UWA's mission is to provide world-class education, research and community engagement for the advancement of the prosperity and welfare of our communities. The University aspires to be recognised in the world’s top 50 universities by 2050 for its commitment to excellence in all our activities.
The following KPIs are designed to evidence progress towards our vision and mission.
A small number of KPIs have been revised since the 2016 Annual Report to reflect changing emphasis and performance reporting mechanisms. These changes are noted where relevant in the following pages.
Leadership in education
Strategic goal
To be recognised as a global leader in university education.
Services
UWA delivers excellent courses that will engage, challenge and transform students through a rich variety of learning experiences.
Key performance indicators
Achievement of this goal will be measured by the following indicators:
1.1. Share of first preferences in TISC applications from school leavers with an ATAR ≥ 95
This effectiveness indicator measures the University's ability to attract the highest performing school leavers. The quality of incoming students is an important driver of educational performance and a marker of the University's reputation for academic excellence and success.
The following table shows the proportion of school leavers with an ATAR ≥ 95 who applied to study at UWA as a first preference in TISC applications
The 2017 figures indicate that despite UWA remaining the first-choice university for the majority of WA's highest-performing school leavers, the University is losing share of this high-performing cohort to other public WA universities.
The University is implementing a range of strategies designed to attract high-performing students.
Share of first preferences in TISC applications from school leavers with an ATAR ≥ 95, 2013–2017
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of school leavers with an ATAR ≥ 95 | 75% | 74% | 75% | 70% | 64% | 70% |
Data source: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC)
Note: Population is limited to school leavers listing one of the four WA universities as their first preference. Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
1.2. Student satisfaction
This effectiveness indicator provides an insight into students' perceptions of the overall student experience at UWA. It includes perspectives from domestic and international students in undergraduate and postgraduate coursework and research degrees.
Students' satisfaction with their courses is derived from the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) for coursework students and the Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) for Higher Degree by Research students. In each questionnaire, graduates are asked to respond to the statement "Overall, I was satisfied with the quality of this course" using a five-point scale, ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree". Percentage agreement is the proportion of graduates who responded with "agree" or "strongly agree" divided by the total number of valid responses. These surveys are undertaken four months following the completion of a degree.
The table below shows that the percentage agreement results have declined slightly over the past few years. Numerous initiatives are being implemented, starting in 2018, to reverse the University's performance in these areas.
Percentage agreement on the Overall Satisfaction Item in the Course Experience Questionnaire and Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire, 2013–2017 Year refers to the reference year of the survey e.g. 2016 represents 2015 graduates.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEQ Responses of graduates of undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees. | ||||||
| % agreement | 83% | 80% | 78% | 76% | 75% | 80% |
| WA average | 83% | 83% | 83% | 82% | 83% | |
| National average | 83% | 83% | 83% | 82% | 81% | |
| UWA response rate Offshore students are excluded from the CEQ and PREQ figures. | 50% | 50% | 37% | 35% | 38% | |
| PREQ Offshore students are excluded from the CEQ and PREQ figures. | ||||||
| % agreement | 84% | 86% | 87% | 85% | 82% | 88% |
| WA average | 88% | 89% | 87% | 84% | 82% | |
| National average | 86% | 87% | 87% | 85% | 84% | |
| UWA response rate Responses of graduates of postgraduate research degrees. | 65% | 61% | 59% | 52% | 56% | |
Data source: Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ).
1.3. Graduate outcomes
To gain an indication of the quality of the University's students and courses, and how well these meet individual, global and industry needs, graduates are surveyed four months after they have finished their courses to determine their employment status.
The following table shows the trends in total employment rate, which is the proportion of graduates who are in either full-time or part-time employment, as a percentage of those who are available for work (working or seeking work, but not in full-time study). The total employment rate can also point to trends in the way new graduates are seeking to work, as well as changes in the local labour market conditions. Gaining a better understanding of the paths students take after graduation also informs the development of the University's educational experience and the courses it offers.
The table below indicates that in 2017 the total employment rate for domestic and international students who had graduated from UWA was 83 per cent. The trends seen in this data mirror the performance of the WA average, reflecting the nature of the current WA labour market.
Total employment rate of students The respondents include domestic and international students who have completed either an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree or a Higher Degree by Research; who completed coursework at UWA, 2013–2017 Year refers to the reference year of the survey e.g. 2016 represents 2015 graduates.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWA | 90% | 87% | 87% | 84% | 83% | 88% |
| WA average | 91% | 89% | 89% | 87% | 86% | |
| UWA response rate | 47% | 46% | 35% | 32% | 39% |
Data source: Graduate Destination Survey (pre-2016), Graduate Outcomes Survey (2016+)
1.4. Equity access rate
UWA recognises the importance of achieving a more diverse student population and has developed a range of strategies to improve access by students from designated equity groups: low socioeconomic status (SES) students, students from a non- English speaking background (NESB), Indigenous students, students with disability and students from regional and remote locations.
