The Centre for Olympic Studies (COS) was established in the year 2000 through an agreement between the Australian Olympic Committee and The University of Queensland.

The University of Queensland COS and the Australian Centre of Olympic Studies (ACOS), situated at the University of Technology Sydney, are the only study centres dedicated to the Olympic Movement in the whole of Australia. The University of Queensland is also one of the few places in the world that holds a near complete 'Brundage Collection' offering a unique range of primary sources providing endless amounts of information on the Olympic Movement at the St Lucia Campus.

The aim of the COS is to encourage and foster greater awareness and understanding about the Olympic Movement within The University of Queensland and the broader community.

The key activities of the Centre include:

  • Olympic research projects;
  • Collection and storage of archival material relating to the Olympic Movement in society;
  • Occasional Papers and Distinguished Persons Lecture Series; and
  • Sessions of the Australian Olympic Academy.

The University of Queensland's School of Human Movement and Nutrition Studies (HMNS) offers a course dedicated to the study of the Olympic Movement, Playing on the Big Stage: Histories of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Contact us

If you would like more information about The Centre, please email cops@uq.edu.au and direct your inquiry to: 

Director Professor John Cairney or Senior Research Officer Dr Stephen Townsend