When the QILT undergraduate experience survey comes out many universities take cover

Especially institutions which market on their resources and reputation but whose students reveal they are unimpressed with the quality of their learning experience. It is unconvincing, but understandable.

What isn’t is the similar silence on the employer satisfaction survey, even though this year’s results, like those before, is positive, really positive.

Perhaps university policy-wonks warn management about methodological flaws with the surveys – despite their being professionally produced by the eminent (ANU owned) Social Research Centre. But that can’t be right – many universities that do badly on QILT, celebrate their achievement in the Times Higher and QS rankings, both of which include surveys not as rigorously targeted as QILT.

Unless it is because universities hate being judged by undergraduates, graduates and the people who employ them. But that can’t be right, can it.