Understanding the CSU
First in Family Student
Charles Sturt University
Prepared for CSU
September 2014
Disclaimer
Any representation, statement,
opinion or advice, expressed or
implied, in this publication is made
in good faith, but on the basis that
the Western Research Institute
(WRI) or its employees are not
liable (whether by reason of
negligence, lack of care or
otherwise) to any person for any
damage or loss whatsoever, which
has occurred or may occur in
relation to that person taking (as
the case may be) action in respect
of any representation, statement
or advice referred to above.
For future referencing:
Any information reproduced from
this report needs to be
acknowledged accordingly.
Ranshaw,D & Wise,E. (2014,
September). Understanding the
CSU First in Family Student.
Produced by: Western Research
Institute for Charles Sturt
University.
Contact Details:
Street Address:
The Flannery Centre
341 Havannah St
Bathurst NSW 2795
Mailing Address:
PO Box 9374
Bathurst NSW 2795
Ph: 02 6333 4000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.wri.org.au
1
Acknowledgements
The Western Research Institute
would like to acknowledge the
assistance of The Charles Sturt
University FirstDegree project team
for their contributions to this
research.
Executive Summary
1
Introduction
3
Research objectives
Methodology
For further information:
Kara King
FirstDegree Project Officer
[email protected]
Kim McClintock
Administration & Research Assistant
3
4
How the survey was conducted
4
Limitations of the research
4
Results: Sample profile
5
Results: Support requirements prior to
starting university
7
Support required while at university
12
Issues and connections at university
17
Impact of university study
21
Conclusion
23
Appendix
24
Appendix 1: Weighted Data
24
Appendix 2: Detailed results
25
TABLE 1: Main concern before starting university?
25
TABLE 2: Advice needed most in the first year of study
26
TABLE 3: Advice needed most in the middle of study years?
27
TABLE 4: Advice needed most in the final years of study?
28
Appendix 3: The WRI Team
29
Using funding received under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme
(HEPPP), Charles Sturt University (CSU) seeks to improve the university experience for its First in
Family (FIF) cohort. The FIF cohort, defined as those students for whom neither a parent nor direct
guardian has attended university, currently represents between 75 to 80 percent of the total student
population. Because they form such a significant segment of the student body, there is an inherent
need to understand the experiences of FIF students to develop better programs to support them.
In order to understand the FIF student experience, CSU commissioned the Western Research
Institute (WRI), to conduct research with their current FIF student base. Working with CSU, WRI
developed a survey instrument that was distributed to 17,582 students identified in the CSU
database as being FIF. The research was conducted from 23rd July 2014 through to 22nd August
2014. The final sample achieved for analysis was n=1,992. The sample size at the 95 percent
confidence level is sufficiently robust to make inferences about the CSU FIF cohort at CSU. An
overview of the key findings from this research is detailed below.
Prior to commencing university, FIF students were positive about going to university and had clear
motivations for attending. Despite being optimistic, almost all FIF students had concerns about
starting university. Furthermore, FIF students indicated that having limited expectations about what
university study actually involves heightened their concerns. In particular, having information about
the time required to complete each subject along with more detailed information about the
complexity of course content, was expected to be beneficial. This information would help alleviate
expectations of not being able to cope and help them to better manage a study/life balance. How to
communicate realistic accounts of the study requirements to FIF students in a way that does not
deter them from studying altogether presents a challenge for the University.
In terms of the support needed by FIF students and their preferred mode for receiving this support,
there are distinct differences depending on mode of study:



Across the board, email was the most preferred method for receiving information about
services available, followed by the website and face-to-face contact.
Students studying by Distance Education and in their first year of study required more advice
on study skills and library skills. Distance students preferred to receive this information via
email.
Students studying Internally (who were predominantly full time students) required more
advice about finance, living away from home and health and well-being. While electronic
forms of contact were important for Internal students, there was a greater preference for face
to face support.
CSU has the opportunity to provide targeted support systems depending on each student’s
individual situation.
Additionally, the study revealed that levels of support received by FIF students differed depending
on the faculty in which they were enrolled. FIF Students enrolled in the Faculty of Science were
aware of more support services than students studying in other faculties.
While there is evidence that CSU already provides information and services to help students at the
different stages of their university journey, there is an identified need for more support from
university services. FIF students also indicated a need for more support than they are currently
receiving when they transition into their final years, particularly information about transitioning out of
university.
1
There is an opportunity for CSU to provide more support and increase awareness of already
available services for students in their middle and final years of university, particularly for the
following services:




