National Student Survey 2010
11 January sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2010 at The University of Reading. Entering its sixth 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 student learning experience during your time at the University of Reading.
What is the NSS?
An annual survey of mostly final year undergraduates in the UK, the NSS aims to provide robust data on the learning experience for prospective students and their advisors, via Unistats.com, and for institutions and students' unions to identify areas where they performed well and/or less well. It forms part of the revised system of quality assurance for Higher Education to generate more detailed public information about teaching quality. The survey is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on behalf of the other funding bodies.
Why should I be interested?
The results don't just disappear into a black hole! Future students can use them and the University can use the results to effect change and bring about enhancements.The questions allow you to give feedback on, among other items, 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's also space at the end for any positive and/or negative comments that you had about the whole experience. Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were handled? Did you feel that the library had enough copies of that elusive key text? Write it down and let the University know!
How can I get in on the action?
Eligible students will be sent an invitation email by Ipsos MORI, an independent research agency that administers the survey, and later non-respondents will be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. Alternatively, visit the National Student Survey website to complete the survey online. You may also opt out at any point that Ipsos MORI contacts you about the survey.
The success of the NSS depends on your feedback so please set aside a few minutes to participate. Your response is anonymous 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.
