A group of graduates gather
A group of graduates gather outside the Sheldonian Theatre after a graduation ceremony at Oxford University, Oxford, England, May 28, 2011 Reuters/Paul Hackett

Individuals looking to earn a degree will find several universities in Australia that are renowned for their excellent teaching and research facilities.

Some of these notable institutions have produced world leaders and Nobel prize winners.

1. University of Melbourne

The public university was founded in 1853 and is the second oldest University in Australia. Many times, the oldest university in Victoria has been named the best university in the country by ratings boards around the globe, including the Academic Ranking of World Universities and Times Higher Education. The sandstone university also features 11 academic units and several research centers inside the campus.

2. University of Sydney

Another sandstone university, it ranked consistently in the top five universities in Australia and in the top 40 worldwide. The university was founded in 1850 and has since offered bachelor, master and doctorate degrees to thousands of students. Its campus is deemed to be among the most beautiful worldwide. The University of Sydney has also produced seven Crafoord and Nobel-prize winners.

3. Australian National University

It is a public university located in the country's capital, Canberra. The university was founded in 1946 by the Australian Parliament and was rated No. 1 by the QS World University Rankings in 2013. A 2014 study by Times Higher Education ranked it the 7th best international university in the world. ANU is a member of the Group of Eight and has produced six Nobel prize winners to date.

4. Monash University

The university is located in Melbourne and was founded in 1958. It belongs to the Group of Eight and is the only Australian university that is part of the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers, Universities and National Academies. It has the biggest student body in the country. The campus also features major research facilities and teaching centers.

5. University of New South Wales

The public research university was founded in 1959 and is the first university worldwide to be given the QS 5 Star Plus badge for excellence. UNSW is a founding member of the Group of Eight and has partnered with more than 200 universities around the globe for research and international exchange education purposes.

If you're curious as to how these universities fared in the Australian Education Network's proposed 2015 list, check them out here.