University & Beyond

The University & Beyond survey (U&B), conducted in 2007 and 2008 by Graduate Careers Australia, was, at the time, the largest survey in Australia on the expectations and perceptions of current higher education students.

Prior to the introduction of U&B in 2007, there had been no systematic attempt made to obtain the views of a nationally representative sample of current students about their expectations of their life beyond higher education. By combining the results from the U&B survey with those from the Australian Graduate Survey (AGS) and the Graduate Outlook Survey (GOS), a number of new and unique insights into graduate recruitment were able to be developed, while some existing ones were able to be confirmed.

The U&B survey provides a range of key insights, including:

  • how students see themselves adjusting to a professional life after higher education
  • what attracts students to a particular employer
  • the aspects of their employment that students consider to be more important than salary
  • the employment attributes that students believe contribute to job satisfaction and retention
  • how long students expect to stay with their first employer after graduation.

Who is it of interest to?

The findings from the U&B survey can assist employers in more effectively tailoring their recruitment packages to attract and retain the best graduates. These findings can assist graduates and soon-to-be graduates in aligning their job search strategies with employee requirements, and can similarly assist careers advisors in providing useful job seeking advice and guidance.

Where can I see the findings?

A summary snapshot on the 2008 U&B survey is available for free download. Further more detailed reports are available on request.

To enquire about the results of this survey, or to obtain copies of earlier reports, email [email protected].