As of 2023, Monash University was the number one ranked university in terms of number of students enrolled, with approximately ** thousand enrolled full-time equivalent students. That same year, the second ranked university in the nation in terms of student enrollments was University of Melbourne with close to ** thousand enrolled full-time equivalent students.

In 2020, the top earning university in Australia was Monash University in Melbourne, with a total revenue of *** billion Australian dollars in that year. The University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne are also in the top three universities in terms of revenue.

Sandstone universities and the Go8

Like the American “Ivy League”, Australia’s most prestigious universities are often described collectively as “Sandstone Universities”, which is a reference to some of the earliest buildings in Australia being built of sandstone. Another grouping of universities, which takes into account some of the newer additions to Australia’s top universities, is known as the Group of Eight (Go8). The Go8 tend to be Australia’s more research-intensive universities and includes the Australian National University in Canberra and Monash university in Melbourne.

Income and funding

Universities rely on a variety of diverse income sources for their operating revenue. However, more than ** percent of university income comes from a combination of funding from the Australian government and international student fees. Domestic student contributions through the subsidized HECS-HELP scheme made up less than ** percent of total university revenue, despite the cost of an average three-year undergraduate degree costing over ****** Australian dollars for domestic students.

The University and Other Higher Education industry is grappling with the post-pandemic landscape. The COVID-19 outbreak significantly shifted the industry's demand and delivery methods. Social distancing requirements and operational constraints caused most universities to pivot online. Remote learning has remained embedded into teaching post-pandemic, providing convenience for students and profitability benefits for universities. A heightened focus on research during the pandemic offset revenue lost from declines in tuition fees. This trend has been slowing and is under additional threat from a US Government that appears intent on reducing its funding for foreign-based research, to the detriment of Australian institutions. The industry's labour market has been volatile as the pandemic pushed universities to increasingly casualise their workforces. Controversies over underpayment have led to reputational damage and strikes among major Australian universities. Melbourne University's enforceable agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman to pay more than $72.0 million to over 25,000 staff highlights the magnitude of these disputes. Economic and demographic factors have aided the industry's post-pandemic recovery despite these pressures. A depreciating Australian dollar has benefited returning international students, while growth in the population of people aged 18 to 25 has bolstered domestic enrolments. Lower secondary school retention rates, slipping during the pandemic, are dampening this growth. Overall, revenue is expected to drop at an annualised 1.9% to an estimated $38.8 billion over the five years through 2024-25. This trend includes a 0.6% drop in revenue anticipated for 2024-25. The outlook for the industry is promising, driven by changing labour market conditions and demographic trends. Stricter visa requirements to control migration will pose challenges. However, the industry will face these constrictions by constructing new student accommodation facilities, allowing institutions to enrol international students beyond their designated cap. The consolidation of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia into Adelaide University in 2026 will intensify competition for enrolments, particularly from international students, given its ambitious ranking goals. These factors mean revenue is forecast to climb at an annualised 2.1% to $43.1 billion through the end of 2029-30.

The Education and Training division has faced challenges in recent years, driven by shifting enrolment patterns, regulatory pressures and the rapid integration of online learning options into a division that has long operated in face-to-face classrooms. While many institutions within the division are not-for-profit, private establishments strive to make a profit, particularly within the Technical and Vocational Education and Training industry, which boasts the highest profit margin at 36.0% compared to the division’s margin of 5.1%. Industrywide revenue is expected to have contracted at an annualised 0.7% over the five years through 2024-25 to total $173.5 billion. This includes an anticipated dip of 1.6% in 2024-25. Despite the advantages the Private Schools industry boasts over the Government Schools industry, the Federal Government's Better and Fairer Schools Agreement and the full rollout of the Quality Schools package will go a long way to rebalancing the disparity between private and public schools. In early 2025, Queensland joined all other states and territories in signing the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement and committing to fund public schools to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard by 2034. The agreement dictates that the Federal Government will contribute 25.0% of the funding for government schools, with 75.0% coming from the states and territories. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland dominate the Education and Training division because of their large populations, which lead to an abundance of schools and students. Certain segments, like government schools and universities, exhibit higher market share concentration because of the significant barriers to entry compared to segments like sports instruction. The division is contending with intensifying competition from substitutes like self-education and on-the-job training. Over the coming years, new government policies and technological advancements will influence the Education and Training division. The Australian Government's attempts to introduce international student caps and the implementation of student visa price rises will limit the international student market, potentially resulting in job losses and stifling growth opportunities. Universities are losing their competitive edge as substitutes like self-education expand in popularity and employer preferences shift away from traditional degrees. Education departments will improve teacher wellbeing by improving workload expectations, resulting in national education standards improving. The Quality Schools package will boost Commonwealth funding, prioritising public schools over private ones. Revenue is forecast to climb at an annualised 1.8% over the five years through 2029-30 to $189.3 billion.

