Good news or bad news?
Not a lot to write home about with very little change but BBC reports that satisfaction rate ‘slips’:
This year’s final year students in England were marginally less happy with their university experience than last year’s leavers, an annual survey shows. The National Student Survey shows 81% were mostly or definitely satisfied with the quality of their course, against 82% last year. In Wales the rating was unchanged, 83%, and in Northern Ireland up one at 84%. Twelve Scottish institutions also took part, achieving the highest overall score of 86%, the same as in 2008.
Pretty positive stuff you’d think but the NUS has a different perspective
NUS president Wes Streeting said: “Tuition fees in England were trebled in 2006, but students have not seen a demonstrable improvement in the quality of their experience. “Universities have a responsibility to deliver substantial improvements in return for the huge increase in income they are receiving from fees.”
And the Guardian also focuses on the negative:
Almost a fifth – 19% – of final-year students told the National Student Survey they were dissatisfied with or ambivalent about their courses – a rise of 1% on last year.
HEFCE though offers a more positive interpretation and the full details of results.
But overall this is surely a good news story, albeit one that is pretty much the same as in 2008.
I am increasingly fraustrated by media outlets and commentators saying that the 1% drop is satisfaction is appauling considering the “massive increase in funding universities have seen”, due to the increase in tuition fees. If only. Yes tuition fees have risen, but this hasn’t even nearly covered the cut in funding to universities.