The Australian National University (ANU) was established in 1946. It was to be different from other Australian universities established by that time. The primary objective of ANU was to inject a substantial culture of research into Australia at a time when there was little but a need that was great.
The world is different now. There are other universities in Australia with established research cultures and achievements. And ANU has changed, too.
It is important that our own distinctive culture evolves while we retain key principles: it is important, for example, that we continue to meet the high expectations of our founders by sitting comfortably amongst the world’s best (or great) universities.
Accordingly, we carefully monitor our performance – education and research - on an international scale using some of the world’s best universities as benchmarks. This is a continuing project and will be expanded in the coming years.
Our aim is to ensure that our research is first class and that our graduates get a head start when they leave us to do whatever it is that they choose to do wherever in the world they choose to do it.
This Report outlines some initiatives that have taken place at ANU during 2009.