Since 2019, Deakin University has been conducting the Inclusion and Wellbeing Student Survey. The survey is completed every two years to gather insights on student experiences related to inclusion and wellbeing. In 2019, 3743 students completed the first IWSS.

The 2022 survey, conducted in March, saw participation from 2795 students. This report delves into the findings, focusing on key areas such as disability and mental health, stress levels, safety, general experiences, and satisfaction with support services.

Disability and mental health

Do you have a disability, medical condition and /or mental health condition?

There has been an increase in the number of students indicating that they have a disability, medical condition and/or mental health condition from 2019 – 2022.

Have you ever spoken to a tutor, lecturer or Unit Chair about your health condition or any additional support or adjustments you may have needed? (New question in 2022)

2022 - 1358 student responses (2019 - 2068 responses)

• Yes: 28%
• No: 71%
• Prefer not to say: 1%
• Not sure: N/A

Have you ever contacted Deakin’s Disability Resource Centre (DRC)?

2022 - 1358 student responses (2019 - 2068 responses)

• Yes: 23% Up 4%
• No - I am able to manage my condition independently: 21% Down -1%
• No - I didn't know about the DRC: 15% Down -2%
• No - I don't identify as having a disability or health condition: 15% Down -29%
• No - I don't think I am eligible to use the DRC's services: 10%  Down -1%
• No - I have enough supports in place to manage my condition: 7% No change
• No - I don't know about what the DRC does: 6% Down -6%
• Not sure: 2% Up 1%
• Prefer not to say: 1% Up 1%

Insight: Only a small percentage of students (28%) have spoken to a tutor, lecturer or Unit Chair about their health condition. Only 23% (up from 19% in 2019) of students who indicated that they have a condition have contacted the DRC.

Do you have an access plan? An Access Plan is a study support plan prepared to minimise the educational disadvantage you may experience resulting from a disability, health condition, mental health condition or caring responsibilities. (New question in 2022)

2022 - 316

• Yes: 82%
• No: 12%
• Not sure: 6%

Insight: 82% of those students who indicated that they contacted the DRC have an access plan.

Stress and wellbeing

What are the main stresses you experience as a university student? (Selecting all which apply)

2022 - 2683 responses (2019 - 3407 responses)

• Academic workload and expectations: 81% Up 5%
• Life balance: 70% Up 47%
• Financial strain: 35% Up 8%
• Socialising and making friends: 33% Up 29%
• Studying in an online environment: 30% No Change
• Health: 20% Up 16%
• Travel and housing: 16% Up 11%
• Quality of course and teaching: 15% Up 6%
• Culture at Deakin: 5% Up 3%
• Other (please specify): 1% No Change
• Not sure: 8% No Change

Insight: Students two main stresses included academic workload and expectations (81% up from 76% in 2019) and life balance (significantly up from 23% to 70%).

Over the past year, have any of the following happened to you because of a shortage of money?

• Sought financial help from friends or family: 40% Down -7%
• Pawned or sold something: 28% Up 5%
• Could not pay electricity, gas or telephone bills on time: 19% No Change
• Sought assistance from welfare/community organisations: 19% Down -5%
• Went without meals: 19% Down -2%
• Could not pay for car registration or insurance on time: 14% Down -3%
• Unable to pay rent/mortgage: 12% Down -1%
• Sought assistance from Deakin Financial Assistance Officer: 3% No Change
• Sought assistance from DUSA Student Survival Centre: 2% No Change

Insight: There has been a decline in the number of students who have experienced financial stress.

How satisfied are you with….

• Your life as a whole: 66% Up 2%
• Your standard of living: 72% Down -3%
• Your health: 64% Down -5%
• What you are currently achieving in life: 64% Down -3%
• Your personal relationships: 67% Down -2%
• How safe you feel: 78% No change
• Feeling part of your community: 63% Down -1%
• Your future security: 62% Down -1%

Insight: Student satisfaction with all areas of their life (excluding life as a whole) has declined since 2019.

