The University of Wollongong (abbreviated as UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney.

Wollongong, informally referred to as "The Gong", is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is thought to be derived from the word woolyungah in the language of the Aboriginal inhabitants at the time of settlement, meaning five islands. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of central Sydney.