According to a graduate outcome survey conducted in 2022, the total employment rate of recent graduates from Australian universities was the highest for pharmacy degree holders, with almost ** percent finding any type of employment after finishing their studies.

In 2022, the state which had the highest number of people enrolled in study was New South Wales, in which there were just under 958 thousand people enrolled in study. The Northern Territory, on the other hand, had only 29.2 thousand people enrolled in study. Out of the Australian states, New South Wales is home to the highest number of universities.

The Private Schools industry has grown minimally over the past five years, with rising government funding and elevated tuition fees managing to keep revenue growth slightly above the inflation rate. Government funding initiatives are a crucial revenue stream for private schools, while tuition fees remain the primary funding source for staff salaries, facility upkeep and extracurricular programs. The industry’s enterprise count has expanded, boosting employment numbers. This trend, alongside sectorwide pay rises, has led to an uptick in the industry's wage bill. Elevated purchase expenses have also weighed on the Private Schools industry, contributing to weaker surplus margins, which the industry states in place of profit margins. Private schools' esteemed reputation and perceived pathways to top-tier universities continue to fuel enrolment growth. In 2025, enrolments are set to surpass 1.5 million students. However, a marginal dip in the number of Catholic primary schools symbolises evolving societal attitudes towards religiosity and the impact of this on education choices. Revenue is expected to have inched upwards at an annualised 0.1% over the five years through 2024-25. This includes an anticipated drop of 1.3% in 2024-25 due to inflation, as the unadjusted revenue figure of $37.1 billion exceeds the revenue figure recorded in 2023-24. Increased federal government funding, which is slated to surpass $21.0 billion by 2027-28, is set to drive significant growth in industry revenue over the coming years. However, private schools will likely face greater scrutiny surrounding funding policies, which could lead to variations in funding structures. A forecast boost in the school-age population presents an opportunity for industry expansion. At the same time, legislation capping international student numbers at Australian universities may harm international student enrolment trends at private schools. While this would apply downwards pressure on revenue, high demand for domestic enrolments could partly offset potential reductions in demand from international students. Overall, industry revenue is forecast to rally at an annualised 2.3% over the five years through 2029-30 to $41.6 billion.

The employment rate of recent graduates from Australian universities was the highest for rehabilitation and medicine degree holders, with around 96.5 percent finding full-time employment shortly after finishing their studies in 2023.

Data on the top universities for Engineering in 2025, including disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Advancements in technology and broader internet access have transformed online education into an appealing and feasible option for both learning and career progression. The pandemic accelerated this trend, as social distancing measures forced many educational institutions to shift their offerings online. This greater adoption has supported online education revenue, which is expected to surge at an annualised rate of 5.4% over the five years through 2024-25, reaching an estimated total of $12.2 billion. This growth includes an anticipated hike of 4.4% in 2024-25, driven by students pursuing education alongside their busy schedules. Online education offers more flexibility than traditional educational methods, allowing full-time workers to pursue additional learning opportunities. Government reforms in the higher education sector have enhanced these benefits by steering the system towards a more vocational emphasis. These reforms include offering more short courses for workers to upskill and advance their careers. These courses are predominantly delivered online, boosting demand for online education services. This shift has led to a jump in the number of enterprises and establishments within the industry in recent years. Substantial growth in online education has also increased labour demands, with a gain in employment numbers and wage costs necessary to support the expanding subsector. Looking forwards, the subsector is poised to maintain solid profit margins and will undergo sustained growth over the long term. As a more significant number of older Australians return to education, the average student will trend older and these students will demand flexibility, boosting subsector demand. Educational providers will continue transitioning towards online models to cut costs, particularly in staffing and infrastructure. Online education revenue is projected to expand at an annualised 5.3% through the end of 2029-30, reaching an estimated $15.8 billion. This forecast growth highlights the online education subsector’s resilience and underscores its increasing importance as a cornerstone of modern education, accommodating evolving learner needs and global circumstances.

