Higher Studies Abroad

Australian National University

Compiled by Mahdin Mahboob

THE Australian National University, commonly abbreviated to ANU, is a public teaching and research university located in Canberra, Australia and has a motto of Naturam Primum Cognoscere Rerum

(Latin for 'First, to learn the nature of things'). This university was established by an act of the Parliament of Australia on 1 August 1946, with the legislated purpose of conducting and promoting research in Australia.

Today, the university is consistently ranked as the best university in Australia, and is one of only three Australian universities in the top 50 worldwide in several international surveys, including the Newsweek Top 100 and the annual Times Higher Education Supplement rankings. Its notable staff and alumni include five Nobel laureates.

The university is a member of several university alliances and cooperative networks, including the Group of Eight (Australian Universities), the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy and the International Alliance of Research Universities.

After its establishment, the university conducted research and provided only postgraduate education. The former Canberra University College was amalgamated into the Australian National University in 1960, as the School of General Studies, to provide for the education of undergraduate students.

The university is split into seven colleges and the Institute of Advanced Studies. The colleges undertake both undergraduate teaching, postgraduate studies and research. The Institute of Advanced Studies comprises of nine research schools which focus exclusively on research.

The ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences consists of over 20 teaching and research disciplines in the fields of arts, humanities and social sciences. The College is particularly strong in Political Science. Also part of this college are the ANU School of Music and ANU School of Art.

The ANU College of Asia and the Pacific focuses on study relating to Asia and the Pacific region.

The College houses a great number of scholars working on Asia-Pacific outside the region.

The ANU College of Business and Economics carries out research and teaching in accounting, finance, statistics and economics. The college is a leader in economics research in Australia.

The ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science comprises the School of Computer Science, the School of Engineering and the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems. Some staff and postgraduate students from the two schools are also affiliated with the Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering which exists within the college as part of the university's Institute of Advanced Studies.

The ANU College of Law is an academic leader in several areas including International Law, Tort Law, Constitutional Law and Public Law, having been ranked first in these subject areas compared to all other Australian universities.

The ANU College of Medicine and Health Science is home to the newest of university's schools, the ANU Medical School, which runs a four-year postgraduate entry course.

The ANU College of Science is the largest of the university's Colleges.

The Institute of Advanced Studies is focused on post-graduate education and research and comprises nine research schools and a research centre:

*Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics
*Research School of Biological Sciences
*Research School of Chemistry
*Research School of Earth Sciences
*Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering
*Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
*Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering
*Research School of Social Sciences
*The John Curtin School of Medical Research
*The Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies
More information can be found at the university's official website:
www.anu.edu.au

Information Source: Wikipedia