Enhancing aspects of the higher education student experience

Abstract

Enhancing the student experience is now recognised by tertiary institutions as a valuable undertaking. Universities are committed to providing the broadest possible range of student services and activities, to continue to attract and retain a capable, diverse student cohort and to build on the University's commitment to equity, access and participation. In late 2007, the student population at a large Australian university was consulted by means of an electronic questionnaire to gauge their views about student services and a proposal to establish a student ‘one stop shop’. Facilitating engagement and collaboration of services and their provision can enable equity across all student populations, ultimately increasing retention and satisfaction of students in higher education. In this paper we report here of focus group discussion which examined and explored the ways in which services could be centralised for students through a one-stop ‘student hub’.

Keywords:

• experience
• higher education
• services
• student

Notes

1. Medicare is Australia's national health care system, intended to ensure that all Australians have access low-cost medical, optometric and health care. Medicare has almost 250 offices Australia-wide; most operate a computer generated ticketing system (Medicare Australia, 2010).