November 19, 2024

Student Experience Survey highlights all-round excellence

UOW rated best in Australia for communications, law and paralegal studies, and teacher education

Students have given the University of Wollongong (UOW) high marks in the national QILT 2023 Student Experience Survey (SES), the only comprehensive survey of current higher education students in Australia.  

For undergraduate students, UOW outperformed national benchmarks across all the key indicators in the survey: quality of entire educational experience; teaching quality and engagement; peer engagement; learning resources; student support and services; and skills development. 

UOW achieved a quality of entire educational experience score of 80.4 per cent, surpassing the sector average by 3.9 per cent. For peer engagement, UOW’s score was an impressive 10.5 per cent above the sector average. Student support and services also performed strongly, scoring 4.1 per cent above the national average, with other indicators surpassing sector averages by 2.5 per cent to 3.2 per cent. 

UOW ranks among the top 11 universities in Australia across all undergraduate SES indicators. In New South Wales, UOW is number one in the Learning Resources category, and in the top 3 in the state across the other SES indicators.  

UOW was also rated highly by postgraduate coursework students, performing above the sector average in four of six indicators. 

UOW’s strong performance in the 2023 Student Experience Survey is reflected on the Government’s ComparED website, which brings together data from QILT’s Student Experience, Graduate Outcomes Survey, Course Experience Questionnaire, aggregating data from the past two years, along with median salary data from the Australian Taxation Office. 

On ComparED, UOW also excelled in the discipline-specific national rankings, including being ranked as the best in Australia for Communications, Law and Paralegal Studies, and Teacher Education.  

Interim Vice-Chancellor and President Professor John Dewar AO said the University could take pride in the results, which showcased UOW’s all-round strengths in teaching and learning. 

“These achievements reflect the University’s steadfast commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience. To perform above national averages across all indicators speaks to the dedication of our staff and the engagement of our students, who are at the heart of everything we do,” Professor Dewar said. 

“UOW’s improvements, especially in the Quality of Entire Educational Experience indicator, and our leading national and state rankings in critical areas, underscore our goal of providing a supportive, enriching, and high-quality learning environment for all students. 

“We are deeply committed to fostering a sense of community, engagement, and support at UOW, enabling our graduates to be well-prepared and responsible contributors to society. These results inspire us to continue advancing in all facets of the student experience.” 

In the survey results for postgraduate coursework students, UOW performed above the sector average in teaching quality and engagement; peer engagement; learning resources; and student support and services. Peer Engagement emerged as the top-performing area, scoring 5.6 per cent above the sector average, with Student Support and Services closely following at 3.8 per cent above average. In ComparED’s postgraduate aggregated rankings, UOW placed 3rd in NSW for Student Support and Services. 

In discipline-specific postgraduate coursework study, UOW has maintained robust standings, with Engineering ranking 1st in NSW and 4th nationally, further underscoring UOW’s strong reputation in this field. 

ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY AND COMPARED 

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) Student Experience Survey is the only comprehensive survey of current higher education students in Australia. It focuses on aspects of the student experience that are measurable, linked with learning and development outcomes, and potentially able to be influenced by higher education institutions. QILT is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education. 

The ComparED website is designed to allow potential students to confirm their choices about the higher education institutions and study areas they are considering for their further education. Data collected through the QILT surveys drives the ComparED website. The website allows users to compare information from actual students and graduates about their current student educational experience and graduate outcomes.