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