Curious onlookers of all ages travelled to open days at the Australian National University, University of Canberra, Australian Catholic University and the Australian Defence Force Academy on Saturday.

Each institution provided a range of fun activities and drawcards for young and old, showing off the best of each faculty and discipline.

ANU's science units showed examples of their work in various disciplines, allowing visitors to get hands-on with a range of different displays.

As well as sumo wrestling robots, a showing of native bettongs from Mulligans Flat, visitors were treated to a "lab coat party" tour of facilities.

In the chemistry section, visitors learned how to make fluoro slime and blueprints, an activity that appealed to young and old.

First year chemistry PhD student Joe Kaczmarski said the activities had appealed to many different people, including nine-year-old Suli Stewart.

He said the open day was an opportunity to appeal to both students interested in applying for university later in the year, as well as younger people considering science in the future.

"It's very important to get [children] excited about science from an early age," he said.

"That will help drive them towards a career in the field later in life."

The university also spruiked a new flexible "vertical double degrees" program, allowing students to decide on postgraduate study during their time as an undergraduate.

"We recognise that students want to map out their own journey in their own time," deputy vice-chancellor Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington said.

"At 17 it is very hard to know exactly what you want to do, and it's very common for students to change course before they finish their bachelors degree."

The University of Canberra showed off a range of displays, including a miniature version of the future shape of campus, made in part by 9000 toothpicks.

ACU got into visitors' heads, inviting people to play an interactive mind-controlled simulation as a paramedic tending to patients in an emergency.

ADFA, meanwhile, took to the skies with RAAF Roulettes flying in formation over the capital.