The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia's leading universities with an international reputation for high quality teaching and research. The student body comprises 27,500 undergraduates and postgraduates from Australia and overseas. Academic support includes the largest library in Queensland with 2 million volumes in 14 branches, 20 teaching museums and collections, multimedia study resources and numerous field stations for teaching and research. International students receive additional assistance through special orientation programs, plus on-going financial, academic and personal counselling.
A diversity of ecosystem types are located within easy reach of UQ and are utilised for research and teaching. Permanent field study centres are located in the major ecosystems. The Great Barrier Reef covers 2000km and provides an unmatched diversity and abundance of marine life. Inland, the semi-arid zone and savannahs are seasonally replenished by the large rivers that run from the highlands during the monsoons. In contrast are the ancient rainforests of the sub-tropics. Immediately adjacent to Brisbane are the estuarine and coastal environments of the Moreton Bay Region. Such biologically diverse ecosystems are rarely found within easy reach of the one institution.