Queensland Term Abroad

Brisbane

St Lucia Campus

The University of Queensland (or "Uni" as it is called around town) is one of Australia's largest and most well-respected universities. Founded in 1909, UQ is the oldest of Queensland's universities and fifth oldest in the nation. The first students enrolled in 1911. This class included 60 men and 23 women, making UQ a pioneer in the higher education of women. By 1927, UQ had outgrown its downtown location. Brother and sister James and Mary Mayne came to the rescue, donating a piece of prime real estate in St. Lucia, which remains the home of UQ's main campus. Today, UQ operates three campuses in the area around Brisbane, as well as allied research and training facilities all over Queensland. In 2002, 33,946 students were enrolled at Uni. In addition to undergraduate education, UQ offers graduate, post-graduate and professional training is almost all areas. UQ also specializes in training international students from all over the Asia-Pacific region: 4,617 in 2002. Many come to study English in addition to their regular subjects.

Unlike most universities in the United States, UQ is primarily a commuter campus. Although a small proportion of students live in allied residential colleges, most UQ undergraduates live in the surrounding suburbs and commute by bus to class each day. This gives the after-hours university a very different flavor than that typical of an American college or university. Most of the student's social lives are lived in town, with Uni the focus of academic work.