NUS demand clearer information on courses

The National Union of Students (NUS) has criticised English universities for not providing comparable and reliable information to applicants about courses, in a recent report.

The NUS stated that inaccurate information given to students about a degree can cause students to pick disciplines not suited to their immediate interests, resulting in increased drop out rates.

NUS vice-president for higher education, Aaron Porter, said: "Institutions should be more strictly held to account for the information they provide to applicants. We would like to see a more structured system, whereby applicants can compare the genuine merits of different courses and institutions much more easily."

The criticisms are a response to a report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which describes information currently available to applicants as "often hard to find" and "difficult to compare".

With Scottish non-continuation rates now averaging the highest in Britain according to recent statistics published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the NUS is urging more consistent information and support from universities.

The University of the Highlands and Island (UHI) Millennium Institute tops the Scottish list with a dropout rate of over 30 per cent.

A UHI Millennium spokesperson said: “As a developing and very different institution, with lifelong learning one our key strengths, it is no surprise that our non-continuation rate is higher than conventional universities.”

Edinburgh Napier University is taking its 16 per cent drop out rate seriously. A spokesperson told The Journal that the university will strive to improve its retention rates.

Responding to the NUS criticisms, the spokesperson Edinburgh Napier said: “We have recently changed the structure of our academic year and curriculum to deliver improved induction, support and choice, and we assign a personal development tutor to every student.”

The benefit of a detailed application process has been recognized as a factor in securing the University of Stirling’s low dropout rate of 6.6 per cent. In addition to comprehensive advice and information, open-days and phone-calls, Stirling suggests the flexibility of its 300 high quality degree combinations ensures a better fit with each student’s strengths and goals.

Similarly, a University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: "We work hard to attract the brightest and best students from all backgrounds and ensure that we provide the type and quality of courses and teaching that they require.”

A recent NUS/HSBC report also highlighted that whilst institution’s prestige and reputation had a stronger influence than its quality of teaching, university publications heavily influence students’ decisions.

The survey concluded that these publications offer inaccurate or incomplete information, and that many students view them as being “sales brochures presenting only the positive side of an institution”.