In 2013, the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE) engaged Graduate Careers Australia, in conjunction with the Social Research Centre to work with universities and key stakeholders to administer the UES.
This administration of the 2013 UES looks to improve upon the foundation provided by the 2012 UES, while still providing robust and timely survey data and reports appropriate for use by DIICCSTRE and participating universities. The data is intended to be used as an input into quality improvement processes and to be published on the MyUniversity website to assist in informed student decision making around courses and institutions.
In 2013, the survey will include the five UES components of the student experience: Skills Development, Learner Engagement, Quality Teaching, Student Support and Learning Resources. It will also include a number of demographic questions and as recommended in the 2012 University Experience National Report, six of the scales from the current Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ – Good Teaching, Clear Goals and Standards, Generic Skills, Overall Satisfaction, Graduate Qualities Scale, and Learning Community) that will follow.
The 2013 UES will be administered from 12 August to October. A random sample of current first year and final year students will be selected to participate in the survey. The Social Research Centre will be inviting students to participate in the online survey on behalf of UTAS. All responses are confidential and no personal information will be linked to students’ responses.
UTAS will assist in the process by engaging relevant students in the UES to ensure the required 35% response rate through a publicity and response rate strategy with an aim to provide reliable and valuable information on the student experience to the Australian Government and to universities.
All responses will be entered into a draw to have a chance to win either a $500 gift voucher or 5 x $100 gift vouchers as an incentive to encourage participation.
More information on the 2013 UES can be found on www.ues.edu.au
More information about government policy on advancing quality in higher education can be found on the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education website.