Accessibility to a world-class education at UWA by the broader community is inherent in UWA's values. Access rates from these equity groups provide an indicator of the University's effectiveness towards achieving diversity and accessibility.
The table below presents access rates of domestic commencing students belonging to designated groups. In 2017, the University did not achieve any of the access rate targets, but an Inclusion and Diversity Strategy is under development to assist in improving these results.
Access ratesAccess rates for equity groups commencing at UWA for equity groups commencing at UWA, 2013–2017
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016Variation from previously reported figures is due to the inclusion of full-year data in the figures currently presented. | 2017Based on preliminary data prior to the March 2018 finalisation. | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low SES studentsSES is attributed based on postcode of the permanent home address. | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 10.3% | 9.5% | 12.0% |
| Students from a NESB NESB students comprise those who arrived in Australia in the previous 10 years and speak a language that is not English at home. | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| Indigenous students | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| Students with a disability | 7.4% | 7.0% | 7.7% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.0% |
| Students from a regional location | 9.0% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.2% | 10.0% |
| Students from a remote location | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.5% |
Data source: Commonwealth Government Higher Education Student Data Collection Files, 2012-2016, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas 2011.
These metrics are the best representation of UWA’s strategic aspirations and their structure is consistent with the measures reported in 2016.
Internationally renowned research
Strategic goal
To strive for an international research agenda of relevance to the community it serves.
Services
UWA undertakes research across all disciplines focused on issues of relevance to its communities and industries while generating understanding and solutions of global value, and offers high-quality research training principally through its Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs.
Key performance indicators
Achievement of this goal will be measured by the following indicators:
2.1. Research income
Research funds earned by an institution provide an indication of its effectiveness in conducting relevant and valued research, while also informing the community how the University funds its efforts towards the advancement of knowledge. The Australian Competitive Grants funds are allocated on the basis of competitive bids to the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), primary industry research and development corporations, and other Commonwealth departments and organisations. An institution’s share of research income is a proxy measure of research relevance and competitiveness.
As shown in the table below, in 2016 the University received $190 million in total research income, which equates to an average of $158,229 per academic staff FTE (excluding casual appointments). This total research income places UWA seventh in Australia for funding within the Group of Eight universities.
Sector-wide declines in Australian Competitive Grants are driving diversification into other funding categories – maintaining this shift is a focus for 2018. Initiatives are in place to secure improvements in funding performance for 2017 and 2018.
The University continues to seek further increases in its research income, and the diversity of sources of that income, to grow its research capacity.
Research income awarded to UWA, 2013–2016
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2016 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total research income ($M) | $214 | $204 | $195 | $190 | $205 |
| Total research income per academic FTE at Level B+ Full-time equivalence of academic staff at lecturer Level B and above, excluding casual appointments. ($) | $171,280 | $161,581 | $157,324 | $158,229 | $160,000 |
| UWA share of total research income (%) | 6.0% | 5.5% | 5.2% | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| National rank ank based upon total research income per academic staff FTE at Level B and above relative to Australian universities. | 3rd | 6th | 7th | 7th | |
| Australian Competitive Grants ($M) | $109 | $108 | $87 | $86 | $85 |
| International research income ($M) | $12 | $12 | $16 | $15 | $20 |
| Research contract income ($M) | $30 | $19 | $26 | $28 | $30 |
Data source: Commonwealth Government Higher Education Research Data Collections (HERDC), figures in millions are rounded to the nearest million.
2.2. Publications
UWA is committed to communicating its research globally through high-quality publications. The numbers of refereed publications in reputable journals are indicators measuring the research output of a university. Publications in the top journal quintile are used to benchmark research outputs regardless of differences in size and disciplinary profiles, and to showcase the presence of publications in journals considered to be the most prestigious around the world. The numbers of weighted publications per academic staff FTE are efficiency indicators of research productivity.
UWA continues to maintain the high quality and quantity of its publication output, as measured by the proportion published in top quintile journals and output per academic staff FTE.
Selected weighted Books are weighted 5:1. research publications per academic staff FTE Full-time equivalent of academic staff at Level B or above, excluding casual appointments.
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2016 target Reported to 2016 instead of 2017 as data in Scopus has not been finalised for 2017 due to timing of actual publication and the data collation in Scopus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWA weighted research publications per academic staff FTE | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| National weighted research publications per academic staff FTE | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | |
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2016 target Reported to 2016 instead of 2017 as data in Scopus has not been finalised for 2017 due to timing of actual publication and the data collation in Scopus | |
| National weighted research publications per academic staff FTE | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
Percentage of UWA articles published in the top 20% journals
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % UWA articles published in the top 20% journals Top 20% journals are the top quintile journals based on the number of citations per citable publications as it relates to the Web of Science category to which it is mapped. | 46% | 47% | 46% | 47% | 47% | 49% |
Data source: Publications: (books, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and full written papers in refereed proceedings) as indexed in Scopus; Staff FTE: Commonwealth Government Higher Education Staff Collection; Top 20% journal list generated with Clarivate’s Journal Citation Report. Proportion of articles published in the top 20 per cent of journals generated using the Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index, in the Web of Science.
