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This report presents a summary of the findings from the 2004 AUT Postgraduate Research Student Experience Survey. It
examines overall student satisfaction with respect to various aspects related to postgraduate study (i.e. supervision,
programme organisation, research culture, research skills development, resources and facilities, support services, and the
overall research experience) and details specific areas that students rated positively and negatively. Questionnaires were sent to
248 postgraduate thesis students; 104 students responded, representing a response rate of 42%. This is the seventh survey in
this annual series of postgraduate student surveying at AUT.
Profile of Thesis Students: 2000 – 2004 Figure 2. % Satisfaction with postgraduate research experience
by gender (male & female)
The number of postgraduate thesis students studying at AUT
has increased from 104 students in 2000 to 326 in 2004. There 100
percent (%)
60
(see figure 1). 50
40
Figure 1. Thesis students enrolled at AUT: 2000 to 2004
30
20
350
10
Masters (thesis)
300 0
Doctorate
Organisation
Supervision
Services
culture at
Standard
Research
Research
Research
Resources &
number of students
Programme
Student
Experience
Research
Facilities
250
Skills
AUT
200
150
100 § Males were less satisfied with all ‘overall’ items than were
females (see figure 2).
50
§ 52% of Arts students were satisfied with their overall
0 research experience (52% satisfied, 26% dissatisfied and
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 19% neutral) postgraduate student support services (57%
year satisfied, 24% neutral and 24% dissatisfied) and
In 2003, slightly more postgraduate students were studying full- programme organisation (58% satisfied, 25% dissatisfied,
time (51%) than part-time (49%). Most students were domestic 17% neutral) at AUT.
(93%) with only a small group of international students (7%).
§ 54% of under 29 year olds were satisfied with the research
culture (54% satisfied, 4% dissatisfied, 42% neutral) and
with their research experience (58% satisfied, 8%
Overall Satisfaction with AUT in 2004 dissatisfied, 34% neutral)
The postgraduate questionnaire concentrated on eight areas of
the postgraduate research experience, programme organisation,
resources and facilities, supervision, research culture, research Positive Highlights
experience, research skills development, standard of research
and support services. Respondents rated the majority of Postgraduate students as a whole were satisfied or very satisfied
questionnaire items as ‘very important’, which indicates that the with all individual questionnaire elements surveyed.
questionnaire tapped into issues that postgraduate students § Students were the most satisfied with the supervision they
considered to be relevant to them. received at AUT (87% satisfied) and rated aspects of
supervision focusing on the supervisory relationship and
§ The majority of respondents were very satisfied with the process very positively.
quality of supervision received (87% satisfied, 9% § There was broad agreement that undertaking thesis study
dissatisfied, 4% neutral) and felt that they had developed had contributed to the acquisition of eleven research-
their research skills while undertaking postgraduate related skills. Over 85% of students agreed they had
research (81% satisfied, 7% dissatisfied, 12% neutral,). developed written communication skills, improved
§ Students were, on the whole, satisfied with the standard analytical skills, the ability to think critically about their
of their research (78% satisfied, 7% dissatisfied, 15% research and to find relevant research information.
neutral), programme organisation (74% satisfied, 14% § Postgraduate students also indicated that they were very
dissatisfied, 12% neutral) and the quality of resources & satisfied with the seminar programmes organised by the
facilities (73% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied, 15% neutral) AUT central postgraduate office.
§ Postgraduate thesis students indicated they were not quite § Over 70% of postgraduates indicated they were satisfied
as satisfied with research culture (60% satisfied 16% with postgraduate student support services
dissatisfied, 24% neutral) and their overall research
experience at AUT (64% satisfied, 13% dissatisfied, 23%
neutral) at AUT.
Areas of Dissatisfaction Table 1. Overall research experience at AUT: 2002, 2003 & 2004