It’s official! The University of New England (UNE) has again been awarded five-stars for the quality of its student experience by its most discerning customers – its students.
The results published by the Good Universities Guide highlight UNE’s commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience regardless of location.
Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Professor Brigid Heywood said it is an exceptional achievement for a small regional university and underscores how UNE’s vast experience in remote learning has supported our students during unprecedented times.
“UNE is the only university in Australia to have received a five-star ranking for Overall Student Satisfaction 16 years in a row,” Prof. Heywood said. “No other Australian university has so consistently met the expectation of their students and graduates.”
“We devote significant resources into developing innovative online learning tools to maintain and enhance student engagement, including new virtual platforms for laboratory experiments, field excursions, intensive schools and practicals, and I’m very pleased with how this has resonated with students.
“Equally important is the scholarship, quality assurance and student support that our educators and staff bring to bear in supporting our teaching and learning efforts and I thank them for their efforts.
“These results are an amazing testament to the support UNE has provided its students across the COVID pandemic particularly.”
In addition to receiving top marks for Overall Student Experience, UNE ranks as the top university in the country for Teaching Quality at Postgraduate level and Student Support at Undergraduate level.
UNE ranked first in New South Wales for Graduate Salary, a category that measures the highest median starting salaries of graduates. UNE also ranked first in NSW for First Generation, a category that shows the proportion of first-in-family students to attend university.
“Our new decadal strategy, Future Fit, has strong emphasis on personalised learning journeys, empowering communities and building resilience. Our five-star rating for First Generation validates our endeavours in this important category,” Professor Heywood said.
The Good Universities Guide is Australia’s largest tertiary education comparison tool, allowing prospective students to make information decisions. Its annual guide ranks Australian university performance in different categories using data from the Department of Education and various graduate and student experience surveys.
