University of New South Wales

What University of New South Wales does

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public research university established in 1949 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia, operating across seven faculties (Arts Design & Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law & Justice, Medicine & Health, Science, and UNSW Canberra) plus a professional development division. The university serves three core customer segments: domestic and international students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, and Higher Degree Research programs; government research agencies (ARENA, ARC, NHMRC) funding initiatives like the AUD 95.4M ACAP solar research program through 2033; and industry partners (JA Solar, TotalEnergies, Aussie Solar Batteries, JT Solar, Syngenta, Prince of Wales Hospital, US Air Force) collaborating through fee-for-service research and licensing.

UNSW operates world-class research infrastructure including the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) consortium spanning seven universities and CSIRO, the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (Australia's largest shared facility with 25 labs and 400+ instruments), the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, the RNA Institute, and the 3DXLab immersive visualization lab. Notable proprietary technologies include PERC solar cell architecture (used in ~90% of global solar panels, originated by Professor Martin Green), singlet fission solar technology, thermoradiative diodes for night-time power, copper-cobalt catalysts for electrochemical urea synthesis, AlgoraeOS AI for drug-combination prediction, motor-free hydraulic soft robotic surgical systems, and the BMPC algorithm for multi-UAV surveillance.

Revenue is generated across seven streams: domestic Commonwealth-supported tuition, full-fee international tuition, government research grants (ARENA, ARC, NHMRC), industry research partnerships and consulting coordinated through Barker Street Ventures and Unisearch, professional development and executive education via AGSM, alumni giving and philanthropy, and technology commercialization through equity stakes and licensing in spinouts including HB11 Energy and OzAmmonia. Distribution combines direct on-campus delivery across Sydney (Kensington, Paddington, CBD, Parramatta), Canberra (ADFA), Bengaluru (from August 2026), and Yixing (CTET centre since 2017), with global student recruitment through a 78+ country agent network and digital channels.

Name

University of New South Wales

Legal name

University of New South Wales

Website

https://unsw.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

UNSW is a public research university and Australia's top-ranked institution (QS 2027), delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degrees across seven faculties, with major research infrastructure in photovoltaics, RNA therapeutics, AI, and energy, and a first international campus launching in Bengaluru, India in August 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG), International & Global Research Universities (Multi-Campus/International Footprint) (EDAHABAI), Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) (EDAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University research programs
• Postgraduate education
• Professional development courses
• Online learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Domestic Student Tuition: Commonwealth-supported places for domestic Australian students, partially government-funded with student contribution fees.
2. International Student Tuition: Full-fee international students contributing significantly to university revenue; UNSW noted as relying on international student fees to cover operating shortfalls amid declining domestic per-student funding.
3. Research Grants and Government Funding: Major grants including ARENA funding for ACAP ($95.4M extended through 2033), ARC/NHMRC grants, and industry co-investment. ACAP program includes $220M total national research initiative with co-investment from seven universities and industry partners.
4. Industry Research Partnerships and Consulting: Fee-for-service research partnerships, consulting, and contract research with industry partners including solar manufacturers, healthcare companies, and technology firms. Services coordinated through Barker Street Ventures deep tech investment platform and Unisearch expert opinion service.
5. Professional Development and Executive Education: Short courses, microcredentials, MBA and executive education programs through AGSM and professional development division.
6. Alumni Giving and Philanthropy: Donations and alumni contributions supporting scholarships, research, and institutional priorities.
7. Technology Commercialization and Spinouts: Revenue through equity stakes, licensing, and investment returns from deep tech spinouts including HB11 Energy, OzAmmonia, and other Barker Street Ventures portfolio companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UNSW is a public research university delivering undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs across seven faculties (Arts Design & Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law & Justice, Medicine & Health, Science, and UNSW Canberra), along with higher degree research (HDR) and professional development short courses. The university operates world-class research facilities including ACAP, MWAC, Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, RNA Institute, and 3DXLab, commercializing research outcomes through Barker Street Ventures, Unisearch expert opinion services, and industry partnerships. UNSW also runs an expanding international campus network, including a new Bengaluru campus launching August 2026.

