ICMS Ranked #1 in NSW

Student support, skills development and learner engagement are categories in which the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) has topped the ranks in the latest national Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)¹.

According to the NSW Government Education department, there are 68 higher education providers in NSW. The latest QILT survey reveals for the study area, Tourism, Hospitality, Personal Services, Sport and recreation:

• ICMS ranked 1st in NSW for Skills Development (First & Final Year, UG) 

  Skills Development relates to how a student perceives a course to have advanced critical thinking skills, helped in their ability to solve complex problems and work with others as well as independently, and gauges how a course contributed to their knowledge of the field they are studying as well as the development of work-related knowledge and skills, and the enhancement of written and communication skills.

• ICMS ranked 1st in NSW for Student Support (First & Final Year, UG)

  Student Support answers the questions around how much support was given to a student by the institution in the following areas: settling into study, enrolment and admissions process, orientation activities, and the degree to which administrative staff or systems have been available and helpful. The role of career advisors, academic and learning advisors as well as support services such as councillors and health services, as well as English language skill support, was also monitored.

• ICMS ranked 2nd in NSW for Learner Engagement (First & Final Year, UG)

  Learner Engagement covered interactions between staff and students, and how students felt prepared for their studies and felt a sense of belonging to their institution. Engagement is a broad term for how frequently a student participates in discussions, works with other students as part of their studies, interacts with students outside study requirements and interaction between students who are different from themselves, as well as opportunities for international students to interact with domestic students.

QILT is an Australian Government initiative, directed by the Australian Department of Education, and independently administered by The Social Research Centre.

The positive QILT results for ICMS are a reflection of the higher education institute’s focus on mentoring and supporting students from enrolment to graduation and beyond. The approach of the Professional Mentor is the ethos of ICMS, and is aligned with ICMS’ student-centric focus, embraced by all members of the ICMS community, from academic faculty to support services and fellow students.

“‘Big enough to connect you, small enough to connect with you’ really sums up the ICMS approach to learning and teaching. Our Professional Mentor ecosystem provides students with great opportunities throughout their course,” ICMS CEO Rowan Courtney-O’Connor said.

“Career-focused education has been delivered by ICMS for over 25 years – it’s at the core of who we are as an institution.”

In existence since 2012, the QILT and SES surveys provide a snapshot of how Australian higher education institutions are performing through the eyes of students – a mix of international and domestic, postgraduate and undergraduate. Over 400 000 students, graduates and employers respond to QILT surveys each year. Around 90 tertiary education providers and over 40 Australian universities take part in QILT, resulting in a comprehensive overview of the higher education landscape across the length and breadth of Australia.

“The QILT results are a reaffirmation that our students value our principles to learning and teaching. Our classrooms, whether face-to-face or online, are engaging, connecting and empowering, to equip students with relevant skills for the world of work,” stated Dr Heidi le Sueur (DVC (Learning & Teaching).

“Most of all, students feel welcomed at ICMS and enjoy being part of the community which we create,” she concluded.

For more information on QILT, click here.

For more information on ICMS, click here.

1. QILT 2021 survey, with results released in 2022.