UK Report says UQ is one of Australia's leading universities

The University of Queensland has been highlighted for its high quality and cost-effectiveness in an international benchmarking report compiled by management consultants for Britain's Dearing Committee.

Overall, the total institutional costs of the University of Queensland are 20 percent less than the benchmark institution in the UK despite its full-time equivalent population being 30 percent higher, according to the report.

The report, Higher Education in the Learning Society, compares the cost of teaching at 10 higher education institutions in five countries, including the University of Queensland and the Victoria University of Technology for the Australian sample.

It describes the University as 'one of Australia's leading universities, with an international reputation and high national quality ratings for both teaching and research'.

The report has been published in the United Kingdom as the outcome of a comprehensive review of UK universities, chaired by Sir Ron Dearing.

The study shows that the average cost of producing non-medical graduates is lowest in the Australian institutions and is highest in Dutch and US institutions. The cost of such education in England and Germany lie between.

The comparison was based on case studies of one typical research university and one primarily-teaching university in each country.

For graduates of classroom-based courses, the report noted that the cost varied from about A$16,665 at the University of Queensland to A$58,580 in a private research university in the USA.

For graduates of laboratory-based subjects, the cost varied from about A$28,280 at the University of Queensland to about A$90,900 in a Dutch counterpart.

Factors associated with low teaching costs in Australia include short length of degree programs and low attrition rates for students.

For further information contact Mr Lindsay Parker on telephone 07 3365 1315.