What convinced these Brisbane students to enrol at Griffith?

Once dubbed “GriffTAFE” by students at rival Brisbane universities, Griffith University appears to be shaking off its reputation as a third-choice institution.

This year’s cohort told Brisbane Times they were drawn to the university, with its five campuses between South Bank and the Gold Coast, because of its progressive values and the opportunities it afforded students in fields such as law and aviation.

High student satisfaction – the eighth highest in the country – helped Griffith boost its overall rank in the Australian Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking, published last year.

Overall, Griffith came in 22nd, two places above Queensland University of Technology. The other major Brisbane university, the University of Queensland, was at the top of the overall list, with a slightly poorer student satisfaction ranking but high results for research and global reputation.

Law student Lucy Mogg initially had her sights set on another university, until she went to open days for Griffith, QUT and UQ.

“I felt like Griffith focused on their values a lot more, as opposed to the others, and what they offered their students rather than prestige,” she said.

Mimi Felsch, Lucy Mogg and Rose Joseph at Griffith University.Credit: Jocelyn Garcia

“I wasn’t even considering coming to Griffith at all, to be honest, until I came to the open day. I guess I was prejudiced about their reputation.”

Ultimately, she said, she was convinced by the internships and work opportunities on offer.

Marketing expert Sarah Morgan, the managing director of Bespoken Agency, said Brisbane universities had been changing how they promoted themselves to students.

“Every university had their sandstone and prestigious buildings in their advertisements, but now when you look at the marketing, it’s how the student benefits from the product,” she said.

Griffith’s South Bank campus encompasses the Queensland College of Art, the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith Graduate Centre and the Griffith Film School.

“We’re seeing a lot of stories of students and alumni instead of ‘look at us in our ivory tower’. I’ve noticed a real switch.”

Jared Shaw chose Griffith University to study a dual degree in aviation and engineering.

“My initial choice was QUT, but then when I researched it more, I actually liked the look of Griffith better,” he said.

“[Griffith is] definitely a lot more well-known than it once was ... it used to get very overshadowed by UQ, but at this point, I think they have more of a presence than UQ.”

Morgan said universities were doing it tough post COVID-19, as the sector battled to attract students and secure more funding from governments.

“Overall, they’re doing a good job, but I’m noticing, in Brisbane particularly, that they’re all starting to look the same,” she said.

“They have a similar template and similar user experience, and they’re all starting to become one, whereas in the past, universities had clear personalities and differences.

“From a business leader and marketing perspective, I think they’re watching each other too closely.”

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