National Student Survery launches

This term sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS), now in its sixth year.

The survey, which is for finalists from universities and colleges across the country, aims to provide prospective students and their advisors with further information on their university or subject of choice.

The NSS was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and is administered by Ipsos MORI, an independent research agency. It consists of twenty two questions which focus upon several key areas, including teaching on the course, academic support, personal development and overall satisfaction.

Students are also given the opportunity to comment upon their overall learning experience at university.  Results are subsequently published and can be viewed on the Unistats website, either by university or by subject. Individual student responses to the survey are treated as anonymous, and will not be revealed to their institution at any point.

Students will be heavily encouraged to take part in the National Student Survey by college JCRs and academic departments alike, as Durham University is offering a prize of £500 both to the department and JCR who attain the highest student turnout percentages.

“The survey is really important to the university”, said Dr Michael Gilmore, the University’s academic registrar. Durham is aiming for a 70% turnout of finalists per college.

The Unistats website, where the survey results are published, shows high levels of student satisfaction and graduate employment for Durham. For example, Biology has a recorded 70% graduate employment and 81% student satisfaction.

Ipsos MORI will be sending reminders by e-mail, text, telephone and post about the NSS, with the aim of encouraging a higher turnout and compiling as strong a set of results as possible. Students’ contact details have been given by all participating institutions to Ipsos MORI, although students may choose how they wish to be contacted about the NSS or opt out of the survey if they so wish.

The survey is open until April 2010 and can be completed either online on the National Student Survey website, or by completing a questionnaire sent in the post.