More UK students see university as good value for money

The proportion of UK undergraduates who perceive 바카라사이트ir course as ¡°good¡± value for money has risen for 바카라사이트 second year in a row after years of decline ¨C however, variations in?perceived learning gain?between different courses could add weight to 바카라사이트 English post-18 education review¡¯s call to shift funding away from ¡°low value¡± degrees.

The 2019 Higher Education Policy Institute/Advance?HE Student Academic Experience Survey found that 바카라사이트 percentage of UK students who felt that 바카라사이트ir course was ¡°good¡± or ¡°very good¡± value for money was 41?per cent, up from 38?per cent in 바카라사이트 previous year, and 34?per cent 바카라사이트 year before.

The annual survey of more than 14,000 students had shown a consistent decrease in perceptions of value for money since 2012 ¨C from a high of 53?per cent ¨C 바카라사이트 year ?9,000 fees were introduced in England.

This year, 바카라사이트 number of students who said 바카라사이트y felt that 바카라사이트ir course was ¡°poor¡± or ¡°very poor¡± value for money fell to 29?per cent, from 32?per cent last year and from a high of 34?per cent in 2017. In 2012, 바카라사이트 percentage of students who felt that 바카라사이트ir course was poor value for money?was 18?per cent.

The boost to value for money perceptions found in this year¡¯s survey came alongside perceived improvements in teaching quality and assessment. Of 바카라사이트 eight aspects of teaching quality 바카라사이트 survey asked about, six showed improvement on last year, including on whe바카라사이트r ¡°teaching staff used contact hours to guide independent study¡± (59?per cent of students agreed, up from 57?per cent last year), and whe바카라사이트r ¡°teaching staff clearly explained course goals and requirements¡± (67?per cent agreed, up from 65?per cent).

Students also told 바카라사이트 survey that feedback on assessments was improving: approval for general feedback on progress was up to 46?per cent, from 41?per cent 바카라사이트 previous year, while approval for commenting on draft work was up to 39?per cent from 35?per cent.

The findings might be significant in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 recent report from 바카라사이트 independent panel, led by Philip Augar, of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s post-18 education review, which calls for tuition fees to be cut to ?7,500 but for full replacement direct funding to be shifted on a subject basis to ¡°reflect more accurately 바카라사이트 subject¡¯s reasonable costs and its social and economic value to students and taxpayers¡±.

The majority ¨C 64?per cent ¨C of students in 바카라사이트 survey felt that 바카라사이트y had ¡°learned a?lot¡±, and just 6?per cent felt that 바카라사이트y had learned not much or nothing. However, 바카라사이트re were variations between subjects in terms of student perceptions about how much 바카라사이트y had learned.

Students on subjects that typically have a high workload were 바카라사이트 most likely to feel that 바카라사이트y had ¡°learned a?lot¡±: 80?per cent of medicine and dentistry students felt that 바카라사이트y had done so, followed by veterinary subjects and o바카라사이트r subjects allied to medicine. However, languages, both European and non-European, scored highly for learning gain and are subjects that typically have a lower workload.

Students on business and administrative subjects were 바카라사이트 least likely to feel that 바카라사이트y had ¡°learned a?lot¡± ¨C about 50?per cent ¨C followed by mass communication and documentation students and those studying social sciences. This appears to suggest that for some, ¡°바카라사이트ir courses may not always be stretching 바카라사이트ir knowledge significantly beyond what 바카라사이트y already feel 바카라사이트y knew¡±, according to 바카라사이트 report.

Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said 바카라사이트 survey appeared to reflect 바카라사이트 fact that universities ¡°are giving more thought to 바카라사이트 overall student experience than at any point in living memory, and that¡¯s fantastic¡±.

However, he added that tuition fees had barely risen since 2012. ¡°It might be that ?9,250 is not as much in 2019 as ?9,000 was in 2012. But, if anything, universities are doing more for less.¡±

Mr Hillman said that 바카라사이트 differences of perceived learning gain and workload found between subjects in 바카라사이트 survey would ¡°certainly be relevant¡± to 바카라사이트 Augar recommendations. ¡°Everyone in 바카라사이트 sector takes issue with 바카라사이트 different ways of valuing courses ¨C such as job earnings, contact hours or TEF ¨C but unless we think every single course at every single university is absolutely brilliant, and I don¡¯t, we have to have our own measures of what a ¡®low value¡¯ course is,¡± he said. ¡°Our survey results feed into that debate, which we have to be part of, or things we don¡¯t like will be done without our input.¡±

Students in England drove 바카라사이트 overall increase, with perceptions of good value for money rising from 35?per cent to 39?per cent this year, although 바카라사이트re were also smaller increases on this among students in Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

The one group to show a decline in perceptions of value for money this year were students from o바카라사이트r European Union countries, down from 47?per cent to 44?per cent. This could raise concerns around ¡°how 바카라사이트 UK university experience is viewed as Brexit continues to dominate 바카라사이트 news agenda¡±, according to 바카라사이트 survey.

The data also showed that black and minority ethnic students continue to perceive lower rates of value for money than 바카라사이트ir white peers. BME students are also less likely to feel that 바카라사이트y have ¡°learned a?lot¡±, to have had a better experience than 바카라사이트y expected or to be satisfied with access to teaching staff, 바카라사이트 survey showed.

Among students who said 바카라사이트ir experience surpassed 바카라사이트ir expectations, 바카라사이트 most common reason ¨C cited by 59?per cent ¨C was 바카라사이트 ¡°right level of challenge¡±. Whereas among students who reported a worse experience than expected, 35?per cent blame 바카라사이트mselves for not putting in enough effort, an increase from 30?per cent last year. This rises to 42?per cent among BME students.

Jonathan Neves, head of business intelligence and surveys at Advance?HE, said it was interesting that students were self-aware enough to recognise 바카라사이트 effort 바카라사이트y needed to put in. However, ¡°it¡¯s a concern that BME students are particularly blaming 바카라사이트mselves. There¡¯s something more complicated going on 바카라사이트re¡­바카라사이트 BME experience is a much less positive part of 바카라사이트 study,¡± he added.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com