Your feedback is vital, so we can see what’s going well and what needs improving.

Nearly 20% of eligible students completed the survey, which had an overall average score of 3.12 out of 4. You also added over 9,700 open text comments, the majority of which (36%) had positive sentiment, with 21% negative, 16% mixed and 27% not explicit. While this is generally positive, we want to take action to improve this.

Positives and areas for improvement

While there are differences in faculties, schools and departments, the areas the university generally performed well in the NLES were:

• Contacting teaching staff was easy, and staff were approachable and easy to engage with
• Library resources supported learning
• The course is intellectually stimulating.

The lowest performing areas were:

• Students’ feedback on the course in acted on
• Students’ Union represent student interest
• Staff feedback on assessments improves students’ work.

Next steps

We’re taking some important steps as a result of your feedback, including:

• Introducing Assessment and Feedback Frameworks: from the start of the next academic year, these will include minimum standards of assessment feedback, alongside principles for designing meaningful, authentic and inclusive assessments. This means that you can expect feedback on the exams you take, and more structured personalised feedback on your coursework and project work.
• Student Voice: we’re committed to involving you directly with all the work we do to enhance the student experience. This means that you, your academic representatives, and the Students’ Union will be invited to shape any work we undertake to restructure the curriculum, improve assessments, and make the best use of the spaces you learn in and the digital tools we provide to enhance your learning.
• Improvements to Wi-Fi: We’re already working on improvements to connectivity, coverage, speeds and security through our Next Generation Network project
• Refinements in timetabling – which we know can be frustrating for you.

Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership Professor Mark Bradley said: “Thank you for contributing to the survey and helping improve the university. We’re glad you recognised the great work of our staff, and we’ll take on board the areas you’ve said are not good enough. Over the coming months, we’ll be planning and introducing changes from your feedback, and ensuring you’re kept up to date with these.

“The actions we’ve set out here represent collective steps that the university is taking to advance our goals. There will also be specific areas identified at a school or department level, that will be addressed at a local level."

Your Schools and Departments have been asked to explain what this will mean for you by the start of the next academic year. You may see these through our Changes Inspired By You campaign, staff/student forums or other meetings with staff. For updates on how your feedback is being acted on at a local level, please speak to staff in your school or faculty.

Ongoing feedback

As well as regular surveys, there are many other ways to provide continuous feedback:

• Speak to staff
• Localised surveys and focus groups
• Student Evaluation of Modules (SEM)
• Student Staff Forums
• Student Representation System – speak to your Course or School Reps, and they can put forward your views to university staff.
• Elected Students’ Union Officers.

We will respond through:

• Student Staff Forums
• In-class discussions
• Meetings with / updates from Course and School Reps
• Student Newsletters
• Moodle community pages and announcements
• Email updates
• Student Town Halls.