Bond University is a private university located in Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is also the first private university established in Australia. Bond also differs from other Australian universities as it schedules three semesters each year, commencing in January, May and September, allowing a six-semester degree to be completed in two years, instead of three, without increasing semester workloads. Bond received top marks in more categories (key performance indicators) of the Good Universities Guide than any other Australian university in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and an equal second rating in 2010. The university was ranked equal 31st in the 2010 Excellence in Research for Australia rankings which assessed Australian universities' research activity and quality. Bond University was founded in 1987 by Alan Bond and given its university status by Queensland's Bond University Act. It also operated Bond South Africa, a degree-awarding campus in South Africa, until 2004. On 7 August 2008, the Bond University Postgraduate Centre was opened in Sydney. The centre will award postgraduate business degrees to individual students and employees sponsored by businesses.