Support services

To what extent do you agree or disagree that Deakin has the appropriate supports in place to enable you to study and perform to the best of your ability? (New question in 2022)

2022 - 2794 responses (% Agree)

• Academic support from lecturers and tutors: 76%
• Health and wellbeing support: 69%
• Social support: 57%
• Social and emotional support from lecturers and tutors: 52%

The use of professional medical services (such as seeing a doctor, counsellor, or psychologist) is confidential, meaning that those professionals do not share information about your use of services.  Were you aware of this confidentially?

2022 - 2779 responses (2019 - 3694 responses)

• Confidentiality of Deakin’s Medical Services/Counselling: 66% Down -4%
• Confidentiality of external community-based professional counselling or psychological services: 74% Down -2%

Insight: Students’ awareness of confidentiality has declined since 2019.

Complaints

If you were to have a concern about the behaviour of another student or staff member, how confident are you to formally report or make a complaint about the concern? (New question in 2022)

2022 - 1332 responses

• Not at all: 8%
• Slightly: 11%
• Somewhat: 22%
• Moderately: 31%
• Extremely: 22%
• Not Sure: 5%
• Prefer not to say: 2%

Insight: Students most felt moderately comfortable to make a formal complaint.

Over the last two years, have you had any concerns while studying at Deakin in relation to the way another student or staff member has treated you (e.g. discrimination, victimisation, bullying, cyber-bullying psychological or physical violence). (This question was asked differently in 2019 and thus results have been excluded)

2022 - 1332 responses

• Yes: 6%
• No: 86%
• Unsure: 6%
• Prefer not to say: 2%

What was this concern about? (select all that apply) (New question in 2022)

2022 - 85 responses

• Bullying or cyber-bullying: 53%
• Victimisation: 32%
• Discrimination: 27%
• Psychological violence: 25%
• Physical Violence: 6%

We’re sorry to hear that you have experienced [insert concern type] while studying at Deakin. Was this behaviour exhibited by a Deakin staff member or student? (New question in 2022)

2022 - 27 responses

• Deakin staff member: 56%
• Deakin student: 33%
• Other: 4%
• Not sure: 7%

Safety

Thinking about your personal safety and security whilst studying on campus or in the cloud, which of the following would you contact if you were feeling distressed or unsafe? (select all that apply)

2022 - 1356 responses (2019 1858 responses)

• Family / friend: 58% Down -5%
• Deakin Security: 45% Down -5%
• Deakin Central: 36% Up 14%
• Lecturer / Tutor: 33% Up 8%
• Deakin Counsellor: 25% Up 3%
• Deakin Safe Zone app: 23% Down -8%
• Deakin Security escort: 19% Down -10%
• Deakin Student Complaints Office: 16% Up 1%
• DUSA: 13% No change
• Harassment and Discrimination Contact Officer (HDCO): 13% Up 2%
• Deakin Safer Community: 12% Up 1%
• Residences Staff (Campus Life, Front Desk etc): 10% Up 10%
• Deakin Student Conduct Office: 8% Down -1%
• Other (specify): 2% No change
• None of these: 9% Up 3%

Insight: Students contact family and friends, followed by Deakin Security when feeling distressed or unsafe.

Culture and experience

To identify Deakin's culture and experience selected questions were used and added as new in 2022.

• I feel safe and respected at Deakin (Metric - Satisfied): 83% No change
• My unique differences are valued & encouraged (Metric - Satisfied): 68% No change
• I can flourish & grow at Deakin (Metric - Satisfied): 74% No change
• Thinking about your physical and online safety and security whilst on campus or studying in the cloud, how safe do you feel? (Metric - Safe): 92% Down -2%
• ‘Deakin values our diversity, embraces difference, seeks to engage and welcome others, and nurtures a connected, safe and respectful community’ (Metric - Agree): 81% No change
• Do you feel that students and staff at Deakin accept you as you are? (Metric - Accepted): 86% Up +1%
• How SATISFIED are you with your experience as a Deakin student overall?  (Metric - Satisfied): 81% No change
• How included do you feel at Deakin? (Metric - Included): 67% Up +5%
• Overall, how stressful are you finding university? (Metric - Sressed): 31% Up +6%
  How have you been coping with your university-related stress? (Metric - Coping): 30% Down -2%

Support services at Deakin

Deakin offers a range of health and wellbeing support services to support your student success.

Visit Health, wellbeing and safety to access a range of services to help you stay healthy and safe – physically, mentally and spiritually.