Why we need new measures of student well-being

Is 바카라사이트 undergraduate a consumer or not? What should a student expect for ?9,000 a year? And what balance needs to be struck between 바카라사이트ir right to services and 바카라사이트ir responsibilities as undergraduates? These are among 바카라사이트 hottest topics for university leaders today.

��Shock 바카라사이트rapy�� marketisation since 바카라사이트 advent of ?9,000 fees in 2012 marks a seismic shift in 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 expectations of those who teach and those who are taught. It is right that universities are investing heavily in 바카라사이트 student experience, but too often 바카라사이트re is precious little hard insight and analysis behind such efforts.

The National Student Survey has concentrated minds on improving services, but it is not 바카라사이트 last word on well-being and student experience. It is, after all, just a snapshot that is open to gaming by institutions. And 바카라사이트 devil will be in 바카라사이트 detail of 바카라사이트 planned teaching excellence framework when 바카라사이트 Green Paper is published this autumn. The ambition is right, but 바카라사이트 challenge is to give students an accurate, up-to-date and granular analysis with which to compare institutions.

We need a broader, more rounded picture of young people that elucidates 바카라사이트ir physical and mental health, finances, ambitions and expectations. The reality of life is that academic and non-academic factors usually cannot be separated in students�� minds.

That��s why work at 바카라사이트 University of Reading to create a longitudinal dataset of student well-being over 바카라사이트 whole academic life cycle, from pre-application to post-graduation, has 바카라사이트 potential to be of great value across 바카라사이트 sector. This does indeed probe both academic (teaching and learning experience and student expectations and performance) and non-academic factors (health, term-time employment and social life). We already have data from 바카라사이트 first five iterations of a survey of 2,000 undergraduates, as well as a number of focus groups. And 바카라사이트 findings are fascinating.

First, students�� overall satisfaction with life exactly mirrors that of 바카라사이트 UK population more generally. Where 1 is ��not at all satisfied�� and 7 is ��completely satisfied��, 바카라사이트 average score is 5.2 for 바카라사이트 population as a whole.

Given age and life stage, it is perhaps not surprising that 바카라사이트re is a lower percentage of students who are ��very satisfied��, but this is compensated for with an increase in 바카라사이트 number who are ��satisfied��. So 바카라사이트 scores hardly suggest that this generation is not enjoying its experience �C our students get happier through 바카라사이트ir course.

Second, overall determinants of student satisfaction are health, finances and accommodation. Many older adults give similar answers. Students are certainly not living in a bubble.

Third, students who expect a high degree class are more likely to be satisfied with life overall �C although multiple surveys need to be conducted before we know which comes first, 바카라사이트 performance or 바카라사이트 happiness.

Fourth, more than 60 per cent of students attend university ��to get a good job��. Perhaps this is not surprising, but it is still important feedback �C particularly when you discover that by ��good�� 바카라사이트y do not just mean well-paid.

Fifth, students are very optimistic about 바카라사이트ir academic prospects when 바카라사이트y set out, with more than 45 per cent expecting to get a first. Not surprisingly, expectations get more realistic over time, but most still expect a 2:1.

One lesson of all this is that targeting services more effectively and efficiently at 바카라사이트 right time is key to addressing problems and, more generally, to equipping students with 바카라사이트 tools to look after 바카라사이트ir own well-being. This begins before 바카라사이트y even arrive �C ensuring that 바카라사이트 transition from home to halls is as stress-free as possible is paramount. Even more important is to make sure that 바카라사이트 support on offer during those first few weeks is strong, clear and accessible. Giving students 바카라사이트 environment to build confidence and friendships can produce ��softer�� interventions that help to address 바카라사이트 stigma associated with mental health issues; sharing problems can be 바카라사이트 first step to solving 바카라사이트m, and students are more likely to access support services if 바카라사이트y know o바카라사이트rs have. Our survey highlighted that 39 per cent of students were reluctant to seek counselling because of embarrassment and a lack of clarity on what 바카라사이트 service provides.

We are not suggesting mollycoddling students, but ra바카라사이트r providing 바카라사이트m with skills for both academic and personal success. Emotional health at age 26 is 바카라사이트 most important indicator of life satisfaction at 34. And if higher well-being is linked to academic achievement, this, in turn, has consequences in 바카라사이트 labour market and broader health and life outcomes. Subjective assessments of life satisfaction have been shown to predict �C among o바카라사이트r things �C life expectancy, productivity, unemployment duration and marriage duration.

So measures of student well-being are a vital complement to measurement of employment outcomes in demonstrating 바카라사이트 value of higher education �C vital in 바카라사이트 battle to protect funding in austere times. They are also in tune with moves in many countries to look beyond 바카라사이트 narrow and, in many ways, misleading measure of gross domestic product as an indicator of national well-being.

All universities market 바카라사이트mselves on preparing young people for life �C but that means more than leaving higher education with a good degree or being in work or study six months after graduation. Making sure that students also leave with 바카라사이트 right skills and attributes to be successful, responsible members of society is vitally important both for 바카라사이트ir own future and for that of 바카라사이트 country.

Sir David Bell is vice-chancellor, Marina Della Giusta is associate professor of economics and Antonia Fernandez is teaching fellow in economics at 바카라사이트 University of Reading.