The University of New England (UNE) is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales. The University of New England was the first Australian university established outside a capital city. Each year, the University offers students more than $2.5 million in scholarships, prizes, and bursaries and more than $18 million for staff and students involved in research. The University of New England was originally formed in 1938 as the New England University College, a College of the University of Sydney. It became fully independent in 1954. The University of New England has undergone two major changes since 1989. The University of New England Act, 1989, created a network University consisting of: (i) a campus at Armidale, incorporating the former University of New England and the former Armidale College of Advanced Education; and (ii) a campus at Lismore, incorporating the former Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education. The following year the Orange Agricultural College joined the network University.