University of Wollongong facts for kids

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is a public university in Australia. It's located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, which is about 80 kilometres south of Sydney.

UOW is a big university! In 2023, it had over 33,000 students. More than 12,300 of these students came from other countries. The university also has over 2,400 staff members.

The university started in 1951 as a small part of the New South Wales University of Technology. This was later known as the University of New South Wales. In 1961, it became the Wollongong University College. Then, in 1975, the University of Wollongong became its own independent university.

Since it started, UOW has given out more than 120,000 degrees and certificates. At first, most students were from the local area. Now, students come from over 150 different countries!

The University of Wollongong has grown a lot. It now has many campuses both in Australia and around the world. The main campus is in Wollongong. There are also campuses in other Australian towns like Bega and Batemans Bay. In Sydney, UOW has three campuses. Outside Australia, UOW has campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Quick facts for kids
University of Wollongong

Coat of arms
Former name	Division of University of New South Wales (1951–1975)
Motto	Stands for purpose
Type	Public research university
Established	1951 (established) 1975 (independence)
Accreditation	TEQSA
Academic affiliations	Utrecht Network (AEN) UGPN ASAIHL AACSB IATUL AMC EA ACS CPA EF UA
Budget	A$669.31 million (2022)
Chancellor	Michael Still
Vice-Chancellor	Patricia M. Davidson
Academic staff	1,065 (2022)
Administrative staff	1,379 (2022)
Total staff	2,457 regular (2022) 3,410 casual (2022)
Students	33,044 (2022)
Undergraduates	23,723 (2022)
Postgraduates	7,116 coursework (2022) 1,489 research (2022)
Other students	15,502 external (2022) 716 other (2022)
Address	Northfields Avenue , Wollongong , New South Wales , 2522 , Australia 34°24′24″S 150°52′46″E / 34.40667°S 150.87944°E / -34.40667; 150.87944
Campus	Urban, regional and parkland with multiple sites, 82.4 hectares (203.6 acres)
Colours	Dark Blue & White
Sporting affiliations	UniSport EAEN
Mascot	Baxter the Duck

How the University Started

A graduation ceremony in 1966, held outdoors.

The University of Wollongong has a long history, over 60 years! It began in 1951 as a small part of another university. Back then, it only had about 300 students.

In 1962, it became the Wollongong College of the University of New South Wales. This was an important step.

On January 1, 1975, the University of Wollongong became fully independent. This meant it could make its own decisions. It started with five main study areas, called faculties. These included engineering, humanities, and sciences.

In 1982, the university joined with the Wollongong Institute of Higher Education. This merger helped the university grow much faster.

Key Moments in UOW History

• 1951: The university started as a division of the New South Wales University of Technology.
• 1975: UOW became an independent university.
• 1977: A special computer science team at UOW created a unique version of Unix. This was a very early computer operating system.
• Late 1970s: Tim Berners-Lee, who later invented the World Wide Web, got important software from UOW.
• 1982: UOW merged with the Wollongong Institute of Education, helping it expand.
• 1993: The first international campus opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• 2000s: More regional campuses opened in Australia, like in Shoalhaven and Bega.
• 2008: The Innovation Campus (iC) opened in Wollongong. This campus helps businesses and researchers work together.
• 2017: A new campus opened in Liverpool, in South Western Sydney.

UOW Around the World

UOW was a pioneer in opening campuses outside Australia.

• Dubai: In 1993, UOW opened the Institute of Australian Studies in Dubai. This made UOW the first foreign university to have a campus in the UAE. It became the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) in 2004. Today, UOWD has over 4,000 students from many countries.
• Malaysia: In 2019, the University of Wollongong Malaysia (UOW Malaysia) was established.
• Hong Kong: The UOW College Hong Kong started in 2004 as a community college. It was later renamed to UOW College Hong Kong.

Where UOW Campuses Are

The University of Wollongong has nine campuses in Australia and several overseas.

Main Wollongong Campus

The main campus is in Wollongong, about 3 kilometres from the city centre. It's a large area with many buildings for teaching and research. It also has student homes, places to eat, shops, and sports facilities. About 33,000 students and 2,400 staff are at this campus.

UOW Liverpool Campus

In 2017, UOW opened a campus in Liverpool, in South West Sydney. This campus is growing and offers many courses.

Innovation Campus (iC)

The Innovation Campus, or iC, is also in Wollongong. It was created to help businesses and researchers work together. It's a place where new ideas can grow.

