CQUniversity's Office of Learning and Teaching has created a new website .... www.cqu.edu.au/surveys .

The website reinforces to both staff and students that course evaluations are vitally important to ensure courses are strengthened in response to students' needs.

For students, the website is a source of information about when the surveys will take place, and what sorts of actions are being taken in response to feedback.

Every course is now evaluated each time it is offered, and course evaluations are anonymous as well as quick and easy to use.

In Term 2, the course evaluations will be accessed through the Moodle course site and students are asked to answer just one question. If they wish to leave more feedback, they can use a free-text box to detail their responses to the course.

The evaluations will open on September 6 and close on 29 October.

Over time, the website will bring together information for staff about how to encourage student participation, as well as allowing a feedback mechanism to communicate what the University is doing to address issues raised through the evaluations.

"Teaching without student feedback is a one-way process", says Professor Rob Reed, CQUniversity Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching).

"We want to encourage two-way staff-student communication. We want as strong a response as possible from students so that their voices are heard, and staff can then further develop their courses."