Ratings explained: Skills Development

The Good Universities Guide is committed to educating its audience about the importance of our university rankings and ratings, which are crucial for informing prospective students about their education options. Over the next few months, we will be going through each rating individually and highlighting the institutions that are excelling in this area.

What is Skills Development?

The Skills Development rating represents the proportion of students who were satisfied with the skills development they experienced through their studies.

Why does this matter to me?

Skills Development is based on the extent to which students felt their course delivered their critical thinking skills, ability to solve complex problems, ability to work with others, confidence to work independently, written and verbal communication skills, knowledge of the field they are studying and work-related knowledge and skills. This is great preparation for the workforce, especially for graduates who often have to compensate for a lack of experience with a quality skillset.

Which university led the way for Skills Development?

Flinders University achieved five-star status for Skills Development, with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) Professor Clare Pollock paying tribute to the institution's industry connections and teaching staff.

"Our strong industry relationships are instrumental in ensuring our curriculum is industry-relevant, providing students with work-integrated learning experiences and opportunities to develop not only skills but also contacts to benefit their studies and future careers," he said.

"Our lecturers are active participants in their sectors and maintain up-to-date information and contacts, affording students the opportunity to develop contemporary, industry-relevant skills from teachers. We offer a range of unique skill development initiatives. One example is our Horizon Professional Development Award. This personalised program complements students' academic programs and equips them with skills to transition into the future work place."

What other institutions performed well for Skills Development?

University	Skills Development
Bond University	92.6%
The University of Notre Dame	90.7%
Edith Cowan University	85.8%
University of Wollongong	84.1%
Australian Catholic University	83.8%
University of the Sunshine Coast	83.7%
Curtin University	83.1%
University of South Australia	83.1%
Flinders University	83.0%
Griffith University	82.6%
Queensland University of Technology	82.5%