University of Wollongong

About the University of Wollongong

The University of Wollongong (informally known as Wollongong University or Wollongong), abbreviated as UOW, is a public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. 

The University of Wollongong enjoys an international reputation for world-class research, exceptional teaching quality and graduate outcomes.

UOW is consistently ranked in the Top 2 % of Universities worldwide in major internationally recognised rankings including QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2015.

• Faculty of Business

  The Faculty of Business provides flexible and innovative educational and research opportunities with strong ties to the business community. We develop professionals, managers and business leaders with critical thinking skills so that they can succeed (and maximise their potential) in their chosen fields.

  The Faculty is a research-intensive faculty that fosters meaningful research that contributes to business theory and practice. We are dedicated to instilling in our students corporate responsibility and sustainability and so are proud to be a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).

  Our programs are: informed by research, structured on applied outcomes, and recognised by industry. They are delivered by highly qualified and industry-experienced academics, and supported through additional specialised student-learning and development resources. We offer degrees at an undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree research level from a range of business-related disciplines.

  Our postgraduate programs are offered through our graduate school, Sydney Business School, which is a QS-ranked, top-200 business school, placed in the top five business schools in Australia and 15th in the Asia-Pacific region (2013/2014).

  We deliver courses from campuses located at UOW main campus and Circular Quay in Sydney.

• Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health

  UOW’s Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health is positioned to be a major force in connected and science-embedded education and science, medical and health research in Australia, empowered by first class teaching and driven by active research and discovery towards being in the top 1% of the world. Cutting edge facilities such as the new Science Teaching facility and our labs are sharpening our knowledge about nanoparticles, novel medicines, cancer, mental disorders and obesity. This Faculty marries up the very best of science with strong capacity for translation to our global communities’ needs and aspirations. With our health partners we care about the way clinical healthcare is delivered to those who need it most, and produce highly competent graduates for global practice. We are physically situated in Wollongong and Shoalhaven with campuses and clinical teaching sites across NSW. Technology connects us with other universities and health services throughout Australia and the world.

• Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences

  UOW EIS has a world class reputation for excellence in research, strong collaborations with industry and government partners, and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. As an EIS student you will be taught by staff who are also actively practising their disciplines so that they are at the forefront of their fields of research. You will study in laboratories and workshops which are amongst the best and most up-to-date in Australia and which are essential for the development of high quality engineering and ICT skills. Our degrees are regularly examined by external accreditation bodies to ensure that the education you receive here equals or exceeds world’s best practice. Students in our Faculty can choose a range of courses providing strong fundamental skills in mathematics, science, engineering and communications before branching into one of the many specialised disciplines offered at UOW. Our degrees include creative and practical design components where you work on real-world problems to ensure you develop the skills needed to lead and innovate in the competitive industries of the future.

• Faculty of Social Sciences

  The Faculty of Social Sciences is a community of academics, students and professional staff who are all dedicated to making a difference through high quality teaching and learning, research and public debate. Our partnerships, community engagement and advocacy are integral to what we do.  

  Our outstanding Social Science scholars are of national and international standing renowned for their passion and high performance in undergraduate and postgraduate courses and research excellence.

• Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts

  Our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees offer studies in disciplines in traditional areas of the humanities, law and creative arts with an added focus on professional skills for contemporary careers in a changing world. Many of our courses can be approached flexibly, to suit your individual needs, and you can choose to specialise in areas which match your ambitions as well as your passions. 

  You can explore your interests and prepare for the global workplace at the same time. Our aim is to ensure that you receive the very best education you can. We offer an outstanding, supportive learning environment and we are equipped with the latest technologies to give you a world-class learning experience. It’s also our priority to incorporate an international outlook into everything we do. 

History of the University of Wollongong

The University of Wollongong traces its origins to 1951 when a Division of the then New South Wales University of Technology was established in Wollongong.

Ten years later the Division became the Wollongong College of the University of New South Wales and, in 1975, the University of Wollongong was incorporated by the Parliament of New South Wales as an independent institution. In 1982, the University amalgamated with the Wollongong Institute of Higher Education, which had begun life in 1962 as the Wollongong Teachers' College. The merger sparked a period of rapid growth for the University, and the emergence of a distinctive identity based on a personalised style and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research.

