Student Success: A journal exploring the experiences of students in tertiary education
The Student Success Journal is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed, scholarly publication exploring the experiences of students in tertiary education. The Journal provides the opportunity to disseminate current research and innovative good practice about students’ tertiary learning experiences, which are supported by evidence.
Researchers, tertiary and university teachers and educators and professional staff who are advancing student learning, success and retention are encouraged to submit.
The Journal themes align with the STARS ethos (Students, Transitions, Achievement, Retention and Success):
Students – Who are they? What are their needs? What works for different cohorts? Strategies for broader social inclusion and increasing participation in tertiary education; participation of first nation peoples
Transitions – Pathways to tertiary education, transitions into (the first year experience), during (work integrated learning) and from tertiary education, including graduate employability and capstone experiences
Achievement – Strategies promoting student achievement including curricular and co-curricular reform, employability, gamification and simulation enhanced learning
Retention – Program, discipline, whole of institution, inter-institutional and sector collaborations designed to improve student retention, threshold skills and concepts
Success – Student engagement, technology enhanced learning, understanding students expectations and realities, psychological wellbeing, application of learning analytics
Student Success publishes three issues per year with one issue linked to the STARS Conference.
There will be three types of submissions in the journal: scholarly papers, practice-based innovations and 'features' which may include interviews or invited papers with key scholars and practitioners.
Journal History
The Journal was first published in July 2010 on a bi-annual basis with one issue linked to the annual International (formally Pacific Rim) First Year in Higher Education Conference.
From 2010-2015 the Journal’s original title was the International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education and was primarily aimed at academic and professional staff involved in first year and transition programs as well as senior managers with responsibility for first year policies and strategies. 2015 saw the launch of a new international conference known as STARS that provided the opportunity to disseminate and discuss current research, good practice, emerging initiatives and leading edge ideas that are aimed at enhancing students’ tertiary learning experiences.
To align the Journal to this conference and reflect a broader view of student engagement and success the Journal was renamed Student Success in mid-2015.
Peer Review Process
Student Success considers multiple types of submissions in the journal: Articles (peer-reviewed scholarly papers); Practice Reports (practice-based innovations) and; Features (which may include interviews or invited papers with key scholars and practitioners).
All submitted papers should be original, unpublished, and not in consideration for publication elsewhere at the time of submission to Student Success.
All articles will be refereed in a double-blind review process by at least two reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject area.
All practice reports will be considered by an editorial team prior to being selected for publication (and are not subject to peer review)
Suspected plagiarism in a submission:
Student Success uses iThenticate - plagiarism detection software - and may utilise the software if the editorial team or the reviewer/s have concerns about original content.
Student Success's Peer Review process can be found here
Publication Frequency
From 2018 Student Success (previously titled the International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education) will publish three issues per year, with one issue linked to the annual STARS Conference
Issue 1 – Open Issue. Call for submissions August/September. Published February/March following year
Issue 2 – STARS Conference Issue. Published July/August
Issue 3 – Special Issue. Call for submissions March/April. Published November/December same year.
There may be early release of articles published at any time.
To enquire about hosting a special issue please contact journal@unistars.org
Article Processing Charges (APCs): There are no submission or processing costs associated with the Journal.
Please register your details with this journal to receive notifications of the 'Call for Submissions'.
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