Local community
The University of Sydney is more than a workplace for our staff and a classroom for our students. We welcome visitors and take particular pleasure in seeing local residents making the most of our cultural, and sporting activities, or simply enjoying the blend of heritage and modern architecture, gardens and public spaces our campuses provide.
We are currently working to re-emphasise partnerships with our neighbours in the suburbs that surround our campuses. We aim to improve local infrastructure and access to campus facilities, provide employment and education opportunities, and broaden the experience of our students. (Read more in our recent strategic planning discussion document – see "Local partnerships" in Chapter 5: The most promising students.)
- Visit the University
- Facilities and activities
- Continue your education
- Supporting community health
- Environmental impact
- Widening access
- Report a problem or make a complaint
- Make an enquiry
- Venue hire
Visit the University
The University of Sydney has several campuses throughout Sydney. Most of our students and staff are located on the Camperdown and Darlington campus, and many of them live locally. The campus is filled with important heritage buildings, complemented by recent award-winning projects that have opened the University up even more, making it easier for students, staff and visitors to explore and enjoy our grounds.
The central spine of the campus links Redfern to Glebe, providing easy access to redeveloped public spaces such as Cadigal Green, a new footbridge over City Road and the newly pedestrianised Eastern Avenue.
There are a wide range of facilities and activities and events on campus for you to enjoy, as well as interesting places to visit.
Facilities, activities and events
We have facilities and activities that appeal to all tastes and interests, from illuminating exhibitions in our museums and art gallery, to short courses and public lectures.
Hundreds of events are open to the general public every month (see our events calendar. Make the most of this opportunity to keep up to date and involved.
If you want to exercise the body rather than the mind, we have three fitness centres, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and squash, tennis and basketball courts. Or you can reserve your effort to supporting our representative rugby and basketball teams.
Continue your education
Our Centre for Continuing Education provides a wide range of courses for you to hone professional skills, learn new disciplines or delve into your academic passions.
Supporting community health
A fifth of our students are working towards qualifications in the health and related fields. Many of them, as part of their study and research, spend time working in our local communities, helping to treat health problems and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Sydney Medical School has an extensive network of teaching facilities in NSW (including hospitals close to the University such as Royal Prince Alfred, Royal North Shore, Westmead, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Concord and Nepean) where students are able to learn about community health from day one.
Other faculties, such as Health Sciences, also have strong community links so we can apply our learning for the benefit of all.
Our world-class medical research includes strong programs in diseases that affect millions of lives, such as cancer, obesity, heart disease, infectious diseases and mental illness.
And, we're not just concerned with human health. Our on-campus vets are internationally acclaimed for their care for animals' health and welfare. They even offer a 24-hour emergency service.
Environmental impact
When our first buildings were built in the 1850s, they were surrounded by open fields and stood out from far away. Even though the local suburbs soon developed, our buildings continue to stand out in the local community.
We know we have a big impact on our environment, and are always looking for ways to make sure we make this impact as positive as possible.
Protecting our heritage
We are unique among Australian universities in our concentration of heritage-listed buildings, some of which date back to the 1850s, and have a program of works to ensure we look after this important part of our common history.
Recent conservation work has included restoration of parts of the Quadrangle and MacLaurin Hall and the upgrade of teaching spaces in some of our older buildings.
Promoting sustainability
As an institution of more than 50,000 people we have a considerable environmental footprint. We're always looking for ways we can improve our carbon footprint, by using sustainable practices in our new buildings, using energy and water more efficiently, and changing staff and student behaviour.
More about sustainability at the University of Sydney.
Widening access
We're committed to welcoming the most promising students, regardless of their social background.
We offer a range of scholarships to support students who would be unable to go to university without such financial support. In 2009 we increased the number of Access Scholarships we offer from 100 to 140. Such support is really worthwhile; we know that Access Scholarship holders achieve higher than average academic results throughout their degree.
We're also looking to support future generations of students. In 2009, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard helped us launch our innovative Compass project, which aims to encourage primary and secondary school children to participate in higher education.
More information about Compass.
Report a problem or make a complaint
If you have a problem with noise or a security concern, or if something goes wrong after business hours, please call 1800 063 487. This is a free call and is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you would like to be contacted about the outcome of your call, please make sure you leave your name and contact number.
For other more general concerns, please either phone 9114 0523 or .
Make an enquiry
If you would like further information, or need to find out who you should talk to in the University about a particular issue, please phone 9114 0523 or .
Venue hire
Our Venue Collection offers you a choice of unique venues, from the historic to the modern, that are available for you to hire for private functions.