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Feedback

Student feedback is important to us at UOW

We are committed to working with our students as trusted partners and listening to your feedback so we can make your time at UOW as useful, fulfilling, and transformative as possible.

Below are some of the ways you can share your thoughts about your teachers and classes, university services and facilities, and student life at UOW.

 

How we listen...

The SES is an annual national survey administered by the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education. Your feedback helps to improve the student experience at UOW.

Subject and Teacher Evaluation by Students (SEBS and TEBS) surveys are conducted online at specific times throughout the year, usually towards the end of each session.

SEBS and TEBS provide you with an opportunity to make your voice heard on important aspects of learning and teaching at UOW, and feedback is used to enhance subjects for students in the future. Student insights are also invaluable in helping teaching staff to improve subject delivery, teaching practices and learning outcomes.

 

The Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) is completed by graduates of Australian higher education institutions approximately four to six months after finishing their studies. The GOS measures short-term employment outcomes including skills utilisation, further study activities, and graduate satisfaction.

Students living in UOW Residences are given the opportunity to provide feedback on their experiences each year via the Student Satisfaction Survey.

The SAC maintains an ongoing relationship with the University Senior Executive where student feedback can be escalated. The SAC welcomes all feedback, ideas, concerns and complaints from students to be brought to the attention of the University.

Each year UOW invites you to give feedback on how the SSAF fee revenue should be spent. A survey is sent through SOLS, giving you the chance to rank UOW's SSAF spending priorities and evaluate the impact of SSAF projects on your overall student experience.

The National Student Safety Survey (NSSS) is a sector-wide survey under Universities Australia’s Respect. Now. Always. initiative, which aims to measure student perceptions of safety at Australian universities and experiences relating to sexual assault and sexual harassment. 

UOW welcomes complaints and recognises that complaints provide the University with an opportunity to rectify a problem and to make improvements. Formal complaints can be made via the complaints management centre.

What we're doing with your feedback...

We use your feedback to improve the student experience. Here are some of the things we're doing with your feedback.

Students want to connect with peers and take advantage of the on-campus experience 

So we are….

Providing students with more opportunities to connect with their peers and enjoy student life 

  • Launching a First Session Mentoring Program to help you settle into uni life and get to know other new students 
  • Expanding our Peer Learning Coaching (PLC) program, providing access to assistance from senior students with time management, assessment planning and staying motivated with your studies. 
  • Reintroducing Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) so you excel in your subjects and connect with your peers in a relaxed environment outside of your tutorials and lectures.  
  • Investing in and revitalising student-led initiatives like clubs and societies to give you even more opportunities to connect. 
  • Continuing to run It’s Go Time, a multi-week series that provides support and connection opportunities over the first six week of your studies, and beyond. 
  • Increasing social programs for international students, including on-beach experiences; English Language conversation groups and cooking classes 
  • Holding regular face-to-face events, providing you with more opportunities to connect with your peers.

Students enjoy O-week festivities on campus

Students want better access to services and support that will help them succeed in their studies.

So we are….

Providing more types of personalised support that is easy to locate and access. 

View the full range of services and support available for students.

Students want ongoing support to navigate life and study and feel part of the UOW community. 

So we are….

Providing a range of services, opportunities and facilities to support our diverse student community. 

  • Introducing compulsory weekly welcome sessions for new international students covering important topics such as student systems, enrolment assistance, support services, and beach safety in Australia, as well as providing an opportunity to connect with your peers 
  • Investing in English Conversation Groups, both online and face-to-face, providing a platform for you to practice and improve your spoken English 
  • Introducing drop-in sessions focusing on strategies and tips for studying in Australia 
  • Partnering with community groups and local councils to facilitate beach and water safety programs 
  • Opening a multifaith centre on Wollongong campus offering a range of supports and services for students from diverse faith backgrounds 
  • Increasing the number of low sensory spaces on all UOW campuses to benefit the wellbeing of our students, staff and neurodiverse members of our community 
  • Investing in revitalising spaces for independent student associations such as WUSA, WUPA, Queer Collective, Tertangala, and the student ombudsman and student advocates. 
  • Creating a UOW Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework to build a university where all students and staff feel welcome and valued  

Students from EIS working on a project

Students want help with personal circumstances that are impacting their success at university. 

