Resources

The National Student Survey (NSS) has been conducted on an annual basis in all HEIs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since 2005. (Scotland has its own Quality Enhancement Framework, however, some Scottish HEIs do also participate in the NSS).

The survey asks final year undergraduate students to provide feedback on their course in a nationally recognised format. There are 22 questions, relating to:

• Teaching on my Course
• Assessment and Feedback
• Academic Support
• Organisation and Management
• Learning Resources
• Personal Development
• Overall Satisfaction

Students can also write positive and/or negative comments on their experience of their university/college. (Some institutions also ask some additional questions).

Ipsos MORI are contracted to carry out the survey on behalf of the funding councils. The results of the survey are available via the Unistats Website.

In 2011 Aftab Dean of Leeds Metropolitan University was commisioned by HLST to undertake an in-depth analysis of the full data set of data for the National Student Survey in the years 2009 and 2010.

His report contains some fascinating findings, and recommendations, which may alter the way in which many of us interpret and react to the data:

Improving the Educational Experience of HLST Students in Higher Education (1.8mb .pdf)

To find out more about the NSS, see the HEFCE Website

To see the website where the survey is completed, visit the Survey Website.

To see the results of the NSS, see the Unistats Website

The NSS results by course are now also displayed on the UCAS website for every subject at every university. So these results are now more obvious and applicants are likely to use NSS scores to compare institutions and ultimately use these to make their course selection decisions.  

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