March 28, 2014
International students give UOW College a glowing report card
International students have given UOW College a glowing report card in a survey of their experience at English language schools.
They have ranked UOW College as one of the best in Australia through an independent survey that asked them to rate experiences of learning and living while attending an English language school.
The annual i-Graduate English Language Barometer (ELB) is an independent survey that provides a snapshot of students’ perceptions, attitudes and experience in English language schools.
The results help more than 165 international English language schools in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada provide quality services for visiting students.
The recently released 2013 ELB surveyed 16,138 students from 123 institutions worldwide, including more than 10,500 students from 49 Australian institutions. Of those, 160 were UOW College students.
UOW College was ranked:
- First in Australia and third worldwide for the students’ overall experience
- First in Australia for student support
- First in Australia for arrival experience
- Second in Australia for living
- Third in Australian for learning
UOW College General Manager Julie Renwick said: “We are so thrilled with this result. We knew we were doing a great job – but we are just blown away to hear that our students rank us as among the best in Australia.”
A series of questions were asked that related to four key experience indicators: support, arrival, living and learning. The support indicator measured factors including visa application help, careers advice and counselling.
Reflecting on their arrival, students scored the college on factors such as their formal welcome at the institution, registration and getting to accommodation.
The living component of the survey covered the campus environment, facilities accommodation quality and living costs, among others, while the learning indicator included impressions of the library, opportunity for language practice and virtual learning.
Scores were benchmarked against Australian and international colleges.
Caio Campos Araujo Padua, 23, came to UOW on a Brazilian government scholarship to participate in the ‘Science Without Borders’ program.
He earned a High Distinction during a six-month English for Tertiary Studies course that has enabled him to take two semesters of his biology degree at UOW.
“At first it was really hard and stressful but after I started university I could see that I was being prepared for the course and using English at a university level,” he said.
“My academic English is 100 per cent better than when I came to Australia. I’m much more confident and I can talk to anyone and I think that comes from the class and all the opportunities we have to practise our English.”
UOW College is a pathway institution for the University of Wollongong that offers alternative entry through university preparation courses as well as vocational education and English language programs.
More information: uowcollege.edu.au
Media contact: Grant Reynolds, Media & PR Officer, +61 2 4221 4743, +417 010 350 or grantr@uow.edu.au.