USC is Becoming a Major Success Nationally
15 October 2005
The positive outcome of the first round of university
applications through QTAC could easily be dismissed as another
minor good news story for USC, but be largely ignored in favour of
more dramatic news.
If, however, these most recent data are analysed alongside both
the performance of other universities, and of this University in
other arenas, the newsworthiness of what is gradually being
achieved by USC is assuming national significance.
The QTAC figures indicate clearly the success and growing status
being achieved by this University and its talented staff, in the
face of what have often been not inconsiderable odds.
Let's just unpack these figures to examine their significance a
little more closely.
The University's popularity continues to grow, with first
preferences up by nearly 25 per cent on 2004. Total preferences now
number over 7600, ahead of some universities that have been around
for a lot longer, with many more resources than we have had.
If comparisons are taken further, USC's performance becomes even
more impressive. For example, the Brisbane universities spend
millions of dollars advertising and aggressively competing. An
unprecedented amount of prime time TV advertising, for example, is
being booked by those universities attempting to increase
market-share. Yet despite all that expenditure, their first
preferences were up between 1 per cent to 7 per cent on 2004
figures. Some of the regional universities were experiencing
significant drops in application rates, down to -15 per cent on
first preferences and -24 per cent on overall preferences.
The outstanding performer in Queensland is USC.
Whilst these are early days, and there remain good opportunities
here for prospective students, both for school-leavers and
mature-aged, to enrol, the figures clearly underscore the emergence
of this University on the national scene.
If we add to these figures the fact that we are now recognised
as having the best qualified academic staff of any Queensland
university; that we have secured the most Commonwealth funded
student growth places in any single university campus in the
country; that we were only beaten by University of Queensland in
the 'Learning and Teaching Performance Fund' rankings of Queensland
universities; and that student satisfaction is amongst the
country's highest, it is easy to see why USC is becoming more and
more attractive to prospective students.
In addition, next year the already attractive campus will be
made even more so, by the provision of extra buildings and
facilities from which students, in particular, will directly
benefit. The social and leisure dimension of the campus will be
further enhanced by extending and diversifying the central hub area
between the Art Gallery and the new building designed by Lindsay
and Kerry Clare. A new café, new landscaping, more shelter, more
seating and many other features.
So when we add to the academic appeal the attractiveness of one
of the most beautiful campuses in the world, it is easier to see
why the QTAC data are indicative of the continued emergence of a
new and powerful university that is destined to be a major force in
the Twenty-first Century.
Professor Paul Thomas is Vice-Chancellor of University of the
Sunshine Coast