The University of Sydney (informally, USyd) is an Australian public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it was the first university in Australia and is regarded as one of the world’s leading universities. The university is colloquially known as one of Australia’s sandstone universities. Its campus is ranked in the top 10 of World Universities by QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The university comprises 16 faculties and schools, through which it offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and higher doctorate degrees. In 2019–20, there were 42,718 students enrolled at the university: 26,114 undergraduate students; 12,077 graduate students (including 855 PhD candidates); 1 other postgraduate student; and 3 non-award students. The main campus spreads across almost 170 hectares (420 acres) in Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of central Sydney. Other campuses are located at Ultimo (the City campus), Mallett Street near Central railway station (the Conservatorium campus), Camden (the Macarthur Campus), Parramatta North (the Cumberland Campus) and Paddington/Darlington (the Woolley Grange Campus).
As a collegiate university with no single administrative structure or central leadership body for its constituent colleges nor their academic staff or faculty members – although all participate within a common policy framework set by the Academic Board – each college is responsible for its own governance arrangements within this framework. Decisions about collegiality are made by each individual college council which comprises academic staff from that particular school or faculty along with general staff representatives and undergraduate and postgraduate student representatives elected annually by their peers.
The Chancellor of the University of Sydney is Belinda HutchinsonAM QC who succeeded JohnStanhopeAC CMG CVO QC in January 2018 to become only the second woman to hold this office since Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE became chancellor in 1985 until her retirement almost 23 years later on 31 December 2007 when she was succeeded by Mr Stanhope who served until his resignation due to ill health on 18 December 2017 after 11 years as chancellor making him also only the second man to serve more than two terms since Sir Charles Nicholson who was chancellor for 19 years over three terms from 1893 until his death in 1910 aged 77.”