what students think - 2015 wusca headline findings #wusca
TRANSCRIPT
2015 WUSCA
headline findings
#WUSCA
And the winners are…
#WUSCA
“Awesome faculty, great facilities, excellent campus and living conditions, great people”
“I've learnt so much about life and met so many great people”.
“Really interesting course. I loved it!”
“With its amazing history, its campus which is a fuse of the past with the future, its diverse and welcoming students”
“Facilities are amazing now the new building is complete”“..the course and the
staff are really good and enthusiastic about their chosen specialist subjects”
“amazing”
“very engaging”
“All of this allows you to figure out what you are good at.”
Whatuni asks for
opinion as well
as scores. Over
1,400,000 words
written by
students this
year
#WUSCA
The majority of
words written were
overwhelmingly
positive. Awesome
achievement in a
changing sector…
+ 8
45mHotcourses
websites insights
Other trends
Overall satisfaction
Job prospects
Course & lecturers
Student union
Accommodation
Uni facilities
City life
Clubs & societies
Student support
20k
+
Size
UK Region
International
J
We looked at what
students were
saying, added
some key trends
and what we knew
about
institutions/users
Are students more satisfied?
“My university experience
has been great. Societies
and sports are amazing
and academics are very
research focused, making
me feel prepared for jobs
in the future.”
Whatuni review, 2015
#WUSCA
3.98
4.15
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
2014 all 2015 all
Source: Average by University. WUSCAs 2015
Overall student
satisfaction is up!
Bangor University
Falmouth University
Harper Adams University
Loughborough University
New College of the Humanities
Swansea University
University of Bath
University of East Anglia
University of Glasgow
University of Surrey
3.98
4.15
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
2014 all 2015 all
Trend - It’s not an
isolated set of
institutions. The
shortlist above
shows a broad
range of potential
winners for Overall
Satisfaction.
Source: Average by University. WUSCAs 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
2014 all
2015 all
Trend:
Satisfaction is up
across all categories
bar accommodation.
However, overall
satisfaction much
higher than others,
suggesting issues
remain…
Source: WUSCAs 2015
3.98
4.15
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
2014 all 2015 all
Trend:
This trend is
supported by the NSS
increases last year.
Whilst the WUSCAs
remain less overall
than them…
Source: NSS
So, why is satisfaction up?
#WUSCA
Is student
research
changing?
Source: Hotcourses Group Insights,. UK students only.
Email enquiries to
institutions show a
growing pattern of
earlier research.
2 years ahead - 9%
grows to 17% in Jan
Source: Hotcourses Group Insights,. UK students only.
64%
27%
6%3%
Whatuni enquiries Dec 2014
2015 2016 2017 2018
Source: Hotcourses Group Insights
+18%
Whatuni review
research has gone
up 18% year on
year (excluding
traffic variances)
Source: Hotcourses Group Insights
Whilst we’re seeing
open day views
doubling year on
year.
X2
Why is satisfaction up?
Are students researching more?
Are they making better choices?
Or have fees changed uni thinking?
Students being treated as
consumers?
The Russell Group
#WUSCA
How did
Russell
group
perform?3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Source: WUSCAs 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
2015 Russell
2015 Non Russell
However,
satisfaction was not
across the board.
Some categories
are surprising…
Source: WUSCAs 2015
JK
Clubs
City life
Experience
EducationCourses & lecturers
Student support
Source: WUSCAs 2015Times Higher: NSS: non-Russell Group universities lead in satisfaction stakes
Source: WUSCAs 2015
Why no clearer distinction?
RG students higher expectations?
Do researchers make the best
tutors?
Does size matter?
#WUSCA
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Over 5000 students
Under 5000 students
Source: HESA / 1 year students - WUSCA 2015
Larger do better for
some but others
suggest smaller can
be advantageous…
What can
the big
learn from
the small?
What can I learn?
• Courses & lecturers
• Student support
• Job Prospects
• Clubs and societies
Source: WUSCAs 2015
“As a smaller university,
there is a much greater
connection between staff
and students, which helps
to create a better working
environment”
Prof. Foskett, Keele
How can I improve perception?
• Facilities
• City life
Is this perception? If so UK institutions are perfectly placed to utilise technology
to overcome this perception through
technology…
Source: Coming of Age on Screens Facebook IQ | SMRS Apr 2015
“I didn’t realise student support was such a huge part of university and it
helped me when I needed it … I wish this
had been better advertised at the time”
Student, SMRS
Source: Coming of Age on Screens Facebook IQ | SMRS Apr 2015
Your 6 month career health check is due!
