· Hepi
survey shows students most satisfied with teaching quality and
course content
· Students
say they want their tuition fee money spent on
teaching
Students say teaching quality and course content are the
two top factors when it comes to listing what makes a course
value for money, according to a report released today (Thursday)
by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi).
As part of the Student Academic Experience Survey students
were asked to rank want they thought represented good value for
money. Teaching quality topped the list and was cited by
two-thirds (68%) of students. A similar proportion (67%) said
course content, while three in five (62%) said course facilities.
Just over half (53%) cited career prospects and half (51%) said
the quality of campus was important.
Teaching also topped the poll when students were asked what
they wanted to see their tuition fee money spent on. Two-thirds
(65%) said they wanted the money to go on teaching facilities and
60% said it should be spent on teaching staff. In comparison just
one in five (20%) thought it was reasonable to spend fee income
on senior management staff.
The University and College Union (UCU) said it welcomed the
ringing endorsement for staff and urged universities to invest in
staff as a top priority. The union also said that the report’s
findings should force the government to look again at the support
it provides for the poorest students.
The report showed that students who work 10 hours or more a
week were less likely to see their course as good value for
money. It also discovered that students who commute to university
were less likely to describe their course as good value for
money.
UCU said the findings suggested that students who could not
afford to move away to study, or who had to work long hours to
pay the bills when they got there, could be failing to fulfil
their potential. The union said the current review of student
finance had to look at bringing back maintenance grants for
students from the poorest backgrounds.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: ‘It is really
encouraging that students continue to recognise the hard work of
staff and want to see them properly resourced. Universities would
do well to recognise that the staff remain their most valuable
asset and reward them appropriately.
‘We are concerned that students who are having to work
longer hours in paid jobs and those who commute to university
perceive their course not to represent as good value for money.
The government has to ensure all students can maximise their
potential and must bring back maintenance grants.’
ends