Data on the top universities for Law in 2025.

This dataset presents regional surface hydrological in-land waterbodies in Australia as polygons which describe the area of the body of water at a higher resolution than that of the national dataset. The following features are included in this dataset:Canal Area - An artificial open channel which provides the supply, distribution or removal of water for irrigation purposes, or for a significant infrastructure function (such as salt interception, land reclamation, or drainage between water features for environmental management purposes). Estuary - The part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which its current meets the sea's tides, and is subject to their effects. Swimming Pool - An artificial body of water intended for swimming or water-based recreation, situated either above or in-ground. Flood Irrigation Storage - A body of water collected and stored behind constructed barriers, for the specific use of flooding pastures via internal irrigation systems. Town Water Storage - A body of water collected and stored behind a constructed barrier for some specific use (with the exception of Flood Irrigation Storage). Town Water Storage are bodies of water primarily stored for the consumption of urban, semi urban and rural township populations. The water is treated post storage by government, or private authorities, and connected to government regulated water networks. Rural Water Storage - A body of water collected and stored behind a constructed barrier for some specific use. Rural Water Storage are bodies of water stored for rural farming and agricultural practices (with the exception of Flood Irrigation Storage) and/or for the consumption of the associated land owners. The water is not treated by government authorities or connected to government regulated water networks. Lake - A naturally occurring body of mainly static water surrounded by land. Watercourse Area - A natural channel along which water may flow from time to time. Aquaculture Area - Shallow beds, usually segmented by constructed walls, for the use of aquaculture. Salt Evaporator - A flat area, usually segmented, used for the commercial production of salt by evaporation. Settling Pond - Shallow beds, usually segmented by constructed walls, for the treatment of sewage or other wastes. Swamp - Land which is so saturated with water that it is not suitable for agricultural or pastoral use and presents a barrier to free passage. Marine Swamp - That low lying part of the backshore area of tidal waters, usually immediately behind saline coastal flat, which maintains a high salt water content, and is covered with characteristic thick grasses and reed growths. Foreshore Flat - That part of the seabed or estuarine areas, between mean high water and the line of lowest astronomical tide. Saline Coastal Flat - That nearly level tract of land between mean high water and the line of the highest astronomical tide.Land Subject to Inundation - Low lying land usually adjacent to lakes or watercourses, which is regularly covered with flood water for short periods. For more information please visit the Geoscience Australia Web Service Portal.

The University of Melbourne Herbarium (MELU) is the largest university herbarium in Australia comprising an estimated 150,000 specimens including approximately 200 type specimens. The collection includes approximately 85,000 vascular plants, 40,000 algae, 20,000 mosses/liverworts/hornworts, 3,500 lichens, and 3,000 fungi.

Comprehensive collections include the G.A.M. Scott (Bryophyte) Collection, Breidahl Moss Collection, Harry J. Swart (Fungi) Collection, G. Beaton (Fungi) Collection, Walter Zimmer Collection, Bogong High Plains Collection, Mt Buffalo Collection, Rupp Collection, Ex-Burnley Horticultural College Collection, and Ex-Victorian School of Forestry Herbarium. Some international specimens in the collection, include material from Macquarie Island (algae) and UK and New Zealand (bryophytes).

