Focus on students leads to rise in satisfaction  

Changes in the way courses are organised and delivered at the University of Reading have led to an increase in student satisfaction, new survey results show.

Results of the official National Student Survey 2026, published on Wednesday (8 July), show improvements across all seven themes: Teaching on my course, Learning opportunities, Assessment and feedback, Academic support, Organisation and management, Learning resources, and Student voice.

More students felt it was clear that their feedback was being acted on, with scores rising from 65.0% to 73.2% – Reading's largest improvement in any NSS measure this year.
The improvements follow changes to courses and modules in response to student feedback, as well as a move from the traditional academic calendar to a new, two semester-based system.

Professor Elizabeth McCrum, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, said: "We are focused on giving all our students the best-quality learning experience at Reading, in all our degrees from Archaeology to Zoology.

"As well as learning from some of the world-leading experts in their field, students are being taught the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in future careers.

"These excellent results from the National Student Survey 2026 show that students at Reading are feeling the benefits of their hard work and broader experience at the University of Reading.”

Among the improvements delivered in recent years in response to student feedback, and which would have been experienced by final year students who complete the National Student Survey, were:

• Moved from terms to semesters, restructuring the academic year around how students actually learn, rather than traditional academic timelines

• Reviewed and redesigned programmes and modules, simplifying structures and assessment patterns

• Created and sustained the best possible programme portfolio

In total, two-thirds (67%) of all eligible final-year undergraduates completed the survey, meaning the results provide a representative sounding of student opinion.
 
The results will now be used to inform further plans for greater improvement across the areas of student experience, and in individual subjects and degree courses.
 
To view Reading’s response data in full, select ‘University of Reading’ on the Provider Level Dashboard on the Office for Students’ NSS results webpage.