Only 63 percent of FIF Distance Education students were aware of DE outreach programs.
Only half of the FIF student population were aware of Academic skills support programs.
Only 22 percent of FIF students in their final years were aware of Career support programs.
Only 8 percent of FIF Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students were aware of
Indigenous services.
In addition to requiring more support from university services, FIF students who work while studying
required additional support from their employers. There is potential for CSU to facilitate the
student/employer relationship, providing students with information to help them have conversations
with their employers about the impacts and benefits of study. It is recommended that CSU
investigate this area further to identify the types of materials that students require.
FIF students studying in their middle years exhibited higher levels of physical and mental stress as
they found it harder to balance work, family and study obligations. These students were also more
likely to consider withdrawing and indicated that they would benefit from more motivational support
at this time. Providing timely information to students at this period will be crucial to increasing
motivation levels and keeping them enrolled for the remainder of their studies.
While the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF student results in this study were only indicative
(due to limited sample size), these students indicated that they require additional services to help
them have conversations with people in their support network, to communicate the challenges of
studying. Further investigation will be required to understand the requirements of this group.
The survey results indicate that FIF students believed university study had a significant positive
impact on their individual identity, more so among students that have studied Internally. Students
indicated that university not only gives them practical skills to work in their desired field, but also
provides them with the self-confidence to move forward with their lives.
CSU has a well-developed suite of student service programs. There are opportunities to tailor and
augment these programs to better meet the needs of the FIF students. CSU needs to ensure that
any programs developed are supported by an effective communications platform. This will ensure
that students are aware of the programs available to them.
2
Charles Sturt University (CSU) conducted research with their current student base to better
understand the university experience among students coming from families where no one has
attended university before, also known as a First in Family (FIF) student. This cohort of students
represents 70-80 percent of the students currently studying at CSU (as reported by the CSU
FirstDegree Project Team, defined as those students for whom neither a parent nor direct guardian
has attended university).
Information from this report will be used by CSU to develop a suite of resources that will support FIF
students at various stages of their study and as they transition out of university into the work
environment.
The broad objective of this research was to capture information about the experiences of the FIF
student cohort at CSU in 2014.
Specific research objectives included:
1. Identifying FIF student expectations of university study;
2. Measuring the effectiveness of current services established to facilitate study, both internal
to the university and within their own personal networks;
3. Identifying when peak periods of stress arise throughout the term of their studies;
4. Understanding how the university experience can change a student’s personal identity;
5. Identifying what actions are currently being undertaken to prepare for life beyond their
studies, making the most of their degree.
3
CSU commissioned the Western Research
Institute (WRI) to conduct the research on
their behalf. An overview of the research
approach adopted by WRI is described below:
PREPARATION
-
-
Meetings with CSU to develop an
understanding of what was known about
the CSU FIF cohort to guide
development of the questionnaire.
Identification of the sampling procedure
and student recruitment process.
ETHICS APPROVAL
-
-
Documenting the research approach and
putting the application together for the
Ethics Committee
Receiving approval (Protocol number
2014/130) to do the research with CSU
FIF students from CSU’s Human
Research Ethics Committee.
data was cleaned, removing respondents that
did not complete the entire survey and/or
completed the entire survey in less than 5
minutes. After cleaning, the final sample
achieved for analysis was n=1,992. The
sample size, at the 95 percent confidence
level is sufficiently robust to make inferences
about the CSU FIF cohort at CSU. The table
below displays the respondent numbers
achieved:
TABLE 1: Fieldwork results
Final completes
Sent survey
Opened email
Clicked on the link
Screened/Ineligible
Incomplete
Cleaned
Complete
Sample achieved
(n=)
17,582
7,550
3,120
860
218
50
1,992
QUANTIFICATION
-
Programming the survey and finalising
the instrument for fieldwork.
Distributing the survey to students
through email.
Analysing the results of the completed
survey responses.
The survey was distributed to students
through their CSU registered email address.
All 17,582 students, identified in the CSU
database as being FIF, were given the
opportunity to complete the survey (the term
“students” throughout this report refers to FIF
students). Students were then able to opt into
the research of their own accord. To be
eligible for this research students needed to
identify themselves as being first in their
family (neither parent or guardian had
attended university) and they had not
completed a degree prior to their current
studies. Students that completed the survey
were given the opportunity to enter a
competition to win up to $500. Competition
entry required the student to provide an
answer to a designated question in 25 words
or less.
Because participation in the research was
voluntary (students could delete the email or
choose not to click on the link to the survey if
they did not want to participate), the
demographic characteristics of the sample
were not representative of the CSU FIF
cohort. To rectify this issue, WRI weighted
the data to represent the CSU FIF population.
The data was weighted based on
respondent’s age, gender, the mode of study
and faculty of study. Appendix 1 shows the
comparison between the unweighted data and
the CSU population.
All information
presented in the results section of this report
is based on the weighted data.
Fieldwork commenced on the 23rd July 2014
and finished on the 22nd August 2014. The
4
CSU FIF student demographics
Overall, the FIF undergraduate students at
CSU surveyed were predominantly younger
with 65 percent being under the age of 30.
Sixty eight percent of the CSU FIF student
cohort was female, while 32 percent was
male.
There was an equal representation of
males to females studying in the
Business faculty.
More female FIF students were
studying in the faculties of Education
(76 percent) or Science (73 percent).
The proportion of FIF students studying within
each faculty is shown below. There were
significantly more FIF students studying within
the Arts and Science faculties.
in isolation, it equates to n=74 students which
is not robust enough to draw inferences from;
therefore any
implications about services for these students
are indicative only.
FIF students lived predominantly in regional
locations (66 percent Regional, 34 percent
Metropolitan).
FIGURE 2: Location by study mode
52%
84%
Regional
48%
16%
Distance
Metro
Interal
Q8. What is your postcode? by Q3. Please indicate your
study mode: BASE: Metro n=581 & Regional n=1,391
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
FIGURE 1: Faculty of study
Science
32%
30%
Arts
13%
25%
Education
Business
Q4. Which faculty are you studying? BASE: n=1,972
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
A higher proportion of FIF students enrolled in
a Science discipline were studying Internally
(44 percent of Internal students) and were
more likely to be studying Part time.
FIF Students studying by Distance Education
were significantly more likely to be living
across both metropolitan and regional areas
while Internal and Mixed Mode students were
significantly more likely to be studying in a
regional location.
This research focused on FIF students at
different stages of their study at CSU, to
understand the level of support and
information required by students in their first
year of study (43 percent of the sample
achieved), in their middle years of study (39
percent) and students in their final year of
study (18 percent). The results presented in
this report will largely focus on these three
groups.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF
students were predominantly studying in
Faculties of Education (38 percent) and
Science (36 percent). The representation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
is 3 percent; this is comparable to the actual
number within the cohort of FIF students at
CSU1. However, when examining this group
1
As indicated by the FirstDegree Project team.
5
There were significantly more students in their
final year studying by Distance or Mixed Mode
than those studying in their first and middle
years.
FIGURE 4: Mode of study by status
3%
13%
3%
Mixed
mode
FIGURE 3: Stage of study by mode
4%
39%
9%
35%
72%
13%
23%
Mixed
mode
Internal
57%
56%
94%
Distance
14%
Full time
64%
Distance
First year of Middle years Final year of
study
of study
study
Q9. At what stage of your studies are you currently? by
Q3. Please indicate your study mode:
BASE: First year n=744, middle years n=832 & final years
n=396
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
In addition to this, a higher proportion of
students in their final years were living in
Metropolitan areas (41 percent compared to
34 percent of the overall FIF population).
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Further investigation is needed to
understand why students transition
to Distance in their final years.
 Do students have access to
information about Distance study
when they transition?
There was a high proportion of Distance
students studying in a Part time mode,
consequently, results by these sub groups are
similar. Likewise, there were similar results
among Internal and Full time students; the
results are shown in figure 4. The remaining
analysis focuses primarily on comparisons
between FIF Distance and Internal students,
with the appropriate inferences drawn for
those studying Full time versus Part time.
Internal
Part time
Q3. Please indicate your study mode: BASE: Full time
n=1,166, Part time n=806
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
Similarly, when examining results by Mixed
Mode, the results mirror what is happening
with Internal students.
This research focused on identifying the
support required at the different stages of a
student’s journey throughout university. As
such, the results in this report have been
presented according to the different stages of
study and support required, including:
1. Understanding student motivations
and their expectations around support
available and required prior to
commencing university.
2. Understanding the support required
while studying at university.
3. Understanding the key issues and
connections that students develop
through university.
4. Understanding the impact university
study has on a person’s sense of
identity.
6
Prior to studying at CSU most FIF students were clear about their motivations for studying and were
positive about the course in which they had enrolled. Despite being optimistic about the experience
and the course, only half (51 percent) felt that they were prepared for university.
FIGURE 5: Study expectations
Top 2 Box
AGREE2
I had a clear idea about my reason for
undertaking university study
3 6%
I felt positive about the course I had enrolled
in
2 7%
34%
39%
I felt positive about the university experience 2 5 11%
I felt prepared for university
Strongly disagree
Disagree
2
55%
22%
89%
49%
51%
31%
43%
24%
Neither agree nor disagree
Question 11: Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:
Base: OVERALL n=1972
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
88%
Agree
81%
9%
51%
Strongly agree
Before I started university...?
Students studying Internally felt more positive about the university experience than Distance
Education students (86 percent 2 to 79 percent2 respectively).
Overall, the main reason why FIF students enrolled at university was to increase their employment
opportunities or to have an impact on their career progression.
Compared to Internal students, Distance students were significantly more likely to study to improve
their chances of career progression. Internal students were significantly more likely to study to gain
employment. These results are shown below:
FIGURE 6: Motivations by mode of study
74%
42%
30%
29%
45%
43%
31%
15%
11% 13%
5% 2%
1% 3%
To gain specific To improve my
To increase my
To improve my To prepare me for It is what my Follow my passion
employment
overall chances of earning potential
chances of
further study
employer wants
employment
promotion/ career
me to do
progression
Distance
Internal
Overall
Q10. What are your motivations for study?
BASE: OVERALL n=1,972, Distance n=954, Internal n=830, Full time n=1166 and Part time n=806
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
2
Agree and Strongly Agree scores added together; Top 2 Box AGREE
7
Compared to the other faculties, students studying in the Business faculty were significantly more
likely to study to increase their earning potential and improve career progression. Science students
were more interested in studying to gain a job. These results are shown below:
FIGURE 7: Motivations for study by faculty of enrolment
56%
47%
42%
39%
61%
46%
35%
34%
29%
49%
33%
39%
34%
30%
34%
25%
13%12% 13%
8%
2% 5% 4% 4%
2% 2% 1% 1%
To gain specific To improve my
To increase my
To improve my To prepare me for It is what my Follow my passion
employment
overall chances of earning potential
chances of
further study
employer wants
employment
promotion/ career
me to do
progression
Arts
Business
Education
Science
Overall
Q10. What are your motivations for study? BASE: OVERALL n=1,972, Arts n=384, Business n=270, Education n=451 &
Sciencen=867
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% CL
Almost all CSU FIF students had concerns before they commenced their studies; only 2 percent
stated they had no concerns (see Appendix 2 Table 1 for detailed results). The most common
areas of concern for CSU FIF students included:
Balancing study/family/work 25%
Coping financially 24%
Coping with the workload 22%
Coping with the complexity
of university study 19%
Balancing study, work, and family was a
primary concern among students studying:
 Distance 36%
 Part time 37%