Coping with size
Manage perception using tech
Is NSS perfect size between 8-12k?
#WUSCA
But what about the product?
Courses &
Lecturers
Source: WUSCAs 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Only 2% range
across categories.
Can students
distinguish when it
comes to teaching?
How can they
compare?
Does the product matter?
Can students really compare?
Yes. It was 2nd answered question
#WUSCA
The most words were written about
it
#WUSCA
Are multicultural Unis better?
#WUSCA
Source: WUSCAs 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
UK+EU
NonEU
What do
international
students think?
Across most
categories they
are happier
Source: Twitter 21st April 2015 UK Universities
While we’re on
the subject…
Source: HESA / WUSCAs 2015
4.12
3.96 3.95 3.96 3.95
3.79
3.71
3.68
3.54
4.19
3.994.01
3.99
3.93
3.86 3.87
3.67
3.57
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Less than 18% international
Over 18% International
Not only are
international
students happier
but all students at
‘international’ unis
are happier.
International = HappierNon EU students more satisfied
International Unis overall happier
Job prospects?
UK students – open or STEM?#WUSCA
#WUSCA
Source: WUSCAs 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
England Wales Scotland
England +0.2
Wales +0.2
Scotland -0.1
Source: WUSCAs 2015
Hopes & fears?
What changes could we see?
What do Scottish Unis hope for?
Immigration targets & students?
#WUSCA
Accommodation
Source: Google images
“The kitchen next door
to mine has rats. One
of my friends has
insects living in her
drain that don’t die
after being bleached”
Whatuni review, 2015
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Source: WUSCAs 2015
Not only lowest
category
Only category to
drop
Why?
Shortlisted WUSCA 2015
Bangor University
Harper Adams University
Lancaster University
London South Bank
Loughborough University
Swansea University
University of East Anglia
University of Sunderland
University of Surrey
University of Warwick
Campus 15/20 – 3.66/3.58
International
Wales, Midlands, NI
London 3.27
Private provision
Source: WUSCAs 2015
Students are less satisfied
Source: Google images http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9117431.htm
Investment or expectation?
Private: Do Unis have quality
control?International: Best & the rest?
Facilities“Beautiful campus with
inspiring lecturers,
awesome library and
active student union.
Absolutely fantastic
Sports Park drawing
students to exercise
which in turn makes them
feel better and be more
productive with their
studies”
Whatuni review, 2015
#WUSCA | Pie News
Shortlisted WUSCA 2015
Facilities
Bangor University
Falmouth University
Glasgow School of Art
Harper Adams University
Loughborough University
Middlesex University
Swansea University
University of Edinburgh
University of Nottingham
University of Surrey
Winners
Wales & Midlands
Losers
London “need to generate the funds to
allow necessary investments
in infrastructure, the student
experience and academic
endeavours, and we need the
flexibility to react to
challenges that we are bound
to face in the next few years
and take advantage of new
opportunities.
Aberdeen Uni
Source: The Press and Journal
3.1 billion
Source: HESA | Quote: http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/
"We will keep investing on
behalf of our students and
academics, but the rest of
the world are snapping at
our heels and spending
money to match their
ambition. We must do the
same.“
Dr. Wendy Piatt
Sufficient investment?
International competition
Job prospects
Source: (and if you’ve time watch this) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02fc83k
“My absolute worst
nightmare is getting to
the age of 40, on a
50k salary and driving
a four year old Toyota.
It’s just not going to
happen”
Young apprentice.
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Trends
Source: WUSCAs 2015
Shortlisted WUSCA 2015 Job ProspectsHarper Adams UniversityImperial College LondonLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceLoughborough UniversitySt George's, University of LondonUniversity of BathUniversity of CambridgeUniversity of NottinghamUniversity of OxfordUniversity of Surrey
Source: HESA | WUSCAs 2015 | SMRS Expectations of university Apr 2015
“Reputation is a
game changer
for many”
SMRS Apr 2015
Source: WUSCAs 2015 / DLHE 6 month data
3.57
3.87
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
But the biggest
factor is the reality.
DLHE figures
suggest that unlike
courses, students
understand the real
picture.
Job prospects
Source: (and if you’ve time watch this) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02fc83k
STEM based courses doing well
Students understand the reality
What can Uni’s change?
#WUSCA