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The surveys were commissioned by the Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training, set up by the Australian Government, in order to gather information from students and staff in all sectors of Australian post-secondary education. Areas covered include characteristics of students and staff, career choice, preparation and planning and attitudes towards issues of importance to post-secondary education in the seventies.
Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Variables
A. National Educational Survey, 1977
Date left secondary school, type and location, qualifications attained, whether specialised in any subjects, relative standard achieved (e.g. above/below average). Whether intended to enter university/college or follow a specific career. Whether entered a university/college, qualifications obtained. Whether worked full-time for more than six months. Whether currently enrolled in a university or college and details of courses, whether currently in employment and details. Whether recently changed or given up any courses - if so, reasons, future plans if not currently enrolled. Attributes of a typical teacher at respondent's college/university (e.g. inspires confidence, displays enthusiasm), whether agrees/disagrees with several statements concerning courses, reasons for current enrolment, whether present course and institution was first preference, overall evaluation of course and institution, relative standard achieved, whether committed to work for a particular employer when graduated, expected ease of obtaining a job, expected and preferred occupation. Time of choosing career, whether choice was restricted by subjects taken at secondary school, highest qualification would like to acquire, perceived differences between Universities, Colleges of Advanced Education and Technical Colleges. General comments were elicited concerning education and training and the effect of financial factors on career development.
Background Variables
Sex, age, country of birth of self and parents, no. of years lived in Australia, religion, marital status, whether has children, sources of financial support, comparison of own income (current and expected) and parents' income with the average, parents' occupations and highest level of education.
B. National Survey of Post-Secondary Teaching Staff, 1977
Separate questionnaires were sent to the three sectors of tertiary education. Questions asked in each include:
Position, field of teaching, length of time in university/college teaching/at present institution, positions/ qualifications held, publications, whether currently enrolled for a degree, details of teaching responsibilities, breakdown of activities each week. Attitude towards certain activities (e.g. research, teaching, administration), assessment of the goals of higher education, opinion of ability of incoming and whether affected by expansion in post-secondary education. Expected ease with which students will obtain jobs. Opinion of courses taught and student participation in decision-making, main reasons for students giving up courses, opinion of size of institution. Attributes of a typical teacher at own institution, ways in which university/college education could be improved, whether numbers in post-secondary education/in own discipline should continue to expand and by how much, whether admission standards should be relaxed/tightened, whether student transfers between institutions should be made easier/more difficult. Perceived differences between Universities, Colleges of Advanced Education and Technical Colleges, opinion of plans to amalgamate Universities and Colleges. Areas in which expenditure cutbacks should/should not fall. Expected date of leaving current institution, whether would support early retirement schemes, overall job satisfaction, whether would accept another position elsewhere, at what salary and for what reasons. General comments regarding education and training.
Background Variables
Age, sex, country of birth and of first degree, length of time lived in Australia, educational and occupational background of parents.

The learning management system (LMS) is claimed to be a crucial strategy for creating successful e-learning and teaching methods, enhancing students’ learning satisfaction and achieving academic outcomes. Although the Indonesia Open University has implemented e-learning innovation through LMS in higher education, it has not gained popularity. Hence, the present research aimed to investigate the updated DeLone and McLean information system (IS) success model on the effectiveness of LMS implementation, focusing on system quality, information quality, service quality, perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. A total of 386 respondents from undergraduate and postgraduate programs were selected through stratified random sampling. Subsequently, research data were collected through online survey questionnaires administered to students enrolled at the Indonesia Open University. Structural equation modeling with AMOS version 24 software was deployed to analyze data and test hypothesis. Findings revealed that the updated DeLone and McLean IS success model had a positive and significant influence on the effectiveness of LMS. Therefore, the top-level management of the Indonesia Open University and decision-makers in the Indonesian government could provide a better LMS practice environment infrastructure utilizing the updated DeLone and McLean IS success model.

Abstract

To facilitate secondary analyses aimed at improving mathematics and science education, the TIMSS 2003 International Database makes available to researchers, analysts, and other users the data collected and processed by IEA's TIMSS 2003 project. This database comprises student achievement data in mathematics and science as well as student, teacher, school, and curricular background data for the 48 countries that participated in TIMSS 2003 at the eighth grade and 26 countries that participated in TIMSS 2003 at the fourth grade. The database includes data from over 360,000 students, about 25,000 teachers, about 12,000 school principals, and the National Research Coordinators of each country. All participating countries gave the IEA permission to release their national data.

IEA, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, has been conducting international comparative studies of student achievement in school subjects for more than 40 years. When it collected data for the first time in 1994-95, TIMSS (known then as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study) was the largest and most complex international study of student achievement ever conducted, including both mathematics and science at third, fourth, seventh and eighth grades, and the final year of secondary school. In 1999, TIMSS (by now renamed the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) again assessed eighth-grade students in both mathematics and science to measure trends in student achievement since 1995.

TIMSS 2003, the third data collection in the TIMSS cycle of studies, was administered at the eighth and fourth grades. For countries that participated in previous assessments, TIMSS 2003 provides three-cycle trends at the eighth grade (1995, 1999, 2003) and data over two points in time at the fourth grade (1995 and 2003). In countries new to the study, the 2003 results can help policy makers and practitioners assess their comparative standing and gauge the rigor and effectiveness of their mathematics and science programs.

