NEWS campusreview . com . au
ECU vice chancellor Steve Chapman . Photo : Colin Murty
The good news
ECU and CSU receive nation-leading ratings in the latest Good Universities Guide .
By Wade Zaglas
Edith Cowan University and Charles Sturt University were standout performers in the Good Universities Guide 2022 , with both institutions recording a string of perfect ratings during a period of significant disruption .
ECU achieved a remarkable feat this year , receiving a five-star rating for undergraduate teaching quality for 15 years in a row .
This makes the West Australian university one of only two public universities in the country to receive top marks in that area in the same timeframe .
The Good Universities Guide 2022 also ranked ECU the number one public university in the state , achieving another five-star rating for overall experience . In addition to teaching quality and overall experience , ECU was awarded top marks in four other categories : student support , skills development , learning resources and learner engagement .
The university also performed strongly at the postgraduate level , not only being rated the top WA university again , but scoring five stars for learning resources and overall experience . The latest Good Universities Guide also concluded that the starting salary for ECU postgraduates eclipsed all other universities in the state at $ 88,700 .
ECU vice-chancellor Professor Steve Chapman said he was impressed with the results and proud of the university ’ s ability to maintain high teaching quality and university experiences amid the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ The Good Universities Guide 2022 ratings show that ECU consistently offers one of the best learning experiences in Australia for both undergraduate and postgraduate students ,” he said .
“ After the disruption of COVID-19 in 2020 , it is pleasing to see we were still rated very highly for teaching quality and overall education experience .
“ Our hard working staff deserve recognition for maintaining our record run of 5 star ratings in the face of a global pandemic , by continuing to focus on our students .”
Charles Sturt University ( CSU ) similarly received impressive ratings in the latest Good Universities Guide , maintaining its reputation as Australia ’ s leading university for full-time graduate employment rates . A substantial 86 per cent of the university ’ s graduates find full-time employment within four months of course completion .
The multi-campus university also ranked among the top five universities in the country in the areas of postgraduate employment , overall experience , teaching quality and starting salaries , with a mean salary of $ 95,000 for CSU postgraduate students . CSU also achieved “ nation-leading outcomes ” in 12 study areas , including law , nursing , computing , social work and psychology .
Our hard working staff deserve recognition for maintaining our record run of 5 star ratings in the face of a global pandemic .
Interim vice-chancellor Professor John Germov said he was “ delighted to again see Charles Sturt at the top of the higher education sector for graduate employment rates ”, saying it was “ testament to the university ’ s commitment to produce career-ready graduates ”.
“ Charles Sturt University strives to ensure we develop graduates with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their chosen careers ,” he said .
“ These results are a testament to the quality of the teaching we deliver and the strength of the relationships the university has with industry which enable our students to engage in valuable practical work experience over the course of their studies . “ Charles Sturt University has a superb record in graduate employment outcomes , one which our students value and which we are justifiably proud of .”
The Good Universities Guide 2022 ratings are based on results from key national surveys run on behalf of the Australian Government under the banner of Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching ( QILT ). ■
6