Australia’s leading Universities: leading excellence, leading debate
The Group of Eight (Go8) comprises Australia’s leading research-intensive universities – the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland, the University of Western Australia, the University of Adelaide, Monash University and UNSW Sydney.
The Go8 is a company and was incorporated in 1999. Its Directorate is based in Canberra, capital city of Australia.
The Go8 is focussed on, and is a leader in, influencing the development and delivery of long-term sustainable national higher education and research policy, and in developing elite international alliances and research partnerships.
The Go8’s Chief Executive is Ms Vicki Thomson.
The Go8’s Chair is Professor Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Sydney.
Our rankings:
In world rankings Go8 universities are consistently the highest ranked in Australia. Seven of the Go8’s members are in the world’s top 100 universities and all Go8 members are ranked in the world’s top 150 universities; in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Times Higher Education Rankings (THES) and the QS World University Rankings (QS).
Our research:
The Go8 receives 71 per cent of Australian Competitive Grant (Category 1) funding and had the largest proportion of research fields rated at 4 or 5 (‘above’ or ‘well above’ world standard) in the latest Excellence for Research Australia (ERA) exercise.
99 per cent of Go8 research is world class or above.
Each year the Go8 spends some $6.5 billion on research – more than $2.4 billion of which is spent on Medical and Health Services research.
Go8 economic impact:
The Go8 contributes significantly to the Australian economy.
A 2018 report by London Economics found that the Go8 had an annual economic impact to the Australian economy of some $66.4 billion each year.
Go8 research contributes $24.5 billion each year.
Every $1 of Go8 research income delivers almost $10 in benefits to the wider community.
The Go8 directly supports more than 50,000 jobs.
The Go8 international student market contributes $17.98 billion each year to the Australian economy.
Go8 international students support some 73,030 jobs throughout the Australian economy.
Go8 International Connections:
The Go8 has numerous international alliances and agreements with universities and research organisations in Brazil, China (with the C9), Chile, France and Germany. The Go8 works closely with university groups in the UK, Canada, the US and Japan and is a member of GRIUN.
The Go8 is a signatory to the prestigious Hefei statement which links it to elite university groups around the world.
Go8 students:
The Go8 is proud of its commitment to excellence: accepting quality students from all backgrounds who become quality graduates; the leaders of tomorrow, in Australia and internationally.
The Go8 educates 425,000 students – more than a quarter of all higher education students in Australia. It graduates some 110,000 quality graduates each year.
Its student cohort includes 160,000 international students from some 200 countries, with one in three of Australia’s international students choosing to study at a Go8 university.
Go8 universities educate more than half of Australia’s doctors, dentists and vets and provide some 54 per cent of Australia’s science graduates and more than 40 per cent of Australia’s engineering graduates.
Nearly one third of Go8 students (across all levels of study) are the first in their family to attend university. One in five commencing undergraduates are from a low SES, regional or remote location. (Over 26,000 Australian students from a regional and remote location study at a Go8 university).
Go8 bachelor completion rates are higher than other universities with Go8 members the top 6 for completions.
More information on studying at a Go8 university.
Go8 post graduate education:
The Go8 leads in post graduate education, enrolling more than one third of all post graduate students, and almost half of all students in higher degrees by research.
Go8 universities award half of all doctorates in Australia.