The Innovation Campus at night

Sydney Business School

The Sydney Business School is a special part of UOW. It offers advanced business programs for students who have already completed a first degree. It has a campus in Sydney's city centre.

Other Australian Campuses

UOW also has regional campuses in:

• Batemans Bay, New South Wales
• Bega, New South Wales
• Southern Sydney (Loftus), New South Wales
• Shoalhaven, New South Wales
• Southern Highlands (Moss Vale), New South Wales

Overseas Campuses

• Dubai: The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) is in Knowledge Village, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It's one of the oldest universities there.
• Malaysia: The University of Wollongong Malaysia is in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
• Hong Kong: The UOW College Hong Kong is located in Hong Kong.

How UOW is Organized

The science buildings at the Wollongong Campus

The University of Wollongong is divided into four main groups of study, called faculties. Each faculty focuses on different subjects.

• Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities: This faculty covers subjects like arts, education, history, psychology, and media.
• Faculty of Business and Law: Here, students learn about accounting, economics, management, and law. It also includes the Sydney Business School.

The McKinnon Building at the Wollongong Campus, named after former Vice-Chancellor Ken McKinnon

• Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences: This faculty teaches subjects like civil engineering, physics, computer science, and mathematics.

The Sydney Business School's Circular Quay Campus

• Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health: This group focuses on biological sciences, chemistry, medicine, and nursing.

University Libraries

UOW has several libraries across its different campuses. These libraries are great places for students to study and find information for their projects.

What Students Learn and Achieve

Rankings and Awards

The University of Wollongong is known for its high quality of education and research. It is often ranked among the best universities in the world.

• It's ranked among the top 20 modern universities globally (for universities under 50 years old).
• UOW is also highly ranked for how well its graduates find jobs after finishing their studies. In 2025, it was ranked joint 167th in the world and 12th in Australia by QS World University Rankings.
• The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) has even ranked UOW as the number 1 university in Australia for the quality of its graduates!

Student Life at UOW

UOW offers a lively student experience with many facilities and activities.

Campus Facilities

The university has many places for students to relax, study, and have fun.

• There are student organisations like the Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association. They help students and publish a magazine called Tertangala.
• The UniCentre manages many social and commercial spots on campus. This includes the UniBar, food courts, cafes, and shops.
• The Duck Pond Lawn is a popular central spot on campus, surrounded by eateries.

Sports at UOW

UOW students can join various sports teams and programs.

Soccer

UOW has a partnership with the famous Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur from England. This program allows students to train with professional coaches. Students can even visit the Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre in London.

Rugby

The Wollongong University RC, also known as the UOW Mallee Bulls, plays in the local rugby league. They play their home games at the University Oval.

Places to Live on Campus

The university has several residential colleges and halls where students can live:

• Bangalay
• Campus East
• Graduate House
• I-House
• Kooloobong Village

I-House is the oldest student residence at UOW. It's part of a worldwide network of International Houses. It provides accommodation for about 218 students, both local and international.

Working Together and Research

Partnerships

The University of Wollongong works with many different groups and organisations. These partnerships help UOW connect with other universities and industries around the world.

Research at UOW

UOW is a strong research university. This means its staff and students work on new discoveries and solve important problems.

Important Research Centres

• iAccelerate Centre: This centre helps new businesses and start-ups grow their ideas.
• Australian Institute of Innovative Materials (AIIM): They work on creating new and advanced materials.
• Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI): This institute focuses on health and medical research to improve people's well-being.
• Smart Infrastructure Research Facility (SMART): They research ways to make our cities and buildings smarter and more efficient.

International Research Projects

UOW researchers work with experts from many countries. For example:

• They work with the Geological Survey Organisation of Indonesia.
• They collaborate with research centres in Japan, Sweden, Malaysia, and the UK.
• The Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) works with groups in the US, Japan, and many European countries.

Student Exchange Programs

UOW has 180 partners around the world. This means students can study abroad for a short time or take part in international internships.

Popular exchange destinations include

Graduates and Staff

UOW is proud of its graduates. It's consistently ranked among the top 1% of universities globally for how well its graduates find jobs. In 2022, it was ranked 146th in the world for graduate employability.

As of 2023, UOW has over 176,000 graduates. These alumni live all over the world in 199 different countries! Many live in Australia, but also in major cities like Singapore, London, and New York.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Wollongong para niños

• List of universities in Australia
• University of Wollongong in Dubai
• List of University of Wollongong people