Students that were over the age of 30:
o 30-39 years 43%
o 40-49 years 44%
Coping financially was a primary concern
among students studying:
 Internally 44%
 Full time 40%
 Younger students:
o 0-19 years 41%
o 20-29 years 30%
 Students in the Faculty of Science 32%
Fitting in socially was not a key concern despite
being mentioned by Internal students
Online and computer based learning was not a
key area of concern despite being mentioned
more by those studying by Distance
Consistent with these results, when students were asked unprompted what was the one thing that
they wish they could have known prior to starting university, the most common responses were
around the time required for the course and the amount of study required outside lectures.
8
Internal students and students studying in the Faculty of Science (20 percent and 17 percent
respectively) wished they had a better understanding of the financial impacts of university.
Compared to Internal students, Distance students wished they had prior knowledge of the
academic/writing skills required (14 percent to 7 percent) of university study. Detailed results are
shown in the chart below:
FIGURE 8: Information required prior to starting university
(Among students in their first year of study)
Time intensity & complexity
25%
Financial aspects
13%
Information about subjects,
courses & programming
How to achieve study-life
balance
13%
11%
Academic writing/study skills
Navigating Uni Systems
Awareness /using of
university support services
Distance Education
Sense of achievement of
personal development
Better time management
skills
9%
7%
6%
4%
4%
4%
Q25. What do you wish you had known before you started
university? CODED
BASE: Those in their first years of study n=618
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF students wished they
had known about the sense of achievement and personal
development that they would feel as a result of completing their
course.
For students studying Internally, understanding the time and
complexity of a course was key (22 percent) along with having
more knowledge about the financial impacts of attending
university (20 percent).
Detailed responses about
information needed prior to
commencement:
“Wish I had known that each
subject would take up more time
than I thought on a weekly
basis”
“What subjects would be
available and how to manage
my time between subjects.”
“What I would need to do on a
week to week basis.”
“Whatever your
issue/question/problem, there is
always someone to discuss this
with and help guide you to your
personal answer”
“Time management, balancing
work, family, friends with uni
work, referencing & financial
support”
“The struggles with earning
money to pay off a house and
trying to study”
“That I was so capable. Being a
mature student I was not sure
how I would go, but I have
surprised myself and it feels
wonderful.”
FOR CONSIDERATION:
Making it easy for prospective students to find out about support in these areas prior to their
commencement is likely to alleviate concerns of not being able to cope.



CSU already has some support services in place. Is the material in the right place at
the right time?
What channels are available to get information to new students?
Does CSU have the ability to target information based on the student’s current
situation. When a student enrols in a subject by Distance (for the first time) can CSU
9




