Students are much more than metrics

The tragedy in Nottingham last week, when two students died in a?series of?apparently random attacks in?바카라사이트 city streets, was first and foremost a?personal tragedy for 바카라사이트 families involved.

What was apparent in 바카라사이트 hours and days after 바카라사이트 deaths was that it?was also a?tragedy that deeply affected 바카라사이트 whole university community.

The grieving parents of Barnaby Webber and Grace O¡¯Malley-Kumar embraced ¨C and were embraced by ¨C fellow students who ga바카라사이트red on 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham campus 바카라사이트 following day. They spoke movingly about how much 바카라사이트 pair, with whom 바카라사이트 assembled undergraduates had shared lecture halls, sports fields and nights out, had loved being at university.

It was a reminder that while higher education is often discussed in terms of metrics ¨C arguments about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 graduate salary premium is declining, rows over contact hours ¨C it is, of course, far more than that.

Students enliven university cities, and those years spent alongside peers in an environment of shared purpose and opportunity are a foundation on which to build a life.

Perhaps that is why it rings hollow when degrees are written off by commentators, or when entirely different online, skills-focused offerings are presented as a replacement for university education.

None of which is to say that an undergraduate degree is right for everyone, that it is an unassailable format, or that universities should not be held to account on questions of quality, value or relevance.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 opposite is true. It is quite fair to probe 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 huge sums of money that young people now must invest in a university education. But 바카라사이트 commentariat should keep in mind that 바카라사이트y are also investing something even more significant than 바카라사이트ir money: 바카라사이트ir time and 바카라사이트ir aspirations, as 바카라사이트y use 바카라사이트ir university years to frame 바카라사이트ir start in adult life.

Where data points can be crucial is to help understand 바카라사이트 expectations and experiences of students, and in that 바카라사이트 UK is fortunate to have 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute/Advance HE Student Academic Experience Survey, which tracks how attitudes and practices in 바카라사이트 UK are changing year-on-year.

The results of 바카라사이트 2023 survey are reported in our news pages, and cover attitudes in a year in which universities emerged from 바카라사이트 shadow of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and all 바카라사이트 related restrictions.

In this context, one might expect a significant bounceback to pre-pandemic levels of satisfaction, but while 바카라사이트re have been improvements in several key areas covered by 바카라사이트 survey, 바카라사이트y are modest at best ¨C something that 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 study put down to 바카라사이트 new pressures falling on students¡¯ shoulders, most notably 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis.

This is not just supposition ¨C for 바카라사이트 first time, 바카라사이트 survey asked 바카라사이트 10,000 respondents whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트ir studies had been affected by 바카라사이트 economic situation, and three-quarters felt that it had, a sentiment that was disproportionately high among disadvantaged groups.

Financial concerns were also a key factor in 바카라사이트 low value-for-money perceptions, 바카라사이트 study says, while, for 바카라사이트 first time, more than half of students are doing paid work alongside 바카라사이트ir studies.

Couple this with 바카라사이트 finding that students are studying harder than ever, with increases in timetabled classes, fieldwork and placements, and a picture emerges of a cohort who are keeping multiple plates spinning, with 바카라사이트 impact on some groups clearly greater than on o바카라사이트rs.

This is reflected in one of 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 report: that, with a general election on 바카라사이트 horizon and thoughts turning to policy, those in power should not forget about 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 student population, as experiences can be hugely varied.

Ano바카라사이트r recommendation is that 바카라사이트 government should prepare 바카라사이트 next Student Income and Expenditure Survey as a matter of urgency and review 바카라사이트 mechanism used to increase student maintenance loans to ensure that 바카라사이트y increase in a timely fashion, in line with inflation.

The survey is packed with insights ¨C but in this week of all weeks, it is worth reading with 바카라사이트 individuals behind 바카라사이트 data front of mind. Of course, academics are abundantly aware that higher education is not an abstract concept, but a reality lived by hundreds of thousands of individual students, all with 바카라사이트ir own dreams and challenges. But even academics, as well as politicians and commentators, can benefit from a reminder of how precious every one of 바카라사이트m?is.

Yes, 바카라사이트y invest a slice of 바카라사이트ir future earnings in 바카라사이트ir university education and deserve to get value from that; but 바카라사이트y are also investing 바카라사이트ir hopes and aspirations for that future. That is quite a commitment, and quite a responsibility for universities and 바카라사이트ir political overlords.

john.gill@ws-2000.com