Australian National University
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| The Australian National University | |
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Latin: Australiana Populus Universitas |
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| Motto: | Naturam Primum Cognoscere Rerum ("First, to learn the nature of things") |
| Established: | 1946 |
| Type: | Public |
| Chancellor: | Dr Allan Hawke |
| Vice-Chancellor: | Professor Ian Chubb AC |
| Staff: | 3,600 |
| Undergraduates: | 8,100 |
| Postgraduates: | 4,382 |
| Location: | Acton, ACT, Australia |
| Campus: | Urban, 350 acres/1.4km² |
| Affiliations: | Group of Eight, APRU, IARU, AURA, ASAIHL |
| Website: | www.anu.edu.au |
The Australian National University, commonly abbreviated to ANU, is a public research university situated in Canberra, Australia. It was established by an act of the Parliament of Australia on August 1, 1946, with the legislated purpose of conducting and promoting research in Australia.[1]
The university is consistently ranked as the best university in Australia and the only Australian university 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 governed by a 15-member council. 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.
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[edit] History
The ANU is the only Australian university to be established by an act of federal Parliament.[2] The Australian National University Act 1946-47 was introduced into parliament by the then Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, and Minister for Post-war Reconstruction, J.J. Dedman. The bill was passed on 1 August 1946 with support from Opposition Leader Robert Menzies. A group of eminent Australian scholars were involved in the infancy of the ANU, including a leader in radar development and nuclear physics, Sir Mark Oliphant; the discoverer of the benefits of penicillin, Sir Howard Florey; eminent historian, Sir Keith Hancock; and renowned economist and public servant, Herbert ‘Nugget’ Coombs. [3]
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.
Academic leaders have included Professors: Manning Clark (historian); Bart Bok (astronomer) and Hanna Neumann (mathematician). Notable alumni include current Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd.
[edit] Academic structure
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.
[edit] The Colleges
ANU's seven Colleges combine research with research-led teaching and are responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
- ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
- 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.
- ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
- 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.
- ANU College of Business and Economics
- 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.[citation needed]
- ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science
- The ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science comprises the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (which in turn combines the Department of Engineering and the Department of Computer Science) and the Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering.
- ANU College of Law
- The ANU College of Law, established in 1960. The College 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.[citation needed]
- ANU College of Medicine and Health Science
- The ANU College of Medicine and Health Science is home to the newest of ANU's schools, the <a href="http://medicalschool.anu.edu.au/|ANU" class="external text" title="http://medicalschool.anu.edu.au/|ANU" rel="nofoll