by: Mine Racho & Linda McCarthy
Data-driven decision-making is essential in higher education, offering the insights needed to enhance student experiences and outcomes. By effectively utilising data, institutions can create more personalised and supportive educational environments.
To achieve this, institutions should leverage their data, including Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) surveys. These surveys provide valuable benchmarking data for universities and higher education providers (HEPs) including:
- Student Experience Survey (SES)
- Graduate Outcome Survey (GOS)
- Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ)
- Employer Satisfaction Survey (ESS)
Harnessing this data allows institutions to make informed decisions that significantly improve the quality of education and student support services.
QILT Survey Analysis and Reporting
Expert analysis of QILT survey data is crucial, providing comprehensive reports that include governance insights and actionable recommendations for improvement. These reports should highlight key areas for student support enhancements, offering universities clear, actionable steps to improve their services. By implementing these steps and recommendations, institutions can significantly boost student engagement and satisfaction.
Student Lifecycle Mapping
Conducting thorough evaluations across the student lifecycle is essential to ensure that every stage of a student’s journey is optimised for their success. This process includes:
- Assessing systems, processes, and student services from application to graduation.
- Understanding student needs and aligning them with institutional goals to provide a seamless and supportive experience.
- Focusing on key risk areas for attrition and delivering timely support as students transition through various stages:
- In: Navigating the first study period.
- Through: Progressing from the first to the second year.
- Out: Providing mentoring, placements, work-integrated learning (WIL), career guidance, and alumni relations.
Using data to address student attrition
Many universities face the critical challenge of identifying and supporting students at risk of attrition. Without a comprehensive analysis, institutions may struggle to pinpoint the protective and risk factors that impact student retention. This lack of insight can lead to delayed interventions and increased dropout rates.
Interventions are implemented, but they are often managed by different departments within the university, which are not always interconnected. This can result in students feeling either overwhelmed or underwhelmed as they navigate these critical periods. Such feelings can lead to attrition if students do not feel adequately understood or supported.
To tackle this issue effectively, it’s essential to comprehensively and holistically map both your current and future states, identifying protective and risk factors and determining how, when, and who manages the interventions across your institution.
Developing a detailed roadmap to transition the university from its current state to a more cohesive and supportive future state, including specific action plans, is essential. This roadmap should be supported by regular health checks to monitor progress and ensure that interventions are effectively implemented and adjusted as needed.
This enables universities to implement timely and effective support measures, adopting a proactive approach to identify at-risk students and providing a roadmap for targeted interventions.
If you want to learn more about how DVE can help your institution harness the power of data to improve student experiences, please contact us at info@dvesolutions.com.au. Our experts are ready to assist you.
