Aberystwyth continues to lead on Student Satisfaction

Aberystwyth University students

Aberystwyth University is, for the sixth consecutive year, leading on student satisfaction.

The 2010 results of the National Student Survey (NSS) awarded the University a score of 4.4 (on a scale of 1-5 for student satisfaction), the second highest score for any public residential University in the UK and just behind Oxford University.  The survey also places Aberystwyth at 5th place of all Universities in the UK and top in Wales for the sixth year running for student satisfaction.

The results announced today further support that of the recent University league tables which saw Aberystwyth University this year moving up 22 places in the Guardian University Guide, 6 places in the Times Higher Education Good University Guide and 7 places in the Independent’s league table for student satisfaction.  Earlier this year, Aberystwyth was also voted ‘probably the best place in the world to be a student’ in the International Student Barometer of 2009.

The NSS is an annual survey of students which aims to help inform the choices of prospective higher education students about where and what to study.  A total of 252,000 students participated in the survey this year, an increase of over 30,000 on last year and a response rate of 63.1%.

Overall satisfaction at Aberystwyth University remains very high at 92% - an increase of 2% on 2009 and 10% higher than both the Welsh and the UK average.

Students were asked questions grouped into seven areas: ‘the teaching on my course’; ‘assessment and feedback’; ‘academic support’; ‘organisation and management’; ‘learning resources’; ‘personal development’ and ‘overall satisfaction’.

Aberystwyth University subjects achieving a very strong performance in the survey for ‘Overall Satisfaction’, with results of 4.5 and above on a scale of 1-5, include:
• Agriculture
• Biology
• Celtic Studies
• English
• Physical Geography
• Sports Science

Subjects which out-performed the UK average for ‘overall satisfaction’ include:
• Accounting
• Agriculture
• Cinematics
• Computer Science
• Drama
• Fine art
• Physical Geography
• Sports Science    

Commenting on the University’s success, Professor Martin Jones, Pro Vice Chancellor at Aberystwyth University said: “This is a brilliant result indeed. I am continuously encouraged by the success of our institution.  We are able to demonstrate improvements year on year and am delighted that these are reflected by these surveys and the satisfaction of our students - particularly against a backdrop of funding cuts and economic tensions. The success of the University in recruitment is another feature of the esteem in which we are held by our students. In short, we have all worked hard to develop the Aberystwyth ‘student experience’ brand and I would like to thank students, academic and support staff, and the Guild for creating this unique teaching and learning environment.”

The NSS was conducted by Ipsos MORI.  Data is available for prospective students, parents and advisors and is available from the Unistats website (www.unistats.com).

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