Unis hope for better showing in 2010 National Student Survey

The National Student Survey 2010 (NSS) was launched last week with Edinburgh's universities hoping to improve on last year's poor results.

In the 2009 survey, institutions in the capital recieved poor results for feedback in the exercise which gathers final year students opinions on the universities at which they study.

When asked about the quality of feedback on their work subjects the results were as low as 34 percent for Edinburgh University and only 56 percent for Edinburgh Napier University.

Vice-president of academic affairs at Edinburgh University Students' Association, Evan Beswick, told The Journal: “I am not happy at all about last years’ results. This year we have tried to give the university some breathing space in order to give them time to improve the results rather than being negative."

More active measures have been implemented in order to rectify the lack of feedback from courses.

“There will be a campaign later in the year to encourage students and staff to engage in dialogue about the feedback. Hopefully discussions will take place and big improvements will be made,” said Mr Beswick.

Herriot-Watt, Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier universities all took part and did well when students were asked about the overall quality of the course receiving over 80 percent satisfaction rates.

In previous years there has been a disappointing response rate meaning that actual conditions are not presented accurately.

Mr Beswick continues: “Even if huge changes do not take place I hope for at least some improvements. If not it will demonstrate a lack of management and we will have to be more forceful in the future.”

This is the sixth annual NSS but Edinburgh Napier University only participated for the first time last year.

According to Napier Students' Association’s campaigns & representation officer Stuart Campbell: “Our response rate was just below national average and obviously this year we are aiming for a much higher response which will allow for a much more detailed and representative set of results.

“We have been working with the university to create a more consistent approach to feedback provision, to raise the quality and timeliness of feedback to all students.”

NSS targets students who are in their final year of their course at university. The feedback will be published on the ‘unistats’ website in August.