send them targeted information about studying by Distance and the services available
to them?
Science students appear to be more concerned about financial issues, perhaps
because more students are studying Internally and or Full time.
Do Science students work while studying full time?
Do Science students get enough detail about course costs? Is a Science course
significantly more expensive than an average degree?
Do the barriers and issues discussed above prevent prospective FIF students
enrolling altogether?
Support required prior to commencing university
FIF students indicated that prior to commencing university they received adequate support from
CSU services (63 percent). However, there is room for improvement on support services as 19
percent of respondents (which equates to just over 3000 FIF students) felt that they needed more
support from CSU. This was exhibited mainly among Internal students (23 percent) and among
those students that were in their final years of study (25 percent)3. These results are shown below:
FIGURE 9: Level of support received from...prior to commencing university
Friends
74%
Parents
14%
71%
University services
14%
63%
52%
13%
Partner
51%
10% 1%
Employer
50%
20%
Extended family
49%
Other students
Children
44%
18%
4%3%
Adequate support
3%
19%
Colleagues
14%
10%
5% 6%
13%
10%
6%
8%
29%
39%
5%
9%
25%
29%
12%
34%
74%
Need more support
Unsure
N/A
Q13. Thinking again about the weeks BEFORE YOU STARTED UNIVERSITY, please indicate the level of support you
received from the following people/groups. BASE: n=1,992
Students also indicated that they needed significantly more support from their employer (20
percent). This may be of considerable importance for students studying Part time and via Distance
Education as those students were more likely to be engaged in employment.
3
BIAS: Among students in their final year of study, their perceptions of support requirements are likely to be
biased towards their actual experience at University as significant time has elapsed since their first year of
study.
10
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Do students require information to help them have conversations with their
employers about the strains of studying and working?
 What materials do students need from their employers?
 What is the role of CSU to facilitate the student/employer relationship?
Almost all students had concerns prior to commencing university and 77 percent discussed these
concerns with those from whom they felt they needed the most support. Among the 18 percent that
did not have conversations, the most common reason for not doing so was that they did not know
what to expect and did not know the impact that university would have on their life. These reasons
are illustrated below:
FIGURE 10: Why students did not discuss their concerns
Did not know what to expect
33%
I am on my own
12%
Did not feel the need
11%
Did not think to
8%
I had to do it
7%
Famly would not understand
6%
It all happened so fast
4%
No different from high school
4%
Family did not want me to go
3%
Solve issues as they arise
3%
Not relevant for my family
3%
I had already made my mind up
1%
Thought I could do it on my own
1%
I was not expecting to get in
1%
Q14b. If no, please explain why not? (Q14 Did you discuss issues
with people?) BASE: n=142
Significantly higher or lower at the 95% cl
Detailed responses about
why students do not
discuss their concerns:
“No one I knew had been to uni
therefore they didn't really know
what it would involve”
“I wasn't sure what studying
would involve and my parents
are my main support and they
both hadn't been to university so
I felt like they wouldn't know how
to answer my questions so I
didn't ask them. I didn't really
have anyone close to me that
had been to university.”
“I live alone and didn't expect it
to impact anyone but me”
“I had no clue what it would be
like at all. being the first to go I
did not know what to expect.”
FOR CONSIDERATION:
Whilst the number of students not discussing their concerns with others is not high,
providing prospective students with information about what they can expect from being a
student can help them become more prepared for university.
In summary, FIF students were clear about their motivations for undertaking study however it is
clear that almost all students had concerns about the journey they were about to commence.
Students indicated that they needed more support from university services to help them fully
understand the complexity and depth of subject workload that is required to complete a degree prior
to commencing.
Not having a full understanding of the workload is linked to needing better skills to manage
work/family/study life balance. There is an opportunity for CSU to provide targeted information to
students on enrolment so they can manage expectations. The next section of this report will
discuss the support requirements of students throughout their journey as a student at university.
11
The support required by FIF students changed throughout their journey at CSU. When students
were commencing their studies, they required information to help them study, about the course that
they were studying, organisation, time management advice and information to help them navigate
the CSU systems. As they transitioned into their final years, they still required specific information
about their subjects but needed additional support to help them move beyond university into their
careers.
Motivational support and advice was more important once a student reached their middle years of
study and continued to be significant until they completed their studies.
Career advice was considered a secondary requirement for students in their middle years of study.
When students reached their final years of study, this became a pressing need along with
information to help them transition out of university.
TABLE 2: Support required by stage of study
Column percent
Study skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Organisational / time management advice
Navigating university administration systems
and processes
Financial advice
Library skills advice
Motivational support / advice
Living away from home support
Health and well-being
Assistance with technology
Careers advice
Advice to help you transition out of University
Other (please specify)
First years of
study
50%
50%
47%
Middle years of
study
34%
57%
41%
Final years of
study
15%
36%
24%
32%
15%
n/a
22%
21%
20%
11%
8%
5%
n/a
n/a
2%
19%
13%
38%
5%
12%
3%
15%
n/a
2%
15%
3%
35%
n/a
13%
n/a
49%
38%
5%
Q15. First year of study, Q18. Middle years of study & Q27. Final years of study: what advice did you need or have you needed MOST?
BASE: First n=1,967, Middle n=1,222, Final n=391
Significant differences within stage (columns) at the 95% cl shown with red (lower) blue (higher) text; N/A indicates that the option was
not shown
The type and level of support required by students in their first year of study varied based on their
mode of study, age, gender and living location. Key differences are illustrated below (the full results
are shown in Appendix 2 Table 2 – Table 4):

There were significant differences in the types of advice required by Distance and Internal
students. Distance Education students in their first year of study required more support on
study skills and library skills advice, while students studying Internally (who are predominantly
Full time students) required more advice about finance, living away from home, health and
well-being.

Younger students (under the age of 19 years) also required more advice about managing their
finances and living away from home. The older age groups (30 years and over) needed
additional support transitioning back into study after being in the work force, information to
12
develop their library skills and more assistance with technology (this was particularly true for
students aged over 40 years).

The results also showed that males required more information and advice on becoming more
organised than females (52 percent compared to 44 percent in their first years).

Students studying in metropolitan areas required information to help them navigate the
university’s library systems, while students living in regional areas needed more support in
managing finances and living away from home support.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students4, financial advice was needed along with
additional support to develop study skills, course and subject specific advice and information
on being more organised in their first years.
Preferred method of contact
Email5 was the most preferred mode of receiving material, however, there were subtle differences
by material type. Face-to-face contact was important for those requesting information about
academic issues. The website was also a major source for information across the board. Detailed
results are shown below:
TABLE 3: Preferred method of contact for the following issues
Academic
34% Email
20% Face to face
15% Website
8% Phone contact
8% Printable resources
7% Online forum
4% Workshops (oncampus / online)
2% Videos
1% Personal skype
1% Social Media
Health &
well-being
29% Email
23% Website
16 % Face to face
7% Printable resources
6% Online forum
5% Phone contact
3% Workshops (oncampus / online)
3% Social Media
2% Videos
0% Personal skype
6% Not applicable
Financial
Administrative
37% Email
20% Website
15% Face to face
8% Phone contact
8 % Printable
resources
4% Online forum
2% Workshops (oncampus / online)
1% Videos
0% Social Media
0% Personal skype
5% Not applicable
42% Email
18% Website
14% Face to face
12% Phone contact
5% Online forum
5% Printable resources
2% Workshops (oncampus / online)
1% Videos
1% Social Media
0% Personal skype
1% Not applicable
6
Q19. How would you MOST prefer to receive advice on the following issues?
BASE: Overall n=1,992
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Communication needs to be multi-faceted, not just single mode.
Distance Education students preferred electronic forms of communication in most cases:
4
Information on Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders is indicative only base n=74
Research was conducted by email, there could be a bias towards email, we sent out 17,582 emails to
students to get them participate and only 7,550 students opened the email.
5
13




