New questions are being introduced to the National Student Survey
(NSS) in England to gauge students’ views on university and
college mental wellbeing services and – in England – on freedom
of expression.
The changes, published today by the Office for Students (OfS),
are part of a wider shake up of the survey which across the UK
had over 300,000 student responses this year. The OfS manages the
NSS on behalf of higher education funders and regulators in
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The changes will help ensure the survey continues to provide high
quality information about students’ perceptions of their academic
experience and the quality of the education they
receive.
The review of the NSS considered a range of issues that may
affect students’ higher education experience, including support
for their mental wellbeing, which may have an effect on a
student’s attainment, engagement and continuation of
study.
The introduction of a question on mental wellbeing services
across the UK, and freedom of expression in England, will capture
views on these issues, and will follow refreshed core survey
questions.
In England, the new freedom of expression question will test how
comfortable students are to express themselves freely at
university or college, at a time when there is a strong focus on
free speech in higher education. Legislation currently being
discussed in Parliament would strengthen the OfS’s powers to
ensure universities are taking steps to promote free
speech.
The key changes for all four UK nations are:
· The survey will
change to direct questions with a four-point answer scale, which
will ensure the questions are well understood and interpreted
consistently by students
· A new question on
mental wellbeing will be added
· The NSS will be
reviewed regularly, normally every four years with scope for
additional reviews as appropriate
· From 2024-25 the
period for students to respond to the survey will be shortened,
to reduce data burden on universities.
The key additional changes in England are:
· A standalone question
on ‘student satisfaction’ will be removed in England to provide a
stronger focus on questions relating to aspects of quality. This
question will be retained in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
where it is used for regulatory purposes.
· A new question on
freedom of expression will be added for England.
The changes have been made following an extensive consultation
process, with views from students and their representatives, and
universities and colleges from across the UK, considered. The
consultation follows detailed testing of a pilot questionnaire
and engagement with the higher education sector to ensure the
survey continues to support regulation and improvement of student
information in all four UK nations.
Conor Ryan, chair of the UK Student Information Group and
Director of External Relations at the OfS, said:
‘Students should feel able to influence their higher education
and the NSS provides every student with the opportunity to tell
us about their academic experience. With over 300,000 responses,
it is an invaluable resource for universities, colleges,
prospective students and regulators.
‘For the NSS to remain fit for purpose, it must adapt to reflect
changes in teaching and learning. After a thorough consultation,
our changes will provide improved insight to help us regulate the
quality of education and ensure the survey provides a consistent
measure of students’ academic experience.
‘The inclusion of questions on mental wellbeing and freedom of
expression in England will capture students’ views on wider
factors that affect their academic experience. This data will
enable us as the regulator and universities and colleges to
identify effective policies as well as poor practice, and put
measures in place to improve students’ overall
education.
‘Changes including a move to more direct questions for improved
interpretation, have been carefully considered, including
concerns about comparability over time, and are necessary to
future-proof the survey so it continues to accurately measure
student perceptions of their academic experience.’
ENDS
Notes
1.
The Office for Students is the independent regulator for higher
education in England. Our aim is to ensure that every student,
whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher
education that enriches their lives and careers.
2.
The consultation of proposed
changes to the NSS ran from 28 July to 1 September
2022.
3.
The NSS is managed by the OfS on behalf of the other bodies that
contribute funding for the NSS: the Scottish Funding Council, the
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, and the Department
for the Economy in Ireland.
4.
Each of the NSS funding bodies were consulted on these changes,
with the regional variances reflecting the different regulatory
requirements in the four nations.
