USQ ranked highly in 2011 Good Universities Guide

USQ has received a positive report in the 2011 edition of the Good Universities Guide.

The Guide is an independent publication that rates universities and private education providers across Australia on how they compare from data collected from graduate surveys and government statistical information.

With a five-star rating being the very best, USQ was ranked among the top performers in Australia for staff qualifications, the number of its graduates who find employment or continue on to higher degree studies, its flexible entry pathways, Indigenous participation initiatives, access by equity groups, international enrolments, gender balance, and the academic services given to students through its support, counselling and study skills programs.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baker, said it was particularly pleasing that USQ improved in a number of measures from last year including student demand for its courses, overall graduate satisfaction, and graduate employment outcomes.

'Over the past few years USQ has been working hard to allow a wider number of people to take up a university education and it was pleasing that these efforts were now being reflected in the feedback from students and from all levels of government.

'With a high percentage of our students from rural and regional Australia and with many being the first- in-family to enrol in a university degree it has been necessary to establish a broad range of teaching and support programs that students want to enrol into but also will be able to successfully complete,' he said.

'Yet again, we have been recognised with a four star rating for developing flexible enrolment pathways for our students and for the number of international enrolments we attract.

'I’m also delighted the University has been given the highest possible rating for indigenous participation, its access by equity groups and gender balance,' Professor Baker said.

'Our staff have again been recognised with a four star rating for their qualifications by the Good Universities Guide which places USQ ahead of some of the larger Brisbane based universities including Griffith University and the University of Queensland.'

Professor Baker said that while there were still some areas for improvement such as research outcomes and associated funding support USQ, had designated 2010 the Year of Research to provide an impetus for an increased level of activity.

'We are concentrating on establishing better opportunities for staff to undertake research, the funding base to support specialist research activities and giving staff the necessary skills to carry out ground breaking research across the disciplines,' Professor Baker said.

'Seven specialist centres have already been established including two new strategic research centres in the Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development and the National Centre for Engineering and Agriculture.

'We are also delighted also to see dramatic improvements in the student demand for our degree programs and also in the graduate outcome measures of employment which both received four (4) stars as a method of success.'

USQ was also recognised for its flexible delivery of its courses with the Good Universities Guide noting that all of its undergraduate degrees can be completed online.