Some of the notable alumni in Australia National University are the Australian ex-Prime Minister Bob Hawke (passed away recently in 2019) and Kevin Rudd (who speaks perfect Mandarin). During my Australia road trip, I pay a visit to ANU (Australian National University) in Canberra, simply because I wanted to see how much it has changed since my last visit. My youngest brother did his degree in ANU and I visited him several times when he was still a student here.
ANU Ranking
I have visited several universities in Australia, such as Sydney University, UNSW, University of Newcastle and University of Technologies Sydney. Each has its unique beauty and a great experience. If you are planning to study in Australia, then visiting these universities will give you an idea of how the university is like. ANU in Canberra is one of the top universities in Australia. According to The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, ANU is given 49th position in the world ranking and one of the top in Australia and their research area is very reputable.
Location of ANU
In term of location, many prefer to study in Sydney (USYD, UNSW & UTS) and in Melbourne (Melbourne University) simply because these universities are located in the biggest cities in Australia. Finding the familiar food back home is easier for an Asian student who is away from home if you choose Sydney and Melbourne.
However, the location of Canberra ANU is not in a luxurious big city but in an educated city because over 40% of its population holds Bachelor or Master Degree or Ph.D. It is an ideal destination for studying and researching because the capital city of Canberra is one of Australia’s safest cities, it boasts one of the lowest crime rates of any major Australian city. (Good news for parents who intend to send their child to Australia to study).
Ideal Environment for Students
Australia offers natural beauty, great climate, (at least not too cold and not snowing), a stable economy and no gun law so many prefer to choose Australia over America. Especially in Canberra, it is surrounded by nature, Mount Ainslie or Mt Pleasant is just nearby and if you drive a little further, you can do the bushwalking in the woods of Namadgi National Park or in winter go skiing on the Snowy Mountains (2 hr from Canberra). Canberra has lots of nature for a nature lover. And it has a very peaceful environment!
The main campus of ANU is at the suburb of Acton in Canberra, surrounded by parkland with university buildings landscaped within. I have taken some of the iconic buildings with interesting architecture and share them here. There are more and I shall leave it to you to find out.
ANU College of Law
The law school looks antique in white, it was established in 1960.
Australian Centre on China in the World 中华全球研究中心
This Chinese looking architecture with a moon door is the research institution for Chinese studies.
ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research
The angular glass and steels fins expand outward really stand out. The facility was opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd (he speaks perfect Mandarin), on May 14th 2009.
Canberra is Bicycle Friendly
Canberra traffic is less hectic as compared to Sydney & Melbourne so riding a bicycle is very encouraging. The whole city is well designed and bicycle-friendly.
Canberra is well-planned city, you realized it the moment you drive into the city. It was planned from the beginning to have large tracts of natural forest throughout the city. In the ANU campus, you see there are a lot of efforts used to maintain the urban green spaces which help to attract wildlife. There is a stream running through and ducks can be found there.
Paraboloidal dish for concentrated solar power at ANU
Women soccers were practicing at the oval parks despite some drizzle in the morning.
It was during the semester break in winter when I visited ANU campus, lucky that I still able to see some autumn leaves turning red and gold. 
Final thoughts:
ANU is an ideal location to study, I love the environment as it is very peaceful and surrounded by nature. With a lake and a stream flowing through in the bushland campus, it is truly a perfect campus life. I imagine myself holding a book reading under a tree and suddenly greeted by the wildlife – a wallaby or even better greeted by a cute koala. Oh yes, please be super careful when you drive in the campus, watch out for the mother duck and ducklings crossing the roads.
6 comments
That sounds like an awesome college. It’s a lot easier to study when you’re in a peaceful envrionment.
ANU seems like a great college. The grounds and environment and facilities are the selling points.
What a neat campus! I wish my college campus had been this scenic and well-designed. Looks like a neat place to explore.
That looks like an awesome campus! Love all the pictures you shared.
What a wonderful campus and university, did not know that PM Kevin Rudd spoke Mandarin
It looks like a beautiful university campus out there. Makes me think of my University in the fall with the changing color and the beautiful scenery. Very cool.