Quality of student outcomes: concepts and issues of measurement

This article discusses the trend towards mass tertiary education in Australia, a dramatic increase in the demand for tertiary places as a consequence of high retention rates for year twelve students, and the demand for public accountability in tertiary education. The public demand for efficiency and effectiveness in the tertiary education sector is discussed. Student outcomes assessment as one of the processes identified as being more relevant in indicating the performance of an institution and its accountability, is considered.