The Good Universities Guide 2022
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HOW TO USE THIS SECTION This section provides a series of ratings and insights across a range of indicators. The ratings are grouped together under common themes. These ratings and rankings give an overview only- make sure you undertake further careful research before choosing a course and campus. The rankings and ratings show that courses and institutions differ in many ways. Only you can decide which differences really matter to you. The rating and ranking categories covered in this section are listed below. THE STUDENT BODY • Student numbers • Domestic versus international undergraduates • Proportion of international undergraduates by university • Domestic student pathways to undergraduate study • Proportion of non-school leavers by university • How undergraduate students choose to study • Proportion of undergraduates studying full-time and on campus CHARACTERISTICS • Social equity • First generation • Staff qualifications • Student demand • Student-Teacher ratio GRADUATE OUTCOMES • Full-time employment • Starting salary THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE • Overall experience • Skills development • Student support • Teaching quality • Learner engagement • Learning resources
KEY FACTS LOCATION AND COMPOSITION The location of a university and the composition The table below indicates regionally based of its student cohort can have an impact on their universities; those with a cohort comprising more results. than 50% of students studying off-campus; and universities with a cohort that has a majority of non-school leavers. MAJORITY NON-SCHOOL MAJORITY PART-TIME, UNIVERSITY REGIONAL LEAVERS OFF-CAMPUS OR BOTH ACU ✓ - ADELAIDE ANU BOND ✓ - CANBERRA ✓ ✓ CDU ✓ ✓ CQUni ✓ ✓ ✓ CSU ✓ ✓ ✓ CURTIN ✓ DEAKIN ✓ ✓ ECU ✓ ✓ -- ->- FEDERATION ✓ ✓ FLINDERS ✓ GRIFFITH ✓ ✓ JCU ✓ ✓ ✓ LATROBE ✓ -- MACQUARIE ✓ -- MELBOURNE -- MONASH MURDOCH ✓ -- NEWCASTLE ✓ ✓ NOTRE DAME ✓ QUEENSLAND -- QUT -- RMIT - SOUTHERN CROSS ✓ ✓ ✓ SUNSHINE COAST ✓ ✓ SWINBURNE ✓ ✓ -- SYDNEY TASMANIA ✓ ✓ UNE ✓ ✓ ✓ UniSA UNSW USQ ✓ ✓ ✓ UTS UWA ✓ .. --- . vu ✓ WESTERN SYDNEY ✓ WOLLONGONG ✓
THE STUDENT BODY STUDENT NUMBERS Depending on your personal preferences, the size Institutions in this graph are ranked in size order of a university may be an important factor in your from the largest number of students enrolled to decision-making process. This rating indicates the smallest. whether a university is big in terms of the total The numbers referenced in this chart are from the number of students enrolled, very small or in Department of Education, Skills and Employment between. and refer to the total number of undergraduate and postgraduate students for the 2019 enrolment year. VERY BIG BIG � � MORE THAN 50,000 STUDENTS MORE THAN 40,000 STUDENTS MONASH UNSW GRIFFITH MACQUARIE RMIT DEAKIN WESTERN SYDNEY CSU MELBOURNE QUEENSLAND CURTIN SWINBURNE SYDNEY QUT UTS AVERAGE SMALL � � MORE THAN 30,000 STUDENTS FEWER THAN 30,000 STUDENTS vu FLINDERS UWA LATROBE WOLLONGONG ADELAIDE MURDOCH JCU TASMANIA ACU CQUni USQ SOUTHERN CROSS NEWCASTLE ECU ANU UNE UniSA FEDERATION CDU VERY SMALL SUNSHINE COAST NOTRE DAME FEWER THAN 20,000 CANBERRA BOND STUDENTS
THE STUDENT BODY DOMESTIC VERSUS INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATES Numbers referenced in this chart are from the This chart looks at the mix of domestic and international students undertaking undergraduate Department of Education, Skills and Employment study at Australian universities. It provides an idea and refer to the total number of undergraduate of the typical make-up of the student body. students for the 2019 enrolment year. THE STUDENT BODY � - DOMESTIC UNDERGRADUATES - INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATES
THE STUDENT BODY PROPORTION OF INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATES BY UNIVERSITY All universities in Australia enrol international This chart shows what proportion of each students -study abroad or exchange students, university's undergraduate student population are and those completing a full program. This international students studying onshore. rating indicates the number of international Numbers referenced in this chart are from the undergraduate students as a proportion of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment total number of undergraduates at each university. and refer to the total number of undergraduate students for the 2019 enrolment year. 40¾ OR LESS THAN MORE 30-39¾ 20-29¾ 10-19¾ 10¾ 111111. �"#- LJ.J LJ.J z 2 :::, <( Cl LJ.J er: f-- 0 z
THE STUDENT BODY DOMESTIC STUDENT PATHWAYS TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDY Not all domestic students commence an This chart illustrates the proportion of students undergraduate degree immediately after high that take each pathway into undergraduate study. school. Some students may decide to spend some time in the workforce or head overseas on a gap year. Others may look to complete a VET qualification or transfer from another degree if they don't meet the entry requirements for their course of interest. VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS HIGHER THE STUDENT BODY � OTHER MATURE-AGE QUALIFICATIONS STUDENTS 1%
THE STUDENT BODY PROPORTION OF NON-SCHOOL LEAVERS BY UNIVERSITY We know that not all students go to university This chart indicates the number of domestic straight after Year 12. Non-school leavers may undergraduates at each university who do not commence an undergraduate degree on the commence directly from secondary school (non basis of VET qualifications, mature-age special school leavers). entry provisions, professional qualifications, a Numbers referenced in this chart are from the higher education qualification (either completed Department of Education, Skills and Employment or incomplete) or some other criteria, such as an and refer to the 2019 enrolment year. interview or portfolio. LESS 80% THAN OR MORE 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 20% I '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 ';ff!. ?f!. '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 � '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 '3 00 I.!) I.!) CC) N °' Lt) CCl N 0 °' r-- r-- I.!) r-- r-- I.!) Lt) Lt) <:I" CC) CC) 0 0 °' 00 00 r-- Lt) r-- <:I" <:I" r-- r-- Lt) °' 00 00 00 00 00 r-- r-- r-- r-- r-- I.!) I.!) I.!) I.!) Lt) Lt) Lt) Lt) Lt) L1) Lt) Lt) U) U) Lt) Lt) 'SI" 'SI" 'SI" 'SI" 'SI" � CC) CC) CC) N N N w w Vl w I- >- I- I- w w Vl w Vl w w >- ::) ::) l.'J CY ::) z I z I ::) 0 <( z <( ::) ::) 0 ::) I :o:,:; ·c � Vl Vl w _J et: I- w Vl � Vl ::) - CD 0 Vl z 0 ii'. Vl u z u u > u z z ::) 0 t:: z z Vl z 2 z Q 2 I- � w 0 w <( � z et: ::) z ::) u ::) et: 0 <( <( et: u <( 0 et: LL ·c a <( <( <( 0 �a Vl ::) <( z <( a� w <( et: et: 0 0 ::) 0 LL et: _J z ::) 0 ::) ::) w _J 0 0 ::) CD <( ::) u l.'J u <( u CD 2 CD >- I- z w Vl >- et: u ii'. 0 u 0 0 a z et: Vl w Vl Vl z z w :::; 0 z z w CD u ::) l.'J <( et: 2 � LL w 0 < _J et: z z <( ;:: <( _J 0 w I- 2 u w w w � et: _J w I z 0 2 Vl w ::) I LL 2 0 Vl z I- a I- z Vl ::) � w ::) 0 Vl � Vl
THE STUDENT BODY HOW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS CHOOSE TO STUDY This rating gives you an indication of typical study The numbers referenced in this chart are from the modes, and indicates the mix of undergraduate Department of Education, Skills and Employment students studying full-time and on campus in and refer to the 2019 enrolment year. contrast to undergraduate students studying in combinations of other study modes (either part-time or off campus) or in mixed-mode, which combines on and off-campus study. THE STUDENT BODY � - FULL-TIME ON-CAMPUS - PART TIME AND/OR OFF CAMPUS
