Student survey

Student surveys are used by ASQA to inform the scope of audits. Student surveys help ASQA to identify potential areas of concern that may need to be further looked into during the audit process.

Survey findings may also be used to identify appropriate students for further involvement (i.e. interviews) as well as to corroborate/support audit findings.

ASQA holds the copyright for student survey findings document and providers are not permitted to republish these survey results in any form, including on their websites. The survey results alone are not an indicator of a provider’s quality. As such, to publish them is potentially misleading and could inaccurately imply to students ASQA’s endorsement of an provider’s performance in a particular area.

The student survey collects information from students about their individual experiences.

An individual student’s survey response will not, on its own, result in a training provider being found non-compliant. Student survey responses are one of many inputs that inform the areas that ASQA uses to inform the audit process and identify areas of an provider’s operation that may be of concern.

If concerns with a particular area are identified through the student survey, ASQA will seek further evidence to support this information, including through student interviews in some cases.

The training provider has an opportunity to respond to findings and evidence outlined in the audit report.

Auditors may look at any relevant internal survey results; however, whether or not a provider conducts internal surveys will not affect the requirement for ASQA to survey a provider’s students.

The student survey is administered by ASQA to ensure students are able to provide honest and accurate information about their journey to an organisation independent of the training provider.

ASQA is seeking an average response rate of 10 per cent of students invited to the survey. If the response rate is not achieved, ASQA will seek to improve this rate through reminders, including text (SMS) reminders. ASQA may also ask the provider to encourage students to participate in the survey.

Where students have specific communication needs, ASQA will work with the provider to identify these and to determine the best way to seek information on these students’ experiences. ASQA may use alternative methods such as face to face or phone interviews.

No, the requirement for providers to collect and submit data relating to learner engagement is a requirement of the VET Quality Framework/Data Provision Requirements 2012.

ASQA’s collection of data from students as part of the audit process is a separate procedure.

The survey questions have undergone cognitive testing to ensure that they are easy to complete for most students, including students who speak languages other than English.

Where students have specific communication needs that make completing the survey difficult, ASQA will work with the provider to identify these and to determine the best way to seek information on these students’ experiences. We may use alternative methods such as face-to-face or phone interviews.

ASQA will also provide the survey link by text message/SMS.