Group of Eight (Go8): Study at Australia’s Best Universities

Learn all about Australia’s top universities; the Group of Eight (Go8)

The Group of Eight (Go8) universities are globally known to be the pioneers in research and education in Australia, and they are the Oceanic country’s largest and oldest higher education institutions.

What do you mean by Go8?

Formally incorporated in 1999, the Go8 is a cluster of 8 leading universities in Australia reputed for their high-quality education and their state-of-the-art research facilities.

As a matter of fact, all the Australian Nobel Prize winners have been associated with these universities, which makes the Go8 a lineage of the laureates. The majority of Australia’s research yields from this Group of Eight.

What are the international rankings of Go8 universities?

Important factors such as the high international rankings, ample research opportunities and strong industry connections make Australia’s Go8 universities a unique choice among students planning to study in Australia.

The latest 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings & the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings put the Go8 universities as follows:

What’s special about the Go8 universities?

The Group of 8 universities are renowned for their global impact and immense contribution in the fields of healthcare, cybersecurity, agriculture, and much more. And here’s a brief overview of those 8 universities.

1- University of Melbourne

Established in 1853, the University of Melbourne is world-renowned for its contributions in education, research, and engagement. For the past centuries, it has been a pioneer in research with 22 discipline specific faculties and graduate schools and 6,500 staff members. Attracting students from 150+ countries, the university’s pedagogy is research based and flexible. It has 7 campuses across Melbourne and rural Victoria.

2- Australian National University

Established in 1946, ANU is known for its unparalleled research and education. Consistently ranking in the Global University Employability Ranking, it makes job-ready graduates with exceptional technical and interpersonal skills. In fact, the research done at the ANU is recognised and impacts industries globally.

3- University of Sydney

Established in 1850, the University of Sydney has 6 faculties and 3 schools. With students from over 134 countries in various undergraduate and postgraduate programs, the university is truly international. It has a library that comprises 5.2 million books, journals and e-books and runs more 200 clubs for students.

4- University of Queensland

Having over 7,000 staff member and 52,000 students, the University of Queensland is regarded as one of the biggest institutions in Australia. Established in 1909, the university boasts of some of the world-renowned educators from advanced facilities such as Advanced Engineering Building, Oral Health Centre, Pharmacy Australia Centre for Excellence and Boeing Research facility. It offers a truly international exposure with over 15,400 international students from 141 different countries.

5- Monash University

A public research university based out of Melbourne city in the state of Victoria, Monash University offers a variety of courses and programs to choose from. It was established in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. A global university, it has 4 campuses in Victoria, one in Malaysia, a research and training centre in Italy, a graduate school in China and a graduate research school in Mumbai, India. It hosts students from over 170 countries and is an esteemed institution to gain technical skills, grow as an individual and get an international perspective to eventually succeed in your career path.

6- University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney

With its main campus in Sydney, UNSW is known for its ground-breaking research and strong industry connections. Known for being the topmost preference among Australia’s eminent employers, it has more millionaire alumni than any other Australian institution. Founded in 1949, it now has 8 campuses in Kensington, CBD, Randwick, Paddington, Cliffbrook, David Phillips, Manly Vale, and Canberra. You can select a program in any of its 8 faculties, 47 schools, and 125 UNSW external centre institutes.

7- University of Western Australia

With its main campus in Perth, UWA is one of the top universities in the world. Former Australian Prime Minister the Honourable Bob Hawke AC, and Oscar-winning artist Shaun Tan are alumni of this prestigious institution. It offers a dedicated support for students and was previously rewarded a five-star rating by the Good Universities Guide 2018 for its low student-to-teacher ratio. The Student Guild in UWA manages over 140 clubs and societies in varied fields catering to different students’ interests.

8- University of Adelaide

A prestigious institution based in Adelaide; it was established in 1874. The University of Adelaide boasts of 110 Rhodes Scholars and 5 Nobel Laureates that well explains its quality of teaching and research training. With almost 8,000 international students from 100 countries, 200 programs at undergraduate and postgraduate level, the University of Adelaide is truly a place that offers a rich and stimulating experience to its students. For its 17 Australian Laureate Fellowships, the university has been awarded an amount of AUD 11.93 million.

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