THE University of Newcastle (UON) has been awarded a five-star rating for student retention in the Good Universities Guide 2020, while also receiving one of the lowest marks in the country for learner engagement.
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Good Education Media's 30th annual and independent guide provides ratings and insights across a number of "high-level" indicators for students to compare the strengths of Australian universities.
The guide measures student experience in six categories. UON received marks above the national average in student support and learning resources, but below the national average in overall experience, skills development, teaching quality and learner engagement, where its mark of 56 per cent was the fourth-lowest in the country and well behind the top of 83.9 per cent at Bond University.
Under its student body data UON received five stars for student retention, meaning its retention of domestic students through to a second year of study was high enough to put it into the top 20 per cent.
It also received five stars for social equity, which relates to its proportion of new domestic students from a low socio-economic background.
A UON spokesperson said these ratings reinforced its "proud commitment to equity" and "reflects our commitment to providing not just access to higher education, but also support for students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational goals".
UON also received a five-star result in at least one of eight measures in architecture and building; business and management; communications; creative arts; dentistry; engineering; health services and support; pharmacy; rehabilitation; social work and teacher education.
Other student body data shows seven per cent of its undergraduates are international students compared to a top of 29 per cent at the University of Melbourne; 59 per cent are non-school leavers compared with a top of 89 per cent at the University of New England and 25 per cent are first generation university students, compared with a top of 44 per cent at Federation University.
A total of 81 per cent of staff hold a PhD compared with a top of 90 per cent at the Australian National University.
The guide shows UON's graduate outcomes have strengthened, with 74.2 per cent of graduates finding full time employment four months after completing their course, compared to a national average of 71.9 per cent. UON's figure is up from 70.7 per cent last year and 68.4 per cent the year before.
The median starting salary is $60,500 - just above the national average of $60,000 - and up from $58,800 last year and $57,000 the year before.
The spokesperson said UON expected graduate outcomes to continue to improve. It said it was looking as part of its 2020-2025 strategic planning process at "ways to enhance student employability, skills development and engagement through work-integrated learning for all undergraduate students" and would introduce advanced courses for advanced students in 2020.
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