Geographic coverage

The survey had international coverage

Analysis unit

Units of analysis in the study include documents, schools and individuals

Universe

The study covered curricula and textbooks, teachers and pupils at selected schools in the country

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

By gathering information about students’ educational experiences together with their mathematics and science achievement on the TIMSS assessment, it is possible to identify factors or combinations of factors related to high achievement. As in previous assessments, TIMSS in 2003 administered a broad array of questionnaires to collect data on the educational context for student achievement. For TIMSS 2003, a concerted effort was made to streamline and upgrade the questionnaires. The TIMSS 2003 contextual framework (Mullis, et al., 2003) articulated the goals of the questionnaire data collection and laid the foundation for the questionnaire development work.

Across the two grades and two subjects, TIMSS 2003 involved 11 questionnaires. National Research Coordinators completed four questionnaires. With the assistance of their curriculum experts, they provided detailed information on the organization, emphasis, and content coverage of the mathematics and science curriculum at fourth and eighth grades. The fourth- and eighth-grade students who were tested answered questions pertaining to their attitudes towards mathematics and science, their academic self-concept, classroom activities, home background, and out-of-school activities. The mathematics and science teachers of sampled students responded to questions about teaching emphasis on the topics in the curriculum frameworks, instructional practices, professional training and education, and their views on mathematics and science.

Separate questionnaires for mathematics and science teachers were administered at the eighth grade, while to refl ect the fact that most younger students are taught all subjects by the same teacher, a single questionnaire was used at the fourth grade. The principals or heads of schools at the fourth and eighth grades responded to questions about school staffi ng and resources, school safety, mathematics and science course offerings, and teacher support.

There were more than *** thousand Chinese student enrollments in Australia as of June 2022, with approximately ***** thousand enrolled in the higher education sector alone. This high figure is largely in part to many institutions readily accepting international students, as well as the use of English as the main language in most educational courses. The limited amount of university spots in China due to its large population also forces Chinese students to look overseas for education opportunities. Demographic of international students in Australia   Australia has the largest proportion of international students in higher education, with almost ******* of all higher education students in the country being international students. Furthermore, Chinese students make up the biggest share of these international students, with almost twice as many students as second-placed India. Education as a source of income   While the cost of education is regulated for local students, universities in Australia can set their own prices for internationals. This creates a market where institutions are permitted to set prices to match the high demand for education. The export income from international education activity in Australia reached tens of billions of dollars over the past decade. Despite the high cost of entry, there is still plenty of demand with some universities such as the University of New South Wales having more than ** percent of students coming from overseas.

Tribhuvan University in Nepal had approximately 422 thousand full-time students in 2021. This was unquestionably the highest number of students of any Asia Pacific university, leaving Chinese and Thai universities lagging behind in terms of university student numbers. Despite the huge influx of students enrolled in Tribhuvan University, Australia still saw a dramatic surge in the number of Nepalese international students from 2015 onwards. This alludes to the fact that an international tertiary education was just as favorable as a domestic one. Interestingly, most of the universities which made the ranking for the highest number of students were situated in China. An Asia Pacific education Universities across the Asia Pacific region are experiencing a dramatic rise in student population. As a home to powerful and developing economies, it appears more students are eager to secure places in the higher education sectors which boast huge economic potential. China stands as the most popular country for international students in Asia and third most popular for international students globally. The large majority of international students in China are not reliant on Chinese governmental funding from scholarships and are self-funded. Therefore, huge investments are put into the Chinese economy. Other countries such as Thailand are too experiencing increased GDP contributions from the education sector. Despite the growing number of international students deciding to complete their higher education in China, many of the domestic Chinese students choose to study elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region. This is prevalent in the great influx of Chinese students arriving in Australia to study. Qualifications As a higher education in the Asia Pacific region is becoming more popular, initiatives have been set up to ensure qualifications are recognized throughout the many countries across Asia Pacific. The Tokyo Convention – an agreement made between Japan, South Korea, Australia, China and New Zealand – is designed to enable student and academic mobility. Simultaneously, the convention endorses the recognition of higher education qualifications throughout the Asia Pacific region. This in turn appears to encourage more domestic and international students to consider tertiary education in Asia Pacific, as their qualification will likely be recognized in their home countries and elsewhere in the region.

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of startups in university campuses across Australia in 2019, totaling 70. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, has been a hot spot for startups in the country.

In 2019, Australian universities had a total revenue of 17.78 billion Australian dollars from Australian Government funding alone. International student fees were the next largest source of revenue for universities, with international students bringing in almost 10 billion Australian dollars in the same year.