National Student Survey 2012
16 January sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2012 at The University of Reading. Entering its eighth year, the NSS is established as Higher Education currency and is your chance to have your say about what you liked and didn't like about your time at the University of Reading, as well as things that you felt could have been improved.
What is the NSS?
The NSS is an annual survey of final year undergraduates in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and some institutions in Scotland. The survey is part of a Higher Education quality assurance system to generate more detailed public information about teaching quality. The survey is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Ipsos MORI, an independent research company, conducts the survey.
What will the NSS ask me?
The questions allow you to provide feedback on a range of topics, including what you thought about the Academic Support you received during your studies and how you felt about the Organisation and Management of your course. There is also space at the end for any positive and/or negative comments you have about your experience. Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were communicated? What were your thoughts on the advice and support available through your course? Write it down and let us know!
Who is eligible?
You are eligible for the NSS if you are a final year undergraduate or are on a flexible part-time programme. If your final year cannot easily be predicted, you will be surveyed during your fourth year of study. If you were due to be in your fourth final year in 2012 but have withdrawn or are repeating your penultimate year, you are also eligible to take part.
How are the results used?
The NSS results are made publicly available to help prospective students make informed decisions of where and what to study. Institutions and students' unions also use the anonymised data to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses to help effect change and bring about enhancements to improve the student experience for future generations of students.
The National Union of Students (NUS) fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for students to shape the future of higher education. Liam Burns, NUS President said
"'The National Student Survey is an important tool for identifying areas of concern amongst students. It is crucial that institutions work in partnership with students to make improvements where they have been shown to be necessary. 'The results show only very slight increases in overall student satisfaction, and at a time of severe funding pressures it is more important than ever that students are involved in shaping their curriculum to ensure progress is made in the future."
How can I get involved?
Eligible students will be sent an invitation email by Ipsos MORI. Later non-respondents may be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. You can now complete the NSS online or via your smartphone at the National Student Survey website. You may opt out of the survey at any point during the fieldwork.
The success of the NSS depends on your feedback so please set aside a few minutes to get involved. Your responses are anonymised so your answers can reflect your genuine perceptions of your experience. Plus there’s no need to worry about your contact details being passed on because they will only be used for the purposes of the NSS and are destroyed shortly after.
Want to know more? Visit the National Student Survey website or email the National Student Survey team at Ipsos MORI.