In 2016 the excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) effectiveness was reported. This measure is only conducted every three years, meaning updated results will not be available until 2019.
Community and global engagement
Strategic goal
To be recognised for the strong and mutually beneficial relationships forged with stakeholders.
Services
UWA engages with global stakeholders and partners to contribute to the intellectual, cultural and social lives of its community; expand access to capabilities and resources; and seek feedback to focus and align research and education with community needs.
Key performance indicators
Achievement of this goal will be measured by the following indicators:
3.1. Key rankings
UWA aspires to be a global top 50 university and this indicator tracks its progress towards the achievement of this goal. To provide a robust reflection of the University's comparative performance, UWA's international ranking is measured using the three most influential international rankings instruments:
- Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) — based on research measures
- Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking — based on research measures, reputation measures, the mix of international staff and students and the staff-to-student ratio
- Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking — based on research measures, a teaching score and an international mix component
UWA remains a top 100 university in the ARWU ranking and also made the top 100 in the QS ranking, improving its position by nine rank places within the QS in 2017. The University's position in the THE improved by 14 rank places. Being positioned in the top 100 for both the ARWU and QS is a great achievement given the competitiveness within these global rankings and the high quality of the world's tertiary education sector.
International ranks, 2013—2017
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARWU | 91 | 88 | 87 | 96 | 91 | 90-95 |
| QS | 84 | 89 | 98 | 102 | 93 | 95-100 |
| THE | 168 | 157 | 109 | 125 | 111 | 110-115 |
Data source:
Academic Ranking of World Universities
TOPUNIVERSITIES
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
3.2. Media outcomes
This effectiveness indicator provides a measure of the University's coverage in the media, with media engagement undertaken to communicate the University's successes and demonstrate our impact and value to the societies we serve.
Quarterly reporting on media coverage is compiled by external company iSentia for the University, and this type of analysis has been in place since January 2015. The analysis is of Australian press and broadcast media only and covers major media outlets. Social media, journals, blogs and some media publications are not included. It must also be noted that the University's media coverage is subject to a large range of uncontrollable internal and external factors.
In 2017 the University continued to attract a large volume of media coverage. A majority of this coverage was deemed to be positive, with the remainder being neutral (48.5%) and negative (1%). While the total volume of coverage was higher in 2016, this reflects the changing nature of the media environment.
Yearly comparison of media coverage, 2015–2017
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of media items | 5846 | 5460 | 4414 | 5500 |
| Percentage of positive coverage | 55% | 58.5% | 50.5% | 50% |
Data source: iSentia
Notes: The percentage of positive coverage outlined is based on a yearly average taken from the iSentia quarterly analysis. The quarterly analysis of positive coverage is calculated through a random representative sample. The sample in 2016 was 2294 items (42% of total media items), and in 2017 the sample was 2327 items (53% of total media items).
3.3. Development outcomes
This indicator is a measure of the effectiveness of the achievement of philanthropy targets by determining the proportion of the target that has been raised (committed) each year. Funds raised include all donations, bequests and philanthropic grants.
The New Century Campaign had a target of $400m for its completion at the end of 2017. Performance of the New Century Campaign maintained a strong trajectory towards this campaign target across its operational time frame, resulting in UWA exceeding the targeted amount.
Percentage of development targets achieved, 2013–2017
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage raised against target | 50% | 60% | 75% | 83% | 108% | 100% |
Data source: Internal data
These metrics are the best representation of UWA's strategic aspirations' and their structure is consistent with the measures reported in 2016.
Financial ratios
4.1. Teaching and research revenue per staff dollar employed (cost-effectiveness)
4.2. Operating margin (costeffectiveness)
These indicators are designed to inform the operating efficiency and cost productivity of the University's core activities. Performance on these indicators is primarily driven by the percentage of fee-paying equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) (to yield a higher gross margin), as well as the timing of income and expenditure associated with research grants, donations and capital grants. These indicators are also influenced by annual investment returns and expenditure associated with investment in academic excellence, student experience and other University strategic priorities.
Both indicators exceeded target in 2017, with a significant improvement in operating margin driven by increased donation income.
Financial ratios, 2013–2017
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching and research revenue per dollar of staff expenditure Staff expenditure is defined as salaries (plus on-costs: superannuation, payroll tax, workers’ compensations, leave expenses) (all funds). | 1.26 | 1.24 | 1.23 | 1.17 | 1.30 | 1.29 |
| Operating margin | 12.7% | 9.5% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 8.4% | 4.9% |