Email (32 percent) was significantly more important along with the website (25 percent)
among students seeking information about health and well-being issues. This is consistent
with the findings for Part time students.
Administrative issues were considered to be best dealt with via email (48 percent).
For financial information, email (43 percent) and website (21 percent) were preferred. Phone
contact also had a role for this group, more so than with Internal students (11 percent to 3
percent).
Phone contact was more important for Distance Education students seeking advice about
academic issues (12 percent).
While Internal students also preferred electronic forms of communication, there was a greater
preference for face-to-face support across the board.
 For academic advice, face-to-face contact was preferred (39 percent).
 Face to face contact (30 percent), email (24 percent) followed by the website (21 percent)
was preferred for health and well-being issues.
 Face to face (31 percent) and email (30 percent) contact was preferred for financial advice.
 For administrative issues, email (36 percent) and face-to-face (29 percent) contact was
preferred.
Support required while at university
While students were in the middle of their studies, they indicated that they continued to receive a
great deal of support from people in their inner circle (parents and friends). Overall support
received from University services was considered adequate (64 percent), with 23 percent needing
more support. This is consistent with the level of support received prior to attending university (19
percent) and was experienced more so among Internal students.
FIGURE 11: Level of support received from... while studying
Friends
72%
Parents
71%
17%
15% 1% 13%
University services
64%
23%
Other students
63%
10% 8%
Partner
55%
Colleagues
51%
Employer
49%
Extended family
47%
Children
19%
6%2%
Adequate support
4% 7%
10%1%
13%
15%
20%
34%
5%
21%
7% 7%
31%
4%
7%
27%
30%
72%
Need more support
Unsure
N/A
Q16. Thinking again about WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN STUDYING, please indicate the level of support you
received from the following people/groups. BASE: n= 1,992
Students that were at the end of their studies indicated that they required more support from
university services than students did in the first and middle years: 19 percent in their first year, 23
percent in their middle years to 30 percent in their final years.
14
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 This information will allow CSU to target students, to send them material they need
(specific to each student) via the mode to which they are most receptive.
 There is an opportunity for CSU to increase services to students in their final years.
FIGURE 12: Level of support received from... near completion of studies
Friends
76%
Parents
75%
13% 4% 8%
11% 2% 12%
Partner
60%
9% 1%
Colleagues
58%
14%
Other students
57%
Employer
54%
University services
53%
Extended family
Children
12%
10%
4%
30%
15%
6% 4%
Adequate support
5%
22%
51%
24%
30%
23%
21%
20%
9%
8%
8%
26%
66%
Need more support
Unsure
N/A
Q26. AS YOU NEAR COMPLETION OF YOUR STUDIES, please indicate the level of support you received
from the following people/groups. BASE: n=396
Distance Education students, older students and students studying Part time felt that they needed
more support from their employer. In addition, they required more support from their partner and
children.
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Is it assumed by CSU that students know what they are doing by the time they get to
their final years of study and don’t require any additional support?
 What information do students need to help them move into the next stage of their
career? Does CSU already have this information?
o If CSU already has the information available, is it an awareness issue?
Awareness of support available
When prompted, students were aware of at least five of the University’s services.
 Almost all students were aware of Student Central (96 percent). Library services were also
well recognised (78 percent).
 Student.CSU recognition was high at (71 percent), and was significantly higher among
students studying in the Faculty of Business.
 Students studying Internally and those studying in the Faculty of Science were more aware
of Student counsellors and on campus student support.
The figure on the next page displays these results:
15
FIGURE 13: Awareness of university support systems
Student Central
Library services
Student. CSU
Course / subject specific support
Academic skills support
Student counsellors
DE Outreach team
On-campus residential support
Career services
Disability services
Indigenous services
Other (please specify)
96%
78%
71%
58%
50%
48%
40%
25%
19%
13%
8%
Need further
communication
that these
services exist
0%
Q17. Which of the following university based supports are you aware that you can access?
BASE: n=1,992
FOR CONSIDERATION:
CSU needs to identify what constitutes a benchmark for awareness of support services. For
example, Library services are quite high however is it expected that all students are aware of
this service?
The results reveal areas where CSU can improve student support:
 Only 63 percent of Distance students are aware of DE outreach services.
 Only half of the FIF student population is aware of academic skills support.
 Only 8 percent of the total FIF student population is aware of the Indigenous services
that are available; only half (53 percent) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
FIF students are aware that those services are there to assist them.
 Only 19 percent of students across CSU are aware of career services support, even
among students in their final year this number only increases to 22 percent, indicating
that there is an awareness issue.
 Do students studying in the Faculty of Science have access to more services, or are
they communicating the support services differently to the other faculties?
o Is it because there is a higher degree of Internal students studying science?
16
Overall 73 percent67 of FIF students felt positive about their student experience at CSU and while 63
percent did not lose sight of their goals, they experienced challenges along the way.
Approximately 1 in 3 FIF students (32 percent) found university to be more difficult than they
expected.
Approximately 1 in 2 students found it difficult to balance time for themselves (48 percent) as
well as balancing study with work and family life (52 percent).
Forty percent felt mentally strained.
Just over 40 percent felt stressed financially.
Q20. Please indicate your response to the following statements. Since starting university there have been times when...
BASE: Overall n=1,992
Despite experiencing ups and downs while at university, the majority of students felt that they had
not lost sight of their end goal.
FIGURE 14: Since starting university there have been times when I...
Top 2 Box
OFTEN7
Lost sight of my goals
33%
Had trouble talking to family about study
issues
29%
Felt disillusioned with my course
28%
Felt physically strained
Felt the need for extra support
7%
Felt mentally strained
8%
Found it difficult to stay motivated
8%
21%
Found it difficult to balance life / family / study
Felt stressed financially
32%
33%
6% 9%
14%
Never
19%
37%
20%
4%10%
18%
39%
15%
33%
17%
Rarely
24%
10% 6%
16%
8% 7%
15%
11%
26%
11%
29*%
13%
32%
23%
17%
40%
21%
18%
39%
25%
27%
13%
16%
34%
22%
8% 5%
25%
29%
26%
Had trouble finding time for myself 6% 12%
Had trouble balancing work/study
28%
26%
10%
24%
31%
16%
Found university to be more difficult than
expected
30%
23%
48%
23%
23%
46%
28%
24%
52%
25%
43%
18%
Occasionally
Often
Very often
Q20. Please indicate your response to the following statements. Since starting university... Modified variable labels
BASE: Overal n=1,992
6
7
Q21. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Since starting university...
Top 2 Box AGREE: Agree plus Strongly Agree; Top 2 Box OFTEN: Often plus Very Often
17
Students in their middle years of study were more likely to find it difficult to balance work and study
(52 percent), as well as family life and study (57 percent). Students that were in the thick of their
studies were also experiencing higher levels of physical, mental and financial stress compared to
students in the first years of their studies.
Distance Education students, who were more likely to be working part time, experienced more
difficulties balancing life and family (55 percent), and work (52 percent) compared to students
studying Internally.
Compared to Distance, Internal students found university to be more difficult than expected (36
percent), felt more mental strain (47 percent) and found it harder to stay motivated (44 percent
compared to Distance 34 percent8). Financial strain was one of the largest areas of concern
amongst this group (61 percent).
Service requirements among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF Students
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF students indicated that they required additional support to
help them keep up with their university studies; they found university more difficult than expected
and have experienced trouble talking to family about university related issues9.
FIGURE 15: Support needs among Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander FIF students
60%
Found it difficult to balance life / family / study
52%
Had trouble finding time for myself
49%
46%
Had trouble balancing work / study
Felt the need for extra support to keep up with my studies
44%
29%
Felt stressed financially
43%
Found it difficult to stay motivated
42%
39%
Found university to be more difficult than expected
38%
40%
Felt mentally strained
Had trouble talking to my partner / family about study issues
34%
16%
Have felt physically strained
Have felt disillusioned with my course
Have lost sight of my goals
42%
32%
26%
15%
13%
22%
20%
33%
Aboriginal/Torres Strait
Islander
Overall
Q20. Please indicate your response to the following statements. Since starting university... Modified variable lables
Top 2 box Q20 Very Often plus Often:
BASE: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander n=74, Overall n=1,992
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Further research is required among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to confirm
the results found in this study.
8
In this research more distance education students were interviewed in their final years of study. This skew
could be because of sampling differences at the stage level
9
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander results are indicative only base n=74
18