THE STUDENT BODY PROPORTION OF UNDERGRADUATES STUDYING FULL-TIME ON CAMPUS Most universities offer a number of flexible study This chart indicates the number of undergraduates options. This chart shows the proportion of each studying full-time and on campus as a proportion university's undergraduate student body that is of all undergraduates, by university. studying full-time and on-campus. The remaining Numbers referenced in this chart are from the students may choose to study part-time, or Department of Education, Skills and Employment through online and distance education. and refer to the 2019 enrolment year. 80% LESS THAN OR MORE 20% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 1111 •• � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � N co r--. LJ) LJ) "'" "'" ('() ('() ('() ('() co co co r--. N 0 °' N N co \0 ('() °' LJ) r--. \0 "'" N \0 co 0 °' co LJ) co co co co co co co co co co r--. r--. r--. r--. r--. r--. \0 \0 \0 ;:; LJ) LJ) LJ) "'" "'" :;j: :;j: ('() ('() ('() ('() N · LJ.J LJ.J c:: a LJ.J LJ.J LJ.J I- l/l l/l I- >- >- LJ.J LJ.J LJ.J l/l (D 0 I :::) l'.J :::) 0 :::) t:: z z :::) <( I <( :::) z I :::) :::) l/l z :]: � :::) I- er: l/l LJ.J w _J l/l 0 :::) l/l er: l/l z l/l u > u u z I- z l/l z z 2 z er: 0 :::) 0 � 0 � sz z 2 LJ.J <( I- ':d, a ::) er: :::) z z er: LJ.J er: 0 u <( <( a C: cr: u er: z <( ::'{ <( :::) er: <( l/l 0 0 0 er: LJ.J <( <( � 0 0 0 er: u :::) z :5 C) :::) L.L I- _J 0 :::) :::) (D :::) :::) <( 0 LJ.J l'.J <( (D LJ.J l/l z u >- >- u 2 (D 0 0 u er: 0 Q:'. <( LJ.J er: u a z l/l l/l z l/l 0 z ::::; LJ.J z _J (D LJ.J :::) z 2 er: u l'.J 0 LJ.J L.L :]: <( <( _J z <( z er: _J I- 0 <( LJ.J I- LJ.J LJ.J 2 u er: � LJ.J _J LJ.J 0 z :::) :i: 2 l/l L.L LJ.J 2 I 0 z l/l a I- I- z l/l :]: ::) LJ.J :::) 0 l/l :]: l/l
CHARACTERISTICS SOCIAL EQUITY This rating shows the proportion of students Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in a university's entire cohort of domestic are defined by the Department of Education, students who come from low socioeconomic or Skills and Employment 'Low SES (SA 1) Measure disadvantaged backgrounds. (b,c)' category, which refers to a combination of factors that determine a student's social equity A five-star rating means that the institution's background, such as their home address and proportion of commencing domestic students parents' occupation. from a low socioeconomic background is high enough to put it in the top 20%. Numbers are from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and refer to the 2019 enrolment year. ***** 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES 1111111 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � O'I O'I CX) \!) I.I) "" "" "" "" rn rn rn N O'I O'I CX) CX) CX) r--. \!) \!) \!) "" rn rn N 0 0 O'I O'I O'I CX) r--. I.I) rn rn rn N N N N N N N N N N N N UJ >- UJ <{ <{ ::, UJ UJ UJ UJ s: UJ >- UJ I- Vl Vl UJ Vl I- O'. 0 z <{ ::, ::, ::, I ::, ::, I.'.) z I t:: ::, z I 0 z C � � Vl z UJ _J Vl Vl O'. I- s: Vl Vl z cc 0 z ::, O'. Vl > u u I- u Vl z O'. ::, 0 0 z 2 z z i== Q <{ z ::, <{ z � I- <{ UJ 2 u 0 UJ O'. ::, UJ ::, C ::, u 0 Cl: <{ <{ 0 0 ::, Vl 0 O'. <( <{ ::, 0 <{ 0 O'. <{ ::, 0 O'. 0 cc 0 O'. u. ::, z :5 >- ::, _J 0 <{ 0 ::, UJ 0 u � I.'.) 0 >- 2 u u z I- UJ Vl Vl z cc u O'. u � 0 0 cc O'. z UJ u Vl Vl UJ ::::; 0 z z _J <{ UJ z ::, I.'.) O'. <{ s: 2 <{ u. :5 0 UJ UJ u z z O'. <{ 0 I- UJ _J I- 2 UJ 2 O'. UJ � UJ _J 2 z :i: 0 Vl ::, UJ u. I Vl 0 z I- 0 I- Vl z ::, s: UJ ::, 0 Vl s: Vl
CHARACTERISTICS FIRST GENERATION All universities are striving to make higher A five-star rating means that the proportion of education more accessible to people from commencing bachelor students who identify different backgrounds and circumstances. as the first in their family to attend university is This rating looks at the proportion of domestic comparatively high enough at one university to students commencing a bachelor degree, whose place it amongst the top 20% of all universities for parents' education is known and did not exceed this measure. a vocational qualification. These students are the This rating is based on a pooled dataset that first in a generation to attend university, while covers domestic enrolment numbers from 2012 many will be the first person in their whole family. to 2019. ***** 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES I � � 00 lf) N N 0 UJ z er: ::S
