Higher education experts and stakeholders from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Oman gathered in Melbourne in November to discuss challenges around student engagement and share strategic insights to further improve the quality of higher education.

ACER presented a two-day conference on student engagement in collaboration with Criterion Conferences. The topic of the conference was timely, as recent developments such as the advent of TEQSA have brought the intersection of teaching, learning and student engagement to the fore, while ambitious national participation targets and the resulting need for a significant increase in student retention mean that student engagement is more vital than ever.

“Eight years ago people in the higher education sector would say they are not responsible for student engagement, but I don’t hear that any more” ACER Higher Education Research Director, Associate Professor Hamish Coates, told delegates.

Associate Professor Coates delivered a presentation on the topic of international and national perspectives on measuring student engagement and outcomes. He said that as the stakes get higher, there is a need to put more emphasis on the quality of the data.

The conference encouraged discussion of the definition of student engagement. Associate Professor Coates said it needs to be defined in a global context. Professor Richard James from the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at The University of Melbourne warned that, if we don’t define what we mean by engagement, we risk not knowing whether we are achieving it. Professor Sid Nair from the University of Western Australia told delegates that student engagement is shaped by student judgement rather than being defined by universities.

Representatives from the National Union of Students, the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, the Australian Federation of International Students and the Council of International Students Australia participated in a student panel discussion to provide insight into what students believe are the key elements of a positive student experience of higher education. Some of the suggestions raised included holding student-run events and encouraging students to spend more time on campus by providing high-quality facilities and services as well as recreation opportunities. For post-graduate students, it was suggested that bookable desks replace ‘hot desks’. For international students, it was suggested that the needs of international and domestic students need to be met without segregating one group from the other.

In his presentation on the economics of student engagement, Professor Ross Milbourne from the University of Technology, Sydney, said there is a concern that the linking of funding to completions may lead to universities selecting students and courses based on how likely they are to leave before completion. He pointed to evidence that international students and female students are less likely to leave before completion, while indigenous students are more likely to do so.

Professor Milbourne also highlighted the cost to the economy of non-completion. He said that, as the lifetime earnings of a university graduate are around $1.5 million more than a school leaver with no further qualifications, every attrition potentially costs the economy $1.5 million.

The conference, on the theme Measuring & Improving Student Engagement & Experience: Increasing the quality of teaching & learning to encourage retention in higher education, was held at the Novotel on Collins, Melbourne, from 22-23 November 2011.

Further information, including the full conference program and list of speakers, is available from http://www.improvingstudentengagement.com/

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