There is an opportunity to provide additional support services to this group to help
them communicate the challenges they face to people in their support network.
Triggers to withdrawing
Across the board, 38 percent of students had considered withdrawing from their course at any one
time. Propensity to withdraw was significantly higher among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders cohort (62 percent). Students that were in their middle years of study also experienced
higher levels of stress; and hence, they were more likely to consider withdrawing (45 percent).
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 CSU needs to identify peak periods of stress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students and students in their middle years of study to prevent withdrawal
and to alleviate some of the pressures faced while studying.
 At the faculty/course level, can CSU put in place an early identification system for
students struggling? Whilst there are multiple programs already in place they may
need revision given the findings of this study. There is also an indication that
different faculties have different programs in place.
 Do these figures match the actual dropout rates for students at CSU?
The core reasons for withdrawing were related to stress followed by financial issues. For students
studying Internally, stress was a major issue; however these students also considered leaving
because their career goals had changed. For students studying by Distance, the feeling of not
having enough time to study as they struggle to balance work, life, family and study was the most
significant factor in their decision to consider withdrawing.
FIGURE 16: The most significant factors that influence withdrawing
Stress
15%
16%
11%
Finances
Not enough time to study
Complexity of university
study
15%
1%
4%
Current job
responsibilities
Family
32%
23%
23%
3%
Detailed responses about
why students consider
withdrawing:
“Stress, finances, workload,
strain on relationships, being so
far from home”
“Stress juggling FT work, family,
along with time and trying to
navigate study via distance in
my first year with no idea
whether I had taken the right
path”
8%
11%
8%
9%
6%
Workload
Changed goals
21%
8%
“Complexity - specifically I didn’t
know my chosen field was that
complicated”
16%
5%
8%
2%
5%
6%
3%
Overall
Distance
Internal
“Change of Interests”
“The course I am enrolled in isn't
what I want to do anymore”
Q23. If yes, what are the most significant factors?
BASE n=133 (Open ended response)
19
Through their studies at CSU, only half of the FIF student population felt that they had a connection
with the University (52 percent) and felt that they had made connections with staff (49 percent).




Only 38 percent of students in their final years indicated that they had formed potential
employment connections.
Students studying Internally were more likely to have developed potential employment
connections (42 percent).
Perhaps as expected, Internal students felt that they had formed connections with the
university (64 percent) and university staff (66 percent).
Internal students were more likely to form connections through social media (76 percent)
while Distance students were more likely to connect through forums (33 percent).
FIGURE 17: Since starting university I have formed connections...
to the university 2%
with teaching staff 4%
16%
22%
with other students through social media 2%
with potential employment & industry
29%
with other students through on-campus
activities (uni clubs, sports and events)
24%
35%
8%
52%
14%
33%
28%
with other students through university forums 2%
48%
with other students through residential schools
40%
N/A
48%
24%
32%
47%
with other students through living on campus
49%
Disagree
30%
9%
30%
22%
23%
27%
28%
4%
9%
Neither agree nor disagree
24%
23%
Agree
Q21. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Since starting university... Modified variable labels
(TOP 2 BOX Agree plus Stongly Agree, BOTTOM 2 BOX Disagree plus Strongly Disagree shown)
BASE: Overal n= 1,992
FOR CONSIDERATION:
 Increasing the sense of connection with CSU and improving student interactions with
staff it is likely to develop a heightened sense of community and make students feel
more supported while at University.
 Improving students’ sense of connection will also increase the likelihood that they
will promote the University to others.
 Improving the sense of connection is likely to help build relationships with students
after they move on from university life and become an Alumnus (for future support of
the University).
 CSU can do more to help students in their final years of study to make employment
connections.
20
Overall 94 percent of students indicated that they would encourage others to study and despite
some of the challenges they had faced throughout their degree, the decision to study was reported
to have had a positive impact on their future. In this section, the impact that university has on a
student’s life is discussed.
On completion of their studies, students felt that they would have the skills to think critically and
have developed the practical skills required to enter the workforce. Whilst most believed they had a
clear pathway to take the next steps in their career, there was still a proportion of students at this
stage who needed further help.
FIGURE 18: Since starting university ...
I am confident I have developed critical
0%
5% 5%
thinking skills that will transfer to a workplace
89%
I am confident I have developed new skills and
0%
4% 7%
competencies that will transfer to a workplace
88%
I am confident that my life skills have been
0%7% 8%
enhanced
85%
I am confident I have developed solid
theoretical knowledge in my discipline areas 0%
5% 10%
that will transfer to a workplace
84%
I feel that my study has given me what I
0%10%
expected
I feel confident transitioning into a workplace
13%
74%
6% 9%
13%
71%
I have a clear idea of what I would like to
pursue after university regarding career, further 2% 13%
study etc
12%
70%
I have a clear idea of how to action my plans
2%
regarding career, further study etc
18%
I have a well developed professional network 2%
16%
31%
N/A
Disagree
61%
20%
45%
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Q28. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.Since starting university... Modified variable labels
BASE: Overal n=402
21
Sixty four percent of students believed that their sense of identity had changed as a result of
attending university. This was felt more so among Internal students (74 percent) than students
studying by Distance (58 percent). The results are detailed below:








30 percent had an increased level of self-confidence
9 percent believed they have grown up (particularly
amongst younger Internal students)
8 percent just felt different
6 percent had gained more knowledge
6 percent were more open minded
6 percent had a greater sense of achievement
6 percent had developed a professional identity
5 percent now felt like they have a career (this was
strongest among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders)
FOR CONSIDERATION:
Students spend a large proportion of their life at university
and for most they believed that the journey has had a
considerable impact on their identity and who they have
become.
For some, university has given them the
confidence to achieve their career ambition, giving them the
skills and ability to move forward. However, there is an
opportunity for CSU to better develop students’
connections with industry and potential employers in the
future.
Detailed responses about
students changed sense of
identity:
“I feel more empowered and a
sense of achievement doing
something for my own personal
development.”
“I am more sure of my passions,
I have developed a more critical
mind and I strive for more
avenues that challenge my
thinking.”
“I feel more confident and able
to express myself”
“I have a higher sense of selfworth and a great sense of
achievement”
22
Charles Sturt University already provides significant support services to FIF students throughout
their university experience. However, there is scope to increase awareness of current services and
to develop material that is more targeted to the specific needs of students throughout the different
stages of a student’s journey.
A large proportion of students did not feel prepared as they commenced their university experience
and had concerns about what they were about to experience. This lack of preparedness is due to
students not having any real expectations about the time required to study and the complexities of
the workload.
The most significant areas of concern were being able to balance study, family, work and life along
with being able to cope financially. While there is consistency across the overall FIF cohort, there
were distinct differences in the support and information required by the different subgroups of
students, specifically: Distance vs. Internal; Full time vs. Part time; age; gender and location. An
opportunity exists for CSU to deliver services that are targeted based on a student’s current
situation.
On average, each student was aware of at least five of the current CSU services. Student Central
was by far the most recognised service available to students. Despite being aware of services,
students were requesting more support from university services as they transitioned through to their
final years (as identified in the research, request for support increases among students in their
middle and final years). There is opportunity to increase awareness of other support systems for
students as they transition through university, particularly:




DE Outreach programs for Distance students
Academic skills support programs for all FIF students
Career support for those in their final years
Indigenous services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander FIF students
The peak periods of stress for students come as they hit the middle years of their study, motivation
levels are lower and they are feeling the pressures physically, mentally and financially. As FIF
students tend to have no real expectations about what studying at university entails, for one third of
these students it was more difficult than they expected. There is a gap between what students
expect and the reality of what they experience. The challenge for CSU will be to provide students
with support around what to expect that will not deter them from commencing their studies.
Studying at university has a profound impact on a person’s identity. Students believed that
university had not only given them the practical skills and the knowledge to work in their desired
fields, university gave students more self-confidence to move forward with their lives.
23
The results in this report have been weighted because of a self-selection bias in the sampling
procedure. The data has been weighted to represent the CSU FIF population. CSU provided
enrolment data showing the distribution of students across their socio demographic characteristics.
The data was weighted based on respondent’s age, gender, the mode of study and faculty currently
studying in. The comparison of results on the unweighted data is shown below:





Within Age there were significant variations in the younger age groups
Gender was skewed significantly more Female
Attendance was skewed towards Part time
Mode of study was skewed towards the Distance Education cohort
The faculty of study was skewed towards Arts and away from Science
Age %
0 - 19
20 - 24
25 - 29
30 - 34
35 - 39
40 - 44
45 - 49
50 - 54
55 - 59
60 - 64
65+
NET
CSU
Population
21%
29%
16%
11%
8%
7%
5%
2%
1%
0%
0%
100%
Sample
Achieved
15.89%
38.84%
12.77%
8.78%
7.11%
6.20%
4.71%
3.49%
1.36%
0.63%
0.23%
100%
Gender %
Female
Male
NET
CSU
Population
68%
32%
100%
Sample
Achieved
74.56%
25.26%
100%
Attendance
%
Full Time
Part Time
NET
CSU
Population
46%
54%
100%
Sample
Achieved
59%
41%
100%
Gender %
Female
Male
NET
CSU
Population
68%
32%
100%
Sample
Achieved
74.56%
25.26%
100%
Mode %
Distance
Internal
NET
CSU
Population
58%
42%
100%
Sample
Achieved
53%
47%
100%
Faculty %
Arts
Business
Education
Science
NET
CSU
Population
30%
12%
25%
32%
100%
Sample
Achieved
20%
13%
23%
44%
100%
24
Concern prior to starting University
by mode (Column %)
Cope financially while studying
Balance study/family/work
Cope with the workload
Cope with the complexity of study
Fit into university social networks
Cope with computer/internet based learning
Cope with living away from home
Ability to self-motivate/getting grades
All of the above
Unsure
No concerns
Concern prior to starting University
by faculty and age (Column %)
Cope financially while studying
Balance study/family/work
Cope with the workload
Cope with the complexity of study
Fit into university social networks
Cope with computer/internet based learning
Cope with living away from home
Ability to self-motivate/getting grades
All of the above
Unsure
No concerns
Overall
Distance
Internal
Full Time
Part Time
Metro
Regional:
(n=1,972)
(n=954)
(n=830)
(n=1199)
(n=806)
(n=581)
(n=1,391)
24%
25%
22%
19%
3%
2%
1%
1%
11%
36%
24%
20%
1%
3%
1%
1%
44%
7%
18%
17%
7%
1%
3%
0%
40%
10%
19%
17%
6%
2%
2%
0%
11%
37%
24%
20%
1%
2%
1%
1%
1%
0%
2%
1%
0%
3%
1%
0%
1%
1%
0%
2%
1%
0%
2%
14%
29%
26%
19%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
0%
3%
29%
22%
19%
19%
4%
2%
1%
1%
1%
0%
2%
Overall
(n=1,972)
24%
25%
22%
19%
3%
2%
1%
1%
1%
0%
2%
Arts
Business
Education
Science
0 - 19 years
(n=384)
(n=270)
(n=451)
(n=867)
(n=300)
20%
27%
20%
19%
4%
2%
2%
1%
0%
0%
4%
21%
31%
23%
14%
3%
2%
0%
0%
0%
1%
4%
20%
26%
25%
20%
3%
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%
1%
32%
19%
19%
19%
3%
3%
2%
0%
0%
0%
1%
41%
10%
20%
15%
7%
2%
3%
0%
0%
0%
1%
20 - 29
years
30 - 39
years
40 - 49
years
(n=1,021)
(n=329)
(n=226)
30%
18%
23%
17%
4%
2%
1%
1%
0%
0%
2%
7%
43%
22%
21%
0%
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%
4%
7%
44%
17%
22%
1%
4%
1%
0%
2%
0%
1%
25
Advice needed in the first year of study
(Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Assistance with technology
Financial advice
Living away from home support
Health and well-being
Navigating university administration
systems and processes
Other (please specify)
Advice needed in the first year of study
(Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Assistance with technology
Financial advice
Living away from home support
Health and well-being
Navigating university administration
systems and processes
Other (please specify)
Overall
Distance
Internal
Full Time
Part Time
Metro
Regional:
(n=1,967)
(n=950)
(n=829)
(n=1,164)
(n=803)
Male
Female
(n=557)
(n=1390)
(n=489)
(n=1478)
50%
55%
45%
46%
54%
51%
50%
52%
49%
47%
46%
46%
46%
47%
44%
48%
52%
44%
21%
50%
20%
5%
22%
11%
8%
26%
51%
19%
6%
12%
2%
5%
14%
47%
21%
3%
37%
23%
12%
15%
48%
22%
3%
34%
21%
11%
26%
51%
19%
6%
12%
2%
5%
25%
52%
21%
4%
17%
7%
6%
19%
49%
20%
5%
24%
12%
9%
18%
46%
20%
3%
23%
9%
6%
22%
52%
20%
5%
21%
12%
8%
32%
34%
29%
29%
34%
30%
33%
30%
33%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
3%
1%
(n=226)
50 years and
over (n=96)
Aboriginal/
Torres Strait
Islander (n=74*)
57%
60%
62%
51%
50%
45%
42%
31%
42%
13%
44%
26%
4%
39%
26%
11%
17%
51%
21%
3%
25%
12%
9%
28%
55%
19%
4%
10%
0%
4%
32%
45%
15%
11%
7%
1%
4%
38%
49%
5%
14%
2%
0%
3%
20%
55%
27%
5%
31%
8%
6%
32%
27%
33%
33%
32%
41%
26%
2%
2%
1%
2%
3%
7%
3%
Overall
0 - 19 years
20 - 29 years
30 - 39 years
40 - 49 years
(n=1967)
(n=300)
(n=1,018)
(n=327)
50%
43%
47%
47%
44%
21%
50%
20%
5%
22%
11%
8%
26
*CAUTION LOW BASE SIZE
Advice needed in the middle years of
study (Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Assistance with technology
Financial advice
Living away from home support
Health and well-being
Navigating university administration
systems and processes
Careers advice
Other (please specify)
Advice needed in the middle years of
study (Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Assistance with technology
Financial advice
Living away from home support
Health and well-being
Navigating university administration
systems and processes
Careers advice
Other (please specify)
Overall
Distance:
Internal:
Full Time:
Part Time:
Metro:
Regional:
Male
Female
(n=1,222)
(n=562)
(n=509)
(n=753)
(n=469)
(n=333)
(n=889)
(n=298)
(n=924)
34%
35%
33%
34%
34%
31%
35%
34%
34%
41%
40%
43%
40%
41%
41%
41%