CHARACTERISTICS STAFF QUALIFICATIONS This rating looks at the proportion of academic A five-star rating means the proportion of staff staff who hold a PhD, Doctorate by research at this institution holding a doctoral degree is or Doctorate by coursework. There are highly sufficient to put it in the top 20% of all universities. qualified academics at every university, but This rating is based on the 2019 full-time it's important to consider other factors - we equivalent (FTE) of full-time and fractional full-time recommend comparing these results to graduate academic staff, as published by the Department of employment outcomes or the Teaching Quality Education, Skills and Employment in 2021. rating. ***** 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � co r--- r--- r--- I.O 'St 'St ('() N � 0 0 0 co co co r--- r--- r--- \0 LI) LI) ('() N N � � 0 0 a, co co � 0 a, co ('() ('() r--- co co co co co co co co co co co co co r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- r--- I.O I.O I.O I.O I.O LI) LI) LI) LI) 'St w Vl f- w w >- f- >- w Vl w w Vl w w l'.) ::) 0 I I t:: <( z <( I z ::) 0 ::) <( ::) ::) 0 z ::) ::) � � C: _J w Vl w Vl c:: Vl f- ::) c:: z 0 z CD z Vl z z z f- � u u Vl u 0 u c:: z > :2: Vl S2 � ::) 0 2 f- i== z w ::) c:: c:: z <( z er 0 w � u <( u:: 0 C: 0 ::) ::) <( u <( z Vl c:: <( 0 ::) <( <( 0 c:: <( <( 0 0 w 0 c:: 0 i== :5 z L.L ::) 0 0 :::) c:: _J ::) w 0 ::) <( ::) 0 CD l'.) CD u u u <( Vl w >- >- CD f- 2 z 0 c:: u u 0 c:: 0 z 6 c:: w z Vl Vl Vl z 0 w z :::i CD z w 2 l'.) ::) u c:: � L.L 0 <( _J :5 <( z z er w <( 0 f- _J w u 2 i w a:: � w _J w z I 0 ::) w Vl 2 2 I L.L 0 Vl z 0 f- f- z Vl � ::) w ::) 0 Vl � Vl
CHARACTERISTICS STUDENT DEMAND Student demand is based on the premise that Using The University of Melbourne as an example, students with higher entrance scores have more this table represents all the scores achieved by options open to them than students with lower all the students who commenced a bachelor scores. If the students with high scores can degree in 2019. We have separated them into 10 theoretically go to any university, where are they increments, where the top 10% of scores achieved choosing to go? comprise the first decile, the next 10% the second decile, and so on. This rating is indicative of school-leavers who were enrolled on entrance score only. It does not To achieve the ratings and determine the five-star reflect demand from other types of commencing universities, each decile is given a weighted score. students, such as those with VET qualifications. A university that enrols more students with scores in the top deciles will achieve a higher weighted In the chart below, High Scores comprises the top score. 20% of scores in Australia, the Medium Scores refer to the middle 60%, while the Low Scores are 55% of students who commenced a bachelor the bottom 20%. degree at The University of Melbourne had scores in the top two deciles, therefore it's considered to This rating is based on the mean decile ATAR of be higher in demand than other universities. commencing students at each university in 2019. ***** 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES w > ::::, 0 w >- I z U) w U) ::::, <( I >- ::::, I >- z ::::, ::::, w w w z ::::, ::f 0 (!) ·c 5 w ::::, U) >- 0 0:: U) U) U) � z _J en � z � z z u u U) u z ::::, u 0 > U) ii: ;::: z t:: :iE S2 ::::, <( ..., >- z <( <( 0 <( w w ·c ::::, u <( 0:: 0:: 0 z 0:: z ::::, 0:: :;;: <( 0 0 0 LI... <( 0:: <( U) 0 _J z 0 ::::, 0 LI... w ::::, 0:: 0 ::::, _J 0 u w � :::, ::::, ::::, :::;: (!) U) en <( > 0 w z u en >- > u U) 0:: z 0 0:: 0 ii: u 0 U) z z U) 0 ::::; z :::;: ::::, w w w u 0 (!) en LI... <( s: :'.:S <( � :::;; z _J z 0 w <( -' _J u � w 0:: w :::, :::;; :E en z w LI... 0 w 0 U) >- z s: U) :::, w U) 5 I� Ii I�
CHARACTERISTICS STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO This rating looks at the number of students per This rating is based on data for 2019 full-time teacher. A five-star rating means a university equivalent of teaching academic staff (including is in the lowest 20% for student-teacher ratio, actual casual staff) and equivalent full-time which indicates comparatively fewer students per onshore student enrolments for 2019. teacher. Please note that shared teaching arrangements between universities and partner organisations can influence these ratios. LESS THAN 20:1 25:1 20:1 OR MORE OR MORE JCU CDU ***** 5 STAR TASMANIA CSU UNIVERSITIES FEDERATION* GRIFFITH USQ ADELAIDE UNE BOND LATROBE* SOUTHERN CROSS ANU QUT ACU MURDOCH NOTRE DAME ECU WOLLONGONG SYDNEY RMIT* vu UWA UNSW SWINBURNE MONASH MELBOURNE CANBERRA* SUNSHINE COAST* NEWCASTLE MACQUARIE UTS DEAKIN QUEENSLAND UniSA CURTIN uws * This university has provided edits to their student-teacher ratio data to better reflect their circumstances, such as shared teaching arrangements with partner organisations. Data unavailable for CQUni and Flinders.
GRADUATE OUTCOMES FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT This rating looks at the proportion of graduates who were employed full-time four months after completing their course. NATIONAL AVERAGE ***** 71.3% 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES STARTING SALARY This rating compares the median salary of graduates from different universities. Salary and employment data have been sourced from pooled results of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey. ** ** NATIONAL AVERAGE 5 STAR $62,600 UNIVERSITIES
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE These ratings compare the performance of For each category, the percentage of students who universities across six student experience were satisfied with the university's performance categories: in the area is noted. For example, if a university achieves 75% for Teaching Quality, this indicates • Overall Experience that 75% of students at the university were • Skills Development satisfied with the quality of teaching they • Student Support experienced. • Teaching Quality Data has been sourced from the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching {QILT) and is based Learner Engagement on the results of the Student Experience Survey. • Learning Resources Please note that the QILT website provides For each of these categories, institutions are confidence intervals that reflect the accuracy of awarded five stars if they fall within the top 20% of these estimated values, which have not been all universities. Note that in cases where there are included in this guide. numerous universities with the same score, the Student experience data has been sourced from proportion in the five-star category may exceed the 2019 and 2020 Student Experience Survey. 20% of all universities. OVERALL EXPERIENCE This rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the overall quality of their educational experience. ***** NATIONAL AVERAGE 73.5% 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT This rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the skill development they experienced through their studies. NATIONAL AVERAGE ***** 79.7% 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES STUDENT SUPPORT This rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the support they received from their institution. NATIONAL AVERAGE ***** 73.9% 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE TEACHING QUALITY This rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the quality of teaching they experienced. NATIONAL AVERAGE * * * 79.5% S STAR UNIVERSITIES LEARNER ENGAGEMENT This rating looks at the proportion of students who felt they were engaged with learning at their institution. NATIONAL AVERAGE ***** 52.2% S STAR UNIVERSITIES
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE LEARNING RESOURCES This rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the learning resources provided by their institution. It is based on students' average ratings of teaching spaces (including lecture theatres, laboratories and tutorial rooms), student spaces and common areas, on line learning materials, computing and IT resources, assigned books and notes, laboratory or studio equipment and library facilities. NATIONAL AVERAGE **** 80.3% 5 STAR UNIVERSITIES