Product overview

UNSW is a comprehensive research university offering degree programs across seven faculties (Arts Design & Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law & Justice, Medicine & Health, Science, and UNSW Canberra) plus professional development and short courses. The university operates world-class research infrastructure including the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC), Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, RNA Institute, and 3DXLab immersive visualization lab. Research products include AI-enabled energy management platforms, PainWaive EEG neurofeedback system, AusculPatch wearable stethoscope patch, and AI companions Tom and Mia for student support. UNSW is expanding internationally with its Bengaluru campus opening August 2026. Rankings: #1 in Australia, #19 globally (QS World University Rankings 2027).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) UNSW-led national research consortium focused on advancing high-efficiency solar cells and next-generation tandem solar technology, partnering with seven Australian universities and CSIRO.
• Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC) Largest shared analytical facility in Australia with 25 labs and 400+ scientific instruments for medicine, material science, and advanced manufacturing research.
• Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics Largest genomics facility at any Australian university, equipped with next-generation sequencing technology, expression analysis, and high-throughput microarray systems.
• RNA Institute Australia's leading RNA therapeutics and translational facility applying RNA-based research to vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and treatments for cancers, infectious diseases, rare genetic disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions.
• 3DXLab Multi-disciplinary research lab combining arts-led visualization with immersive technologies including 3D animation, data visualization, VR immersive design, and extended reality (XR) for science communication, biomedical visualization, and training simulations.
• AI-Enabled Energy Management Platform AI-driven energy management platform for optimizing solar and battery systems with forecasting, demand-side management, optimization algorithms, and digital-twin modeling to enable virtual power plant deployment.
• PainWaive EEG Neurofeedback System EEG neurofeedback system using interactive brain training games to rebalance abnormal brain waves associated with chronic neuropathic pain, offering a drug-free alternative with headset components built in-house at ~$300 cost.
• AusculPatch Wearable Stethoscope Patch Wearable stethoscope patch that records heart, breathing, and pulse signals, enabling AI-assisted detection of patient deterioration for remote patient monitoring outside clinical settings.
• AI Companions Tom and Mia AI conversational companions developed by UNSW to provide mental health and wellbeing support to students through conversational interfaces.
• UNSW Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degree Programs Full degree programs across seven faculties, including double degrees, pathways, Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) for domestic and international students.
• UNSW Online and Distance Learning Programs Online postgraduate programs, short courses, and microcredentials available for flexible remote learning.
• AGSM MBA and Executive Education Premium MBA, executive education, and professional development programs delivered through the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM).
• Unisearch Expert Opinion Service Fee-for-service expert opinion and consulting service providing industry and legal access to UNSW's academic expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• UNSW's PERC solar technology used in approximately 90% of solar panels installed worldwide, with global solar installations reaching 650 GW in 2024
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability18 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026UNSW leads the ACAP national solar research consortium of seven Australian universities and CSIRO, with $95.4M ARENA funding extended through 2033 as part of $220M national research initiative. ACAP has influenced over 90% of solar cells installed globally and is developing next-generation tandem cells, AI-enabled materials discovery, and advanced characterization tools.
• Martin Green / Solar Cell Research TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNSW's photovoltaic research led by Professor Martin Green developed PERC technology now used in ~90% of global solar panels. Research team achieved world records for solar cell efficiency 1985-2010s, with technology commercialized through Suntech (Zhengrong Shi, UNSW protégé) listed on NYSE in 2005.
• TotalEnergies and EPFLmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearchers from TotalEnergies and EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) collaborated with UNSW on green hydrogen electrolyzer research using 3D X-ray operando synchrotron imaging to study bubble formation and electrode architecture optimization. Research published in Energy & Environmental Science.
• JA SolarmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJA Solar partnered with UNSW through JA Solar Power Talk webinar series featuring CTO Dr. Zi Ouyang and Professor Bram Hoex on TOPCon solar cell technology. Dialogue examined TOPCon's emergence as mainstream PV architecture, addressing manufacturing challenges and reliability testing for large-scale deployment.
• JT Solar Technology Pty LtdmajorTechnology or IntegrationUNSW selected JT Solar as exclusive energy industry partner in Australia for the MPPS (Multi-Purpose Power System) initiative, integrating solar generation, battery storage, and intelligent control systems for multi-unit residential and commercial buildings. Working with UNSW and government-supported TRaCE program.
• Aussie Solar Batteries (ASB) GroupmajorTechnology or IntegrationTwo-year research partnership (through December 2026) developing AI-enabled energy management platforms for virtual power plant deployment across Australian residential and commercial solar networks. Part of Federal Government-funded Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) initiative.
• Algorae Pharmaceuticals and CSIRO Data61majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlgoraeOS AI drug-combination prediction platform developed in collaboration with UNSW and CSIRO Data61, trained on 5.5M+ inhibition records. Independent preclinical validation at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre confirmed strong predictive alignment. AlgoraeOS v2 launched after validation.
• HB11 EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHB11 Energy is a UNSW space technology spinout (2019) developing laser-driven nuclear fusion using hydrogen-boron fuel. UNSW researchers Marcus D. T. Demierre and Heinrich J. H. K. presented at International Astronautical Congress. Company claims 10x efficiency advantage in proton acceleration and is funded by US Air Force for balloon test flights.
• Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNSW signed MoU with KREDL on April 2, 2026 in Karnataka to establish renewable energy startup incubator, facilitate exchange opportunities, and provide startups access to innovation ecosystems in both India and Australia. NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore and IISc serve as incubation and technical validation partners.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIRO is a member university in the ACAP consortium alongside UNSW and six other Australian universities, contributing to the $95.4M ARENA-funded national solar research initiative through 2033.
• Gdansk University of Technology and Polish Academy of SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNSW researchers collaborated with Poland's Gdansk University of Technology and Polish Academy of Sciences to analyze material composition of 12 solar panels in the Australian market, assessing recycling profitability and finding consistent year-on-year decline in silver content in newer panels.
• OzAmmonia (UNSW Spinout)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOzAmmonia is a UNSW spinout advancing sustainable ammonia and nitrogen chemistry technologies. Key researchers including Associate Professor Rahman Daiyan and Scientia Professor Rose Amal are part of OzAmmonia leadership, working on electrochemical urea synthesis from CO2 and nitrogen waste streams.
• Australian Museum FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNSW researchers participated in research funded by Australian Museum Foundation at Kinchega National Park near Menindee Lakes, discovering millennium-old dingo burial site with 'feeding' ritual evidence. Findings published in Australian Archaeology.
• Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGarvan Institute published the largest study to date on immune differences between sexes at single-cell resolution with UNSW-affiliated researchers, identifying 1,000+ genetic switches operating differently in men vs women. Both institutions are Sydney-based research leaders.
• University Grants Commission (UGC) - IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia's UGC granted UNSW a Letter of Approval to establish and operate its first international campus in Bengaluru at Embassy Manyata Business Park. Classes commence August 2026 offering Business, Computer Science, Data Science, and Cyber Security degrees. Part of India's NEP 2020 internationalization agenda.
• Karnataka State Government (India)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed with Karnataka government's industries department for UNSW Bengaluru campus. MoU presented in presence of Karnataka state ministers M.B. Patil and Dr M.C. Sudhakar. UNSW also plans campus at upcoming KWIN City.
• Paul Conyngham / OpenAI / Google DeepMindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian tech entrepreneur Paul Conyngham used ChatGPT and AlphaFold (Google DeepMind) to develop personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for his dog Rosie in collaboration with UNSW's RNA Institute. Professor Pall Thordarson called it the first personalized cancer vaccine for a dog. Positive reactions from OpenAI President Greg Brockman and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis.
• St. Vincent's Hospital SydneyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3DXLab partnered with St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney on cross-faculty immersive visualization projects for medical training and simulation. Both are Sydney-based institutions collaborating on healthcare innovation.
• Australian SynchrotronmajorTechnology or IntegrationExperiments conducted at Australian Synchrotron's XAS, MEX-1, and IRM Beamlines provided atomic-scale insight into copper-cobalt catalyst restructuring during electrochemical urea synthesis, revealing mechanisms for carbon-nitrogen bond formation.
• Monash University and University of QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner3DXLab engaged in cross-faculty and cross-institution research projects with Monash University and University of Queensland in addition to UNSW Medicine and UNSW Science departments.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• University of Melbourne: Australia's other leading Group of Eight research university, directly competing for the same domestic and international student pool, research grants (ARENA, NHMRC, ARC), and QS ranking position that UNSW just overtook in 2027.
• University of Sydney: Group of Eight peer and fellow Sydney-based comprehensive research university competing on student recruitment, faculty talent, research funding, and rankings in the same metro market.
• Australian National University (ANU): Group of Eight member and Australia's premier research university; comparable scale of research output, government-funded flagship institution, and direct competitor for top international students and academic talent.
• Monash University: Group of Eight peer with comparable engineering, medical, and science faculties; partner in some 3DXLab cross-institution projects and direct competitor for research grants and industry partnerships.
• University of Queensland: Group of Eight peer with strong research portfolio including biomedical and engineering, sharing consortium membership in initiatives like ACAP and direct competition for ARC/NHMRC funding.
• University of Western Australia: Group of Eight member and fellow comprehensive public research university competing on international student recruitment and research output at smaller scale.
• University of Adelaide: Group of Eight peer institution competing in similar research and education markets across Australia, though at smaller scale than UNSW.

Broad incumbents

• National University of Singapore (NUS): Leading Asia-Pacific comprehensive research university that competes directly with UNSW for international students across Asia, particularly in engineering, business, and computer science programs.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Global research-intensive institution; comparable in deep-tech research output, industry partnerships, and spinout ecosystem (Barker Street Ventures analogous to MIT Technology Licensing Office), and a global benchmark for engineering and science research.
• Stanford University: Global research university with industry-leading tech transfer office (OTL) that provides a benchmark for UNSW's Barker Street Ventures; comparable in solar/clean energy research intensity and AI/tech talent concentration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UNSW
• Facebookfacebook.com/unsw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/home
• Instagraminstagram.com/unsw
• TikToktiktok.com/@unsw
• Xx.com/unsw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds13 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of New South Wales