FAQ

What is the National Student Survey?

The National Student Survey is an annual survey canvassing the opinions of students about the experiences of their course. Focusing on a range of issues from teaching quality to assessment & feedback, this is an ambitious attempt to report robust, student opinion on every subject offered across the country. Providing a unique insight into the thoughts and opinions of current students, the results will not only inform prospective students but also be a valuable resource for unions, aiding campaign and representation work.

Why was it created?

This is a national initiative across all publicly funded higher education institutions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (and some Scottish universities) and further education colleges running higher education courses. It was introduced to make a real improvement to the information available for future applicants of HE. Results are displayed on the Unistats website alongside other course related data. The site is designed so that users can compare six choices (possibly their final UCAS choices) in an easy, user-friendly format and evaluate the opinions of the students at each institution. More detailed results are available for the use of the respective institution and student unions – to learn how to access your current results please read the NSS homepage.

When will surveys take place?

The survey takes place between January and April each year. HEIs and FEC’s choose their own start date to ensure the survey avoids busy times, such as exam periods or elections.

What questions will students be asked?

Students are asked to complete 22 questions focusing on six general areas, these being: teaching quality, assessment & feedback, academic support, organization & management, learning resources and personal development.

These questions were developed through extensive piloting and statistical analysis (more than 20,000 students completed questionnaires in the pilots). Versions of the questionnaire in both English and Welsh will be available to all students at HEIs in Wales.

Who runs the survey?

Ipsos MORI, an independent research organisation administers the survey. To contact them with any questions just email nss@ipsos-mori.com

How will Ipsos MORI have access to students’ contact details? Does this raise any data protection issues?

HEIs are asked to provide Ipsos MORI with the necessary student contact details. They are also advised to tell students that they will be providing contact details for this purpose, (as they do for a number of other statutory uses of students’ personal data, for example, by HESA).

The data will be handled in full accordance with data protection legislation, as with other personal data about students that the funding bodies and other national agencies use.

The survey itself will include information about the handling and uses to be made of students’ responses and the other data held about them. It will explain that neither feedback to HEIs nor published statistics will enable individuals to be identified. Students’ contact details will be destroyed once they are no longer needed, and will not be used for any other purpose. What is the survey methodology? Students are initially asked to participate via on email with a link to NSS website. If they have not completed the survey or opted out they are sent a paper copy. Again if they do not complete the survey or opt out they are telephoned by an Ipsos MORI researcher and asked to complete it over the phone. The process lasts for 8 weeks.

Do students have to take part? How do they opt out?

Students do not have to take part and can opt out at any time. They simply need to register this with Ipsos MORI and verify their identity. This can be done on-line, by replying to the paper copy or letting the telephonist know.

Will respondents be kept anonymous?

Yes, 100%. Results on the Unistats site are based on groups of at least 23 responses; this means it will not be possible to identify the views of individuals. None of the general comments provided in response to the open question will be published on the site.

When providing feedback to HEIs, FEC’s and students’ unions and associations, data will be sufficiently aggregated so that individuals cannot be identified. All textual comments will be converted to digital format to avoid handwriting being recognized and all identifying comments will be removed.

What is the role of students' unions?

The role of students' unions is vital to the NSS. There is a direct correlation between a union’s involvement and gaining a high response rate. Students’ unions and associations can also use the NSS as a tool for change to highlight areas for concern, find out student opinion and drive change in the student experience.

What information will students' unions’ be given?

Students' unions and institutions can receive their results to a much great level of detail than is displayed on the Unistats website.

You can receive your student’s answers to questions on course satisfaction broken down by department, gender, age, disability, ethnicity, full-/part-time, religion (NI only) and domicile. You can also read their narrative comments and compare answers, and see results from as far back as your institution has taken part in the NSS.

This information will be a powerful tool when campaigning to your institution or informing QAA work.

Who can help students’ unions and associations with the NSS?

• NUS has 2 members of staff dedicated to the NSS. Chrystal De’Gale, Student Feedback Officer and Kate Wicklow Student Feedback Assistant can be contacted for help, advice or guidance on the NSS by emailing nss@nus.org.uk
• NUS also has NSS Ambassadors across the UK and Scotland to help unions use the results and promote the survey at a local level. To find your nearest ambassador, visit the NSS Ambassador information pages for their contact details.
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