Next Wave | Page 8

Good Universities Guide report card T he Good Universities Guide is the only independent review of tertiary institutions in Australia, ranking universities using a five-star system based on graduate survey responses. Here we look at a few of USC’s ratings in depth, to explain the story behind the stars. Five Stars for Teaching, Satisfaction and Generic Skills USC’s commitment to top-quality teaching has always been, and will remain, our priority. This is why USC has achieved a five-star rating for teaching for nine years in a row, along with overall satisfaction and generic skills. Our students consistently tell us the high quality of teaching, and personalised learning they receive through smaller class sizes, directly impacts their overall satisfaction and generic skills gained from study. 8 Very Small vs Very Big Student to Staff Ratio With fewer than 10,000 full time students USC is placed at the smallest end of the population scale when compared with QUT, UQ, and Griffith, which have more than 45,000 students each. But bigger isn’t necessarily better. Many of our students move across from bigger universities seeking a more personalised education. USC’s smaller class sizes greatly aid our capacity to teach and build relationships with students that continue through the duration of their degree. With an equal three-star rating for staff and student ratios across all four universities, the question then comes down to the quality of teaching. USC has achieved a five-star rating for teaching quality nine years in a row, placing us well ahead of the pack. UQ QUT Griffith Very Big more than 45,000 students Big more than 30,000 students Average more than 20,000 students Small more than 10,000 students USC Very Small less than 10,000 students Research Research rankings are based solely on the total value of approved funding for each year, so a one-star rating is merely a reflection of USC’s smaller size, not its quality. Despite its size, USC’s research cohort has already achieved major success within locally important issues such as accident prevention research and koala preservation. USC’s research budget has doubled since 2011 and is set to double again in the next five years, with a focus on building more research programs and facilities. So the future of research on the Sunshine Coast is bright. Student Outcomes Skills USC Griffith QUT UQ Overall Satisfaction     Teaching Quality     Generic Skills     Socioeconomic Equity     Student to Staff Ratio     Student Outcomes     Research     It can take regional graduates a few more months to find jobs close to home, but USC graduates catch up very quickly! And two stars for student outcomes is just the beginning. With major infrastructure developments on the Sunshine Coast, such as the Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital and Maroochydore City Centre, job prospects for USC graduates are looking brighter for years to come. In addition, the presence of the University on the coast has given a major boost to the region’s knowledge economy, as previous graduates become business leaders who in turn offer recent graduates