Academic structure of the Australian National University

The Australian National University (ANU) is a public teaching and research university in Canberra, Australia. The ANU has seven academic colleges which contain a network of inter-related faculties, research schools and centres.

Colleges

The ANU is divided into seven academic colleges. Each college is responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate education as well as research in its respective field.

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ANU College of Law

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ANU School of Medicine

ANU School of Art

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences encompasses the field of humanities, creative arts and social sciences. It incorporates the Research School of Social Sciences, delivering education and research in the fields of history, philosophy, politics, international relations, and sociology. It also incorporates the Research School of Humanities and the Arts, including the ANU School of Music and ANU School of Art.

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific hosts education and research in a wide range of fields with a focus on Australia's geographic neighbourhood. The Crawford School of Economics and Government conducts economic and public policy research on domestic and regional issues. Through three other Schools, the College also covers strategic studies, culture, language, and regulation in the Asia-Pacific region.

ANU College of Business and Economics

ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science comprises the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Information Engineering and the Department of Engineering. The college contains The Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering (RSISE).

ANU College of Law, established in 1960, conducts research and teaching, and engages with the community in a wide range of outreach activities such as advising government, sitting on tribunals, giving pro bono legal advice.

ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment embraces medical research, life sciences, psychology and environmental science. It cover all aspects of medicine from fundamental research to clinical practice and population health. Research is carried out in areas such as agriculture, environment, neuroscience, visual science, neuroethology, health and technology. The John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) was formed in 1948 as a result of the vision of Nobel Laureate Howard Florey and Prime Minister John Curtin. Two Nobel Prizes (John Carew Eccles in 1963 and Peter C. Doherty and Rolf M. Zinkernagel in 1996) have been won by research performed at John Curtin.

ANU College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences comprises Astronomy & Astrophysics; Chemistry; Earth Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics; and Science Communication. The college contains the Research School of Physics and Engineering, a body which focuses primarily on research into materials science and engineering; lasers, nonlinear optics and photonics; nanotechnology and mesoscopic physics; physics of atoms, molecules and the nucleus; plasma physics and surface science; physics and the environment.

Schools

Within the colleges, there are schools with more specific focuses.

Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Research School of Biological Sciences, Research School of Chemistry, Research School of Earth Sciences, Research School of Computer Science, Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS), Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Research School of Physics and Engineering (RSPE), Research School of Social Sciences, The Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) concentrates on theoretical and empirical research in the social sciences. The following programs exist within the school: Demography & Sociology, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy, Political Science and Social & Political Theory, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies (1973–2007, and The Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies (CRES) (CRES was combined with the School of Resources, Environment and Society (SRES) to form The Fenner School of Environment and Society in 2007).

John Curtin School of Medical Research

University Centres

There are individual research centres connected to the University.

Asia Pacific College of Diplomacy [1], Crawford School of Economics and Government [2], Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute [3], Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research [4], Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics [5], Centre for Cross-Cultural Research [6], Centre for Mental Health Research [7], Centre for the Public Awareness of Science [8], Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems [9], Eccles Institute of Neuroscience [10], Humanities Research Centre [11], National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health [12], The National Centre for Information Systems Research [13], National Graduate School of Management [14], Mathematical Sciences Institute [15], and The National Europe Centre [16].

Australian National Institute for Public Policy

In May 2010, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a $111.7 million commitment to the development by ANU of a new Australian National Institute for Public Policy. The new National Institute is intended to centralize public policy expertise. A good portion of the funds ($53.1 million) were earmarked for building and developing the previously announced Australian Centre on China in the World, which is one of three specialist centres along with the National Security College and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government to be specifically incorporated under the umbrella of the National Institute. $19.8 million is set aside to create a joint building for the other two centres, with a further $17.3 million expressly dedicated to the National Security College.