44%
39%
13%
57%
38%
3%
19%
5%
12%
16%
57%
37%
4%
11%
2%
10%
8%
56%
38%
3%
33%
10%
15%
9%
55%
37%
3%
29%
10%
14%
15%
59%
38%
4%
12%
1%
11%
15%
56%
33%
4%
15%
5%
12%
11%
57%
40%
3%
22%
5%
12%
10%
51%
38%
3%
19%
4%
8%
14%
60%
37%
3%
20%
5%
14%
15%
17%
11%
13%
16%
17%
13%
15%
15%
15%
2%
11%
1%
18%
2%
19%
2%
11%
1%
14%
2%
15%
1%
14%
4%
15%
1%
(n=141)
50 years and
over (n=67)
Aboriginal/
Torres Strait
Islander (n=45)*
34%
39%
44%
30%
41%
45%
32%
29%
45%
7%
63%
35%
0%
35%
16%
14%
9%
58%
41%
2%
25%
6%
13%
18%
51%
39%
3%
8%
0%
11%
19%
56%
27%
11%
7%
0%
8%
35%
64%
19%
10%
1%
0%
9%
6%
60%
44%
3%
24%
1%
8%
15%
8%
14%
15%
20%
24%
13%
15%
2%
19%
1%
19%
1%
8%
2%
7%
3%
2%
1%
10%
0%
Overall
0 - 19 years
20 - 29 years
30 - 39 years
40 - 49 years
(n=1,222)
(n=83)
(n=738)
(n=193)
34%
28%
33%
41%
48%
13%
57%
38%
3%
19%
5%
12%
27
*CAUTION LOW BASE SIZE
Advice needed in the final years of study
(Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Financial advice
Health and well-being
Careers advice
Advice to help you transition out of
University
Other (please specify)
Advice needed in the final years of study
(Column %)
Study skills advice
Organisational / time management
advice
Library skills advice
Course / subject specific advice
Motivational support / advice
Financial advice
Health and well-being
Careers advice
Advice to help you transition out of
University
Other (please specify)
Overall
Distance:
Internal:
Full Time:
Part Time:
Metro:
Regional:
Male
Female
(n=391)
(n=192)
(n=134)
(n=249)
(n=142)
(n=122)
(n=269)
(n=105)
(n=286)
15%
14%
16%
16%
15%
15%
16%
21%
12%
24%
25%
21%
22%
25%
24%
23%
30%
20%
3%
36%
35%
15%
13%
49%
3%
35%
35%
9%
14%
41%
3%
36%
34%
30%
13%
63%
2%
38%
31%
24%
11%
63%
3%
34%
38%
8%
15%
37%
3%
31%
31%
6%
15%
46%
2%
39%
37%
21%
12%
51%
2%
42%
30%
12%
10%
40%
3%
33%
38%
17%
15%
53%
38%
31%
47%
46%
31%
32%
42%
30%
42%
5%
6%
3%
3%
7%
7%
3%
8%
3%
20 - 29 years
(n=250)
30 - 39 years
(n=54)*
40 - 49 years
(n=55)*
50 years and
over (n=30)*
15%
14%
14%
18%
17%
24%
25%
25%
19%
15%
3%
36%
35%
15%
13%
49%
1%
35%
38%
22%
15%
59%
4%
42%
36%
8%
12%
26%
7%
31%
25%
8%
9%
44%
2%
39%
34%
2%
13%
48%
38%
46%
26%
28%
31%
5%
1%
8%
14%
7%
Overall
(n=391)
0 - 19 years
(n=2)*
Aboriginal/
Torres Strait
Islander (n=15)*
28
WRI has built a dedicated team of professional research staff and associates with the expertise
necessary to provide our clients with robust and reliable research solutions. WRI has a team
approach to its projects and allocates work to members of the research staff as appropriate. A brief
outline of staff that will be working on the project is provided below:
Ms Danielle Ranshaw – Chief Executive Officer
BEc&Fin UNSW
Danielle leads the team at WRI, managing overall
research output and developing the organisation’s
business and profile. Danielle is an experienced
researcher, having worked with WRI for seven
years in roles ranging from survey development,
data analysis, in-depth interview, stakeholder
consultation, focus group facilitation, project
management and client presentation. She joined
WRI having several years’ experience as a project
manager within the information technology sector
and a few years of experience working in
academic support program development at
Charles Sturt University. Additionally, Danielle has
extensive experience in business process
analysis, performance planning and review, report
writing and project planning.
Danielle is currently a member of the Australasian
Evaluation Society and has considerable
experience in developing monitoring and
evaluation frameworks, having completed both
large scale and small evaluations for organisations
in the Central West of NSW. She is also enrolled in
postgraduate study related to community
engagement work.
Ms Erin Wise – Senior Research Officer
BBus Marketing, BBus Honours Class 1 (CSU)
Erin is a passionate market researcher with over
10 years’ experience in the industry. Erin joins
WRI after gaining a wealth of experience in brand
strategy and development, and understanding
consumer sentiment from her previous role as a
Research Director at Pollinate. She is a skilled
quantitative researcher with background in brand
tracking, consumer segmentation, advertising
testing and evaluation. Erin is proficient in
multivariate data analysis techniques, project
management, presenting and is dedicated to
ensuring her clients solve their research problems.
Erin is currently a member of the Australian
Marketing and Social Research Society and has
been certified by the society as a Qualified
Practicing Market Researcher (QPMR).
Mr Alistair Maclennan – Senior Research
Officer
BA Political Economy, First Class Honours (UNE)
Having served in a variety of parliamentary, public
service and private sector roles, Alistair brings a
wealth of research experience to WRI. Alistair has
well developed skills in data analysis, economics
and business, and has a wide understanding of
government. In addition, Alistair also has
experience in policy development in the energy
sector, where he engaged with industry,
government agencies and NGOs to inform policy.
Alistair’s experience in engaging with clients,
stakeholders and the public assists WRI to fully
understand its client’s needs and provide tailored
research.
Ms Rebecca Hood Research Officer
BBus (Fin/Acc) With Distinction CSU
With several years’ experience in the Financial
Services Industry, coupled with a degree in
Finance and Accounting from Charles Sturt
University, Rebecca brings strong skills in finance,
economics, business and accounting to WRI
projects. Rebecca’s extensive experience in the
finance field and her high level understanding of
current market knowledge gives Rebecca a solid
understanding of the financial needs of regional
and rural Australia. Having prior experience with
local councils and retail, Rebecca also brings a
robust understanding of the needs of regional
businesses in our local economy to her role at
WRI.
Ms Dale Curran - Executive Officer
BA (ANU)
Dale is responsible for all administrative processes
at WRI including executive support, finance, and
management of the Board of Directors and
maintenance of policies. Dale has worked in a
variety of roles at WRI, including Fieldwork
Supervisor and Research Assistant, and has
worked on several community and business
surveys. As a result, she brings a strong
understanding of research processes to her
administrative role. Dale brings a high level of
organisational skill and efficiency to her role as
Executive Officer.
29
The Flannery Centre, 341 Havannah Street Bathurst NSW 2795
Mail: PO Box 9374 Bathurst NSW 2795 Phone: 02 6333 4000
ABN 76 090 089 991
Email: [email protected]
www.wri.org.au