A Snapshot of Student Engagement

Student engagement with the learning experience is increasingly being recognised as a central factor in the success of Higher Education Institutions. The recent Green Paper reinforces this by placing the student experience at the heart of discussions about the future of the sector.

In late 2015 we commissioned a survey of Higher Education students in England through NUS. Questions contrasted the extent to which students valued the opportunity to shape their learning with their experiences of this in practise. These results provide a snapshot of the student experience of engagement opportunities. Some of the key findings are outlined below.

Three quarters (76%) of students felt it important that they are able to influence the way that their course is run, however, only 46% believed that they actually had the opportunity to do this.

NUS Survey Info

68% of students responded that they felt it was important for them to shape what it is that they learn. These decisions could cover the content of a module, reading lists or seminar topics. Again however, when asked whether they are able to influence these in practice only 43% of students replied that they were.

We also asked students if they felt that it was important to be able to feedback to their institution on issues that did not directly relate to their course. In this area engagement opportunities matched reality much more closely with 70% agreeing that it is important for them to shape non-course related issues and 65% reporting that they do.

Whilst there is a lot of good news from these results, with many students clearly able to engage with and shape their education experience, there still exists a disparity between how students wish to be engaged and how they feel they are currently being engaged. This is particuarly clear in reletion to their ability to influence the ruinning of their course and the institution.

These results, whilst just a snapshot, add to the case that there is more to be done to strengthen student enaggement activity at a local level and that this work aligns with students’ interests and aspirations for their involvement in their course and institution.