There were 39 recognised universities in Australia in 2007, of which 37 were public institutions and 2 are private. For a list of all universities in the Australian university system, both public and private, see the article List of universities in Australia.

These universities are represented through the national universities' lobbying body Universities Australia (previously called Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee). Eight universities in the list have grouped themselves together, in recognition of their perceived status and/or history, and classify themselves as the ‘Group of Eight (Australian universities)’ or ‘G8’. Other university networks also exist with less prominence (e.g., the Australian Technology Network of Universities; the Innovative Research Universities - Australia group).

Allocation of responsibilities

The Commonwealth has the primary responsibility for public funding of higher education.

Commonwealth funding support for higher education is provided largely through:

• the Commonwealth Grant Scheme which provides for a specified number of Commonwealth supported places each year;
• the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) arrangements providing financial assistance to students;
• the Commonwealth Scholarships; and
• a range of grants for specific purposes including quality, learning and teaching, research and research training programmes.

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) administers Commonwealth funding and develops and administers higher education policy and programs.

Decision-making, regulation and governance for higher education are shared among the Commonwealth, the State and Territory Governments and the institutions themselves.

By definition within Australia, universities are self-accrediting institutions and each university has its own establishment legislation (generally State and Territory legislation) and receive the vast majority of their public funding from the Australian Government, through the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

Some aspects of higher education are the responsibility of States and Territories. In particular, most universities are established or recognised under State and Territory legislation.

The Australian National University, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and the Australian Maritime College are established under Commonwealth legislation.

The Australian Catholic University is established under corporations law. It has establishment Acts in New South Wales and Victoria.

Many private providers are also established under corporation’s law.

States and Territories are also responsible for accrediting non-self-accrediting higher education providers.

As self-accrediting institutions, Australia’s universities have a reasonably high level of autonomy to operate within the legislative requirements associated with their Australian Government funding.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides descriptors for qualifications accredited through the higher education sector, as well as those accredited by the vocational and technical education sector and the schools sector. All accredited higher education providers are listed on the AQF register.