Improved results in an analysis of Australia's universities reflects a transformation underway at Federation University, the higher education institute's leaders say.
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FedUni achieved a five star rating, meaning it was ranked in the top 20 per cent of all Australian universities, in nine out of 14 categories in the 2020 Good Universities Guide - up from three five star rankings last year.
The data released on Tuesday shows FedUni graduates are more likely to get a full-time job and earn a higher starting salary than graduates from any other Victorian university.
According to the Good Universities Guide, 77 per cent of students gain full time employment after graduating from FedUni, above the national average of 71.9 per cent.
Graduates from FedUni have the 10th highest average starting salary in Australia at $62,600.
In other top rankings, FedUni is number one in Australia for first generation student enrolments - 44 per cent of domestic students commencing a bachelor's degree are the first in a generation to attend university.
FedUni is ranked number one in Victoria for social equity, student teacher ratio, and student satisfaction with skills development, student support and teaching quality.
FedUni's leaders say the high rankings reflect a transformation underway - over the past two years the university has moved into a budget surplus, restructured its schools and appointed new leadership positions to drive change, including five new Deans and a Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation.
"These outstanding results demonstrate the high quality teaching and support we give our students to ensure they graduate with the skills employers want," Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said.
"Many of our students are the first in their family to go to university and have overcome incredible challenges to do so. We know that with the right support they can succeed and transform their lives - and that is reflected in these results."
While the Good Universities Guide tells a story of improvement for FedUni, it is ranked low for achievement in some categories.
The university's retention rate is the fourth lowest in Australia, meaning less than one per cent of students are retained at a higher rate than the national average of students with comparable entrance scores into their second year of study.
The percentage of qualified staff at FedUni is also relatively low - 59 per cent of staff have a PhD, Doctorate by research or Doctorate by coursework, the seventh lowest rate in the country.
The data shows FedUni attracts students with low entrance scores in the bottom 20 per cent of scores in Australia.
The Good Universities Guide is developed by the Good Education Group, a privately owned Australian company, to provide university students with information to compare courses and universities.
Visit gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/ for full details and results.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
