Five stars for entry flexibility

Southern Cross University has received the maximum five stars for entry flexibility and Indigenous participation and four stars for generic skills in the Good Universities Guide 2012.

Southern Cross University Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee said it was pleasing to see the University’s strong focus on flexible learning options and a rich learning experience demonstrated in these results.

“We are delighted to receive the four stars for generic skills which is evidence of our commitment to provide students with a strong educational grounding across all disciplines,” Professor Lee said.

The University also received four stars for the proportion of students given credit for TAFE studies, reflecting the University’s strong commitment to providing a range of pathways into study.

“Our geographic location and the region's employment opportunities are reflected in the lower rating we have received for graduate starting salaries and the graduate outcomes," Professor Lee said.

“The ratings are based only on the salaries of graduates aged 25 years and under who are in their first fulltime job. We have a very high proportion of students aged over 25, who are not captured in these ratings. We also have many students who have been in fulltime work before they come to us, and graduates who choose to take up part-time or casual work to be able to stay in our region and again, this is not reflected in these ratings.

“Similarly, the graduate outcomes are related to the employment opportunities in our region, which are quite different to the opportunities in metropolitan areas and regions closer to capital cities.”