Originally established as a provider of technical education for engineers and metallurgists required for the region's steel industry, the University now offers a wide range of courses across five faculties: Law, Humanities and the Arts; Social Sciences; Science, Medicine and Health; Engineering and Information Sciences; and Business. 

Since its foundation, the University has awarded more than 120,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates. Its student population, originally drawn predominantly from the local Illawarra region, is now comprised of students from over 140 nationalities with international students accounting for more than 30 percent of total enrolments. The University has also increased the reach of its offerings, establishing the University of Wollongong in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 1993, and UOW Shoalhaven in Nowra on the New South Wales South Coast in 2000. In addition, there are UOW campuses in Bega, Batemans Bay, the Southern Highlands and Southern Sydney, as well as the Sydney Business School located in the heart on Sydney. The University also offers courses in conjunction with partner institutions in a number of offshore locations including Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The first building established on the Wollongong Innovation Campus, iC Central, was opened by then NSW Premier Morris Iemma in 2008. Innovation Campus (iC) is a 33 hectare research and commercial precinct in North Wollongong. Designed to drive partnerships and collaboration between the research and business communities, iC offers space where commercial and research organisations can work together in contemporary facilities. The first sod was turned on the $20 million iAccelerate building in 2014, which when complete, will offer space for up to 200 budding entrepreneurs to develop their ideas.

Accreditation

• Institutional Accreditation or Recognition - Department of Education and Training, Australia
• Year of first Accreditation - 1975

Rankings

• Highest number of star ratings in the 2016 Good Universities Guide
• Highest percentage across the key 12 categories on QILT 2015
• Awarded the 2015 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Award for graduate employability
• 243rd in the world – QS World University Rankings 2015/2016
• 262nd in the world – Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2015
• 251-300 band – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015/2016
• 348th in the world – U.S. News Best Global Universities Ranking 2014
• 314th in the world for research quality – 2014 Leiden Ranking
• 17th in the world – QS Top 50 Under 50 Rankings 2015
• 37th in the world – Times Higher Education Top 150 Under 50 Rankings 2016
• 5 Star rating – QS World University Rankings 2014
• 5 Star rating for the 15th year in a row in the 2016 Good Universities Guide for Student Retention, Getting a Full-Time Job and Teaching Quality within NSW.

Student life

• Different free professional, travel & life skills workshops.
• Join a student club for weekly events and activities.
• Soccer, basketball and more every week.
• Explore how you can improve and maintain your wellbeing.
• English conversation groups, events and activities for all students to enjoy.
• Assist students enhance their experience by utilising your leadership skills, form valuable networks and have great FUN!
• Be global-minded. Be a leader. Be employable. Be creative. Be community-minded. Be a mentor. Be extraordinary. at UOWx!

Arts & Entertainment

• Competitions: Bands & DJs
• Exhibitions: UOW Art Collection, FCA Gallery
• Theatre & Performances
• UniBar (Live Entertainment)
• UniMovies
• "What's On" Mailing List
• Science Centre & Planetarium

Sport, Recreation & Health

• Aquatic Centre
• Exercise Science & Rehabilitation Centre
• Health & Fitness Classes
• Lunchtime Sports
• University Games

University Services

• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
• Employment Equity and Diversity (EED)
• Events & Venues
• Facilities Management Division
• Financial Services Division
• IT Services
• Legal Services Unit
• Library
• Security Service
• UniCentre
• Recreation & Aquatic Centre
• Woolyungah Indigenous Centre

Commercial Services

• Banking Facilities
• Food and beverages (where to eat and/or drink & trading hours)
• Hair Dresser
• Market Days
• Post Office/Shop
• Print & Distribution Services
• Tickets & Enquiries
• Travel Agency
• UniShop (textbooks, memorabilia, IT, newsagent)

1. The University has formal agreements with more than 150 overseas institutions in the areas of research collaboration, student and staff exchange, study abroad and off-shore program delivery.
2. Around 1000 students are currently undertaking UOW courses in Malaysia under a partnership with leading South-East Asian education provider INTI International University and Colleges. UOW offers a Masters degree in International Business and Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Computing Science, Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Media and Communications degrees at INTI’s campuses in Kuala Lumpur and on the island of Penang.
3. UOW also has long-standing partnerships with two of Singapore’s leading private colleges, the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and the PSB Academy, to deliver internationally recognised academic programs in business, information technology and psychology. UOW also delivers a Master of Education degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) at Thailand’s Assumption University in Bangkok.

• University Postgraduate Award