | Mark Scott AO |
| Visitor | Governor of New South Wales ex officio |
Academic staff | 3,574 (2022) |
Administrative staff | 4,909 (2022) |
| Students | 69,200 (2022) |
| Undergraduates | 39,507 (2022) |
| Postgraduates | 29,693 (2022) |
| 3,669 (2022) | |
| Location | , Australia 33°53′15″S 151°11′24″E / 33.88750°S 151.19000°E |
| Campus | Urban, parks |
| Colours | Red, yellow, and blue |
Sporting affiliations | UniSport |
| Website | www |
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Five Nobel and two Crafoord laureates have been affiliated with the university as graduates and faculty. The university has educated eight Australian prime ministers, including incumbent Anthony Albanese; two governors-general of Australia; thirteen premiers of New South Wales; 26 justices of the High Court of Australia, including five chief justices. The university has produced 110 Rhodes Scholars and 19 Gates Scholars.
The University of Sydney is a member of the Group of Eight, CEMS, the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
