The University of Western Australia (UWA) was established in 1911 as the State's first university. The University was established due largely to the efforts of Sir John Winthrop Hackett, who had a long-standing vision and passion to provide Western Australia with a university.

UWA is highly ranked internationally in various publications: the 2015 QS World University Rankings placed UWA at 98th internationally, and in August 2016 the Academic Ranking of World Universities from Shanghai Jiao Tong University placed the university at 96th in the world. To date, the university has produced 100 Rhodes Scholars; one Nobel Prize laureate and one Australian Prime Minister.

More than 100 years later, the University is now home to nine Faculties and Schools and a number of Research Institutions and Centres which celebrated the University's Centenary in 2013. UWA also entered the internationally-recognised Academic Ranking of World Universities' Top 100 listing, continuing to set the standard for other West Australian universities to follow in terms of recognition for its achievements nationally and internationally.

University in Western Australia adopting a new system to futher separate the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Students entering the University at an undergraduate level must choose a three-year bachelor's degree. The university offers a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Design (BDes). UWA also offers Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) only for high-achieving new students that take four years instead of the usual three for the other bachelor's degrees.

UWA is one of the largest landowners in Perth as a result of government and private bequests, and is constantly expanding its infrastructure. Recent developments include the $22 million University Club, opened in June 2005, and the UWA Watersports Complex, opened in August 2005. In addition, in September 2005 UWA opened its $64 million Molecular and Chemical Sciences building as part of a commitment to nurturing and developing high quality research and development.