Benchmarking & Statistics

The Go8 is currently expanding its capability to collect and analyse statistical data. Results of that work will be released through this page, as well as in information papers including Go8 Backgrounders.

At the broadest level the Go8 office and the Go8 member universities use national statistical indicators of the economic, environmental and social characteristics of Australia, drawn from a range of official and other sources. Data are important for planning, monitoring and evaluating levels of performance and changes in status.

Higher education data are drawn principally from the statistical collections of the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). They provide data about students, university staff and finance. The main source of international comparisons for Higher Education is the OECD. The Australian Bureau of Statistics collects and publishes data on research expenditure in universities every two years. The most recent publication is for 2008 (Cat no 8111.0).

The Go8 Directors, Statistics and Planning from each of the member universities meet twice each year, and are working on projects to increase consistency of various types of statistical information for Go8 purposes, including for benchmarking and evaluation. For further information contact: Alan Mackay, Director, Information Strategy, or Helen Montesin, Manager, Information & Analysis.

Go8 Executive Dashboard

The Go8 Executive Dashboard provides comparisons between the eight member universities over time for several key indicators of performance. The Go8 will extend the range of data available for comparing and benchmarking its member universities against each other, compared with the Australian university sector as a whole and with comparable universities and groups of institutions overseas.