USQ ranked No.1 by international students

International students ranked USQ best Australian university for support experience

USQ provides an outstanding higher education and lifestyle experience for international students, according to a recent survey.

The International Student Barometer (ISB) 2010 National Report, released this week by Universities Australia, surveyed students from 34 universities. It found that before and during their student experience, what mattered most to students was quality learning and quality living.

USQ was ranked Number One in Australia for support experience with overall satisfaction, receiving an exceptional rating of 92.4 percent from the 36,308 international students who responded to the survey. This compared with the national average of 86 percent.

Out of the Australian universities, USQ took second position for learning experience (85.6 percent overall satisfaction), living experience (79.3 percent overall satisfaction) and overall experience (85.1 percent satisfaction).

USQ Vice Chancellor Professor Bill Lovegrove said the ISB Report shows that the University’s priorities in making international students welcome and that their learning, living and support services are the best in the country were on target.

'During the past few years a lot has been done to not only attract high calibre students to our campuses at Toowoomba, Springfield and Fraser Coast but also to give them the best learning experience we can,' he said.

Professor Lovegrove said that in spite of recent issues, including visa processing times and exchange rates, more international students were seeing USQ as offering world-class qualifications in a safe and supportive environment.

'The International Student Barometer is a valuable indicator of how Australian universities are viewed by the students themselves and assess the on-going assistance and liveability individual institutions can give to overseas arrivals.'

International students commented highly on services provided by the international recruitment and admissions and student support teams, USQ finance, ICT support and the residential colleges. Counselling, careers and employment, student equity and disability resources also featured prominently in the student opinion survey.

Professor Lovegrove said the one thing USQ had learned from the survey was this overarching message: That continuous improvement is central to how well universities deliver positive experiences for their students.

The full ISB Report is available at www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/isb 

Contact Details:
Madeleine Tiller, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1163, 0423 166 307