Students returning to study after graduating have rated the University of the Sunshine Coast the best public university in Australia for student experience.
In the latest Student Experience Survey released by the Australian Government Department of Education this week, UniSC tops the list of 37 public universities for postgraduate coursework student experience.
UniSC postgraduate coursework students reported higher satisfaction than national averages across most categories including overall experience, teaching, support and resources.
Postgraduate study includes graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and Master degrees, and usually follow a Bachelor degree.
Connection and collaboration
Drew Dale, who will graduate with a Master of Business Administration, says his postgraduate study helped him push through perceived limitations to leverage 40 years’ experience in supply chain operations to launch a consultancy.
“My entire experience at UniSC has been nothing but positive,” said Mr Dale, a Dhungutti First Nations man based at Moreton Bay.
“I can honestly say in every instance I was able to make a real connection with every single one of my lecturers. I was treated as a peer responsible for my own education, and it felt very collaborative.”
He credits the program for banishing “imposter syndrome”, allowing him to empower other businesses to integrate new technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things or big data to streamline operations and remain profitable.
Mr Dale is now exceeding revenue targets, juggling new opportunities in academia and considering a PhD. He will outline his experience further at the upcoming Postgraduate Business Masterclass webinar on Thursday 25 September at 5pm.
Real-time and relevant study
Dr Jane Menzies, who coordinates the MBA and postgraduate business programs at UniSC, says the key to a great student experience is to make sure learning opportunities are relevant and interactive and help the student make a positive impact.
“In business, we need to always be across the latest information, so students are dissecting the news, current issues in business and megatrends in real time, from Trump’s tariffs to business transformation through artificial intelligence,” Dr Menzies said.
“Because of this, students are very hands-on, working with real companies and not-for-profits to address business problems such as developing better marketing strategies, applying for government grants, developing data dashboards and enhancing employee engagement.
“But a great student experience is also about everything we do at a class level, the small class sizes, high-quality course materials, face-to-face and online workshops, great lecturers, guest speakers, industry events and an international study tour every year,” Dr Menzies said.
The Graduate Outcomes Survey, released at the same time, shows UniSC salaries are in the country’s top six for postgraduate coursework graduates.
It also shows UniSC’s overall employment rate slightly higher than the national average at 88.9 percent, four months following graduation.
First in Queensland for undergraduate student experience
UniSC also ranked in the top four public universities in Australia for undergraduate student experience, and first in Queensland for the fourth year running.
UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, says the results highlight UniSC’s consistently high standards for ensuring students receive a quality higher education experience.
“Students and employers are, year-on-year, rating us highly for teaching quality and engagement, student support and services, skills development, learning resources and peer engagement,” Professor Bartlett said.
“This satisfaction is reflected when our students hit the workforce, with employers also reporting strong confidence in the capabilities and work readiness of UniSC graduates.”
The Employee Satisfaction Survey, released at the same time, shows UniSC performing above the national average for foundation skills, adaptive skills, collaborative skills, technical skills and overall satisfaction.
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