So we are….

Providing support for financial stress, housing issues and wellbeing and health concerns. 

  • Continuing to provide access to 24/7 wellbeing support via the free and confidential Student Wellbeing Support Line 
  • Continuing to build our team of Student Support Coordinators (SSCs), Counsellors and Student Accessibility and Inclusion (SA&I) Specialists 
  • Building a UOW Wellbeing Framework to address areas that we need to focus on and improve 
  • Introduced dedicated housing officers to assist students, both within UOW Residences and in private accommodation, to find secure housing 
  • Partnering with Good Shepard to create UOW’s Financial Inclusion Action Plan, so we can take strategic and impactful actions to improve the financial inclusion of our students and staff, with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion 
  • Increasing scholarships for equity students and introducing monetary grants for students in subjects that have placement components to assist with costs

 

Students want systems and processes that are easy to use and understand. 

So we are….

Improving our administrative processes, systems and learning platforms, and upgrading our technology.  

  • Introducing a digital Student Success Portal as a central location for accessing support online 
  • Undertaking a review of UOW Learning Platforms, in consultation with students and staff. 
  • Upgrading Moodle to enable the option of dark mode, a redesigned dashboard layout, menu options, calendar, and improved mobile experience. 
  • Implementing changes to the SOLS Academic Consideration application process and adding direct links from Enrolment and Variations to knowledge articles for easier access. 
  • Working on improving the tutorial enrolment process, including streamlining timetables. 
  • Reviewing processes and looking at ways to simplify them so they are easier to follow. 
  • Increasing Knowledge Bank articles and content to better enable flexible self-service and immediate answers to questions about studying at UOW

 

 

Student-on-laptop

Students want relevant and constructive feedback on assessment tasks that gives them the tools they need to improve. 

So we are…

Providing access to personal feedback tools and improving feedback from teaching staff. 

  • Launching an Academic Skills Centre on Wollongong campus, giving you access to numeracy and literacy advisors who can help provide feedback on your assignments, or help you understand feedback you’ve received 
  • Continuing to provide access to Studiosity, an online feedback tool which provides constructive writing feedback in less than 24 hours, or live chat for one-to-one help in real time 
  • Increasing the number of Maths and Learning Skills advisors to support students across all campuses 
  • Launching a trial of Feedback Fruits suite of tools to improve peer assessments, group collaboration, and provision of feedback on assessments 
  • Embedding feedback guidelines for teaching staff in all courses to improve the practice of giving feedback on your assessments 
  • Improving the practice of giving feedback on your assessments and using innovative tools to enable more relevant feedback from your teaching staff. 
  • Reviewing and improving assessment practices, including addressing your concerns about ‘over-assessing’ and removing high stakes final exams, unless they are absolutely necessary.

 

Student and teacher talking at a desk

Students want to develop work-related knowledge and skills that they can apply in their chosen careers.    

So we are…

Offering opportunities for students to engage with potential employers and get real-world experience. 

  • Reinvigorating our flagship Graduate Careers Expo, bringing the largest number of employers ever to UOW 
  • Delivering a local jobs fair to link students with real time job opportunities 
  • UOW Academic Staff are working to create more opportunities within courses for students to engage in work integrated learning experiences. 

Students want increased community awareness and prevention training on sexual violence and to have input on student safety at UOW. 

So we are….

  • Holding UOW Respect Week every year as an opportunity for the UOW community to talk openly about what respect looks like, feels like and sounds like to each of us. 
  • Continuing to train staff, student leaders and placement providers in providing appropriate first response support to anyone disclosing incidents of sexual harassment or sexual assault.   
  • Partnering with the Wollongong Liquor Accord to develop an online training program called Set The Bar for staff working in licensed premises.   
  • Continuing to work with student representatives on our Safe and Respectful Communities Advisory Group.  
  • Making the Consent Matters module compulsory for all students, to raise awareness around consent, bystander intervention and how to report incidents of sexual assault and sexual violence. 

Respect week girls in front of big RESPECT letters