Fewer students positive about their course amid pandemic

Despite the pandemic, however, the NSS also showed majorities of students rating their overall experience of their courses positively. Overall, 75 per cent agreed that they were satisfied with the quality of their course, down from 83 per cent last year.

However, the pandemic may have highlighted issues with the availability of learning resources for students. According to this year’s survey:

• 72 per cent agreed that IT facilities supported their learning well – compared to 83 per cent last year
• 75 per cent agreed that library resources (books, online services, learning spaces), supported their learning well – compared to 87 per cent last year
• 74 per cent agreed that they were able to access course-specific resources (equipment, software, facilities), compared to 87 per cent last year.

Students were more positive about their teaching, though there were still declines compared to last 2020:

• 84 per cent agreed that staff are good at explaining things – compared to 89 per cent last year
• 78 per cent agreed that staff have made the subject interesting– compared to 82 per cent last year
• 81 per cent agreed that their course was intellectually stimulating – compared to 84 per cent last year
• 76 per cent agreed that their course challenged them to achieve their best work – compared to 80 per cent last year

The survey, which had 332,500 responses this year – a 69 per cent response rate – asks students about a range of factors related to their academic experience, including the teaching on their course, assessment and feedback, and how well courses were organised. The OfS is currently reviewing the questions and other aspects of the survey as part of a two-stage review of the NSS to ensure that the survey stands the test of time.

This year’s NSS included specific questions about students’ experience during the pandemic, covering a range of issues. According to the 184,964 students responding to this section of the survey:

• 73 per cent of students said they received useful information about changes to their course during the pandemic
• 42 per cent of students agreed that their university or college took sufficient steps to support their mental wellbeing
• 80 per cent said their university or college has taken sufficient steps to protect their physical safety (providing protective equipment, social distancing on campus, offering distance learning opportunities)
• 48 per cent said they were content with the delivery of learning and teaching of their course during the pandemic
• 78 per cent said they were able to access the learning resources they needed – such as lecture notes, course materials, journals, or a Virtual Learning Environment.

This year’s NSS was open to students from 6 January 2020 to 30 April 2020. Questions were asked on a five point scale: Definitely agree; Mostly agree; Neither agree nor disagree; Mostly disagree; Definitely disagree. Overall, the survey shows that:

• Across all subjects of study, agreement rates (those saying they definitely or mostly agree with the proposition in questions) are lower than in previous years, but the decline varies by subject area. For questions on learning resources, the following subject areas saw a particularly sharp decline: agriculture, food and related studies; architecture, building and planning; design and creative and performing arts; geography, earth and environmental studies; language and area studies; and media, journalism and communications
• Agreement rates for students who would normally be studying through distance learning have barely changed since 2020. Part-time students and older students – who are more likely to choose to study through distance learning – have seen less of a change in their agreement rates than other groups
• Most universities and colleges have seen their agreement rates for most groups of questions fall, but some have been more affected than others. A small minority of universities and colleges have maintained their agreement rates despite the pandemic.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students, said:

‘The NSS has played an important role in capturing student views during what has been an extraordinarily difficult time for students and university staff. This year’s survey provides a valuable picture of students’ perceptions about the quality of their course and overall academic experience during a year in which they have had to contend with so much disruption.

‘The questions which ask students how they consider their university or college adapted to the pandemic will be particularly useful given the possibility of some restrictions continuing to apply this autumn. We know that institutions and lecturers worked hard to move courses online, and there have been many examples of innovative approaches to teaching and learning. That said, there are important lessons from the different experiences seen by students at different universities and colleges.

‘There is a more general decline in students rating various aspects of their academic experience positively. Although these findings will inevitably reflect the unavoidable consequence of the pandemic, universities and colleges will want to consider their own results to ensure that the quality of their courses remains high, and that they can learn lessons from the pandemic which help support students’ academic experience this autumn and in the future. It is also a concern that only 42 per cent of students agree that their university or college took sufficient steps to support their mental wellbeing. Clearly, the circumstances last year were exceptional, but consideration should be given to what more can be done to ensure students are appropriately supported.

‘As prospective and current students look to the autumn, it will be important that universities combine credible plans to restore face-to-face teaching with sensible contingency planning in the event that some restrictions need to continue.

‘The OfS will continue our work on reviewing the NSS. The OfS board agreed a number of changes earlier this year, and the next phase of our review will consider a range of issues. This will include examining potential changes to the questions asked and the way that information is published. We will work closely with students and their representatives, the universities and colleges we regulate, the government and all other interested parties as we take this important work forward.’

Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan said:

‘I recognise that the past 18 months have been uniquely difficult for students, and we have set out clear expectations that the quality and quantity of tuition should be maintained.

‘We have also been clear that students should be receiving good quality mental health support, and universities have had access to up to £256 million to use towards this.

‘Whilst there is still more to be done, our universities have shown real innovation and resilience in adapting to this pandemic, which is shown by the majority of students rating their overall experience of their courses positively. I urge vice chancellors to continue their work as we deal with the legacy of this virus.’

Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said:

“After a very unusual and challenging year, it is not surprising to see that the pandemic has shifted students’ views on their overall university experience. Significant restrictions have limited the in-person teaching, support and non-academic activities that universities have been able to offer.”

“Universities have done all they can to help students progress and meet their learning outcomes with additional learning and wellbeing support at the same time as implementing COVID-19 safety measures.”

“It is positive to see innovative approaches to teaching and learning recognised. These survey insights are highly valuable to universities as they plan for the next academic year and will help them to provide the best possible student experience.”

Matt Western MP, Labour’s Shadow Universities Minister, responding to the National Student Survey results, said

“The Conservatives’ failure to control the spread of Covid and in letting successive variants into the UK has denied students the university experience they deserve.

“Universities have worked tirelessly to protect students learning throughout the pandemic, but the Government has let them down with late and inadequate guidance and pitiful student hardship support which has trailed far behind the Welsh Labour Government.

“Instead of supporting students and creating the opportunities young people need, the Conservatives are wasting time on unnecessary legal protections which would enable Holocaust Deniers and anti-vaxxers to sue universities if they are denied a platform to spread their ideas across campuses. These are clearly the wrong priorities.”

Alongside this year’s results the OfS has also published a new Insight brief The National Student Survey: Student experience during the pandemic, which examines how this year’s NSS differs from those in previous years, given the impact of the pandemic. The data from this year’s survey will be published on the Discover Uni website later this year, providing valuable evidence to inform potential students’ choices about where and what to study.