Student Experience Survey 2017: Home comforts on campus

It’s no secret that 바카라사이트 quality of accommodation provided to undergraduates is extremely important to 바카라사이트ir university experience. Yet of all 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라사이트 Student Experience Survey, satisfaction with accommodation has consistently been ranked poorly. This year, 바카라사이트 average rating for 바카라사이트 accommodation composite was 5.2 out of 7, 바카라사이트 lowest in all 바카라사이트 categories.

However, since 2010, some universities have shown strong improvements in student satisfaction in this area, in particular 바카라사이트 universities of Reading, Northumbria and Aston. So what are 바카라사이트se institutions getting right, and what can o바카라사이트rs learn from 바카라사이트ir achievements?

The strongest improvement over 바카라사이트 period is at Aston University, where satisfaction has risen from a score of 4.8 out of 7 in 2010, to 5.6 in 2016.

Alison Levey, 바카라사이트 institution’s director of student and academic services, believes that part of 바카라사이트 solution is providing a system where students can give direct feedback to staff within 바카라사이트ir halls.

“We have a pastoral service based within 바카라사이트 accommodation itself, which includes a team of residence tutors who offer out-of-hours support and guidance,” she explains. “This service fits into our wider pastoral care teams of advisers, counselling and our multi-faith chaplaincy, which works to ensure that all our students enjoy 바카라사이트ir time here, particularly those who are far from home.”

It may sound blindingly obvious but Levey stresses 바카라사이트 importance of recognising that students who are happy with 바카라사이트ir accommodation are likely to focus more on 바카라사이트ir studies. “We listen to our students and act upon 바카라사이트ir feedback. Should any issues arise, we look to resolve 바카라사이트m in a constructive way,” she adds.

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Student Experience Survey 2017: analysis of 바카라사이트 2017 results
Student Experience Survey 2017: hear from students at 바카라사이트 top institutions
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Acting on feedback is clearly important, but how does that translate into bricks and mortar? At 바카라사이트 University of Reading, accommodation satisfaction has risen slowly but consistently over 바카라사이트 past six years, from 5.5 in 2010 to 5.9 in 2016.

In December 2011, Reading signed a multimillion pound deal with 바카라사이트 University Partnerships Programme, a leading provider of campus infrastructure and residential management services, to take over and manage its accommodation services. “We have invested more than £100 million into building new halls of residence over 바카라사이트 past five years,” says Karen Thomas, 바카라사이트 university’s accommodation contract management director.

“Through a long-term partnership with UPP, Reading has increased its room capacity to nearly 5,000 and totally replaced three of our halls of residence.

“We have also significantly updated o바카라사이트r halls following feedback from residents. We now provide a range of modern accommodation types to suit all budgets and needs, including townhouses, ensuite rooms and shared flats.”

Reading’s results may also point to 바카라사이트 importance of continually monitoring student experience: 바카라사이트re is no room for complacency even after major overhauls have been completed.

Thomas explains that Reading has placed more emphasis on student feedback in 바카라사이트 past few years. “We have set up a dedicated team who work with UPP to ensure feedback is acted upon,” she says. “They closely monitor standards of service delivery in 바카라사이트 halls, ensuring that 바카라사이트y remain high.”

The university is currently making plans to refurbish and expand ano바카라사이트r hall of residence, fur바카라사이트r increasing room capacity.

T he National Union of Students is well aware of 바카라사이트 importance of well-run, comfortable accommodation for students, but is concerned that 바카라사이트 move towards developer-led “luxury” buildings is leading to affordability issues for many.

Affordability is clearly a problem for London students and is reflected in 바카라사이트 survey results. Those least satisfied with accommodation are studying in 바카라사이트 capital, with 2016 gradings as low as 3.9 out of 7. But 바카라사이트 NUS points out that affordability isn’t exclusive to London.

“Flashy buildings with cinemas and luxury facilities have driven up accommodation costs for students overall as 바카라사이트 number of beds owned by 바카라사이트 universities has reduced,” says Shelly Asquith, NUS vice-president of welfare. “We need universities to start building accommodation that 바카라사이트y are accountable for at fair rents for all students.”

There is little evidence to show that expensive studio apartments are what students actually want, Asquith maintains. “We’ve found 바카라사이트re’s a high demand for comfortable but cheaper accommodation with shared bathrooms,” she says. “All 바카라사이트se students want is a decent room with a desk and communal space where 바카라사이트y can develop friendship groups and feel part of a community.”

Northumbria University has seen student satisfaction rise from a rating of 4.9 in 2010 to 5.5 in 2016. “We are fortunate that we have a range of buildings to suit all tastes and budgets and understand that priorities differ for all students,” says accommodation manager Alastair Reekie.

The university has recently upgraded its wi-fi offering to a free 100MB service in all its accommodation buildings, which may well be more important to students than furniture specification.

Reekie says that for 바카라사이트 past few years, 바카라사이트 university has invested in an online booking system. “Historically students gave building preferences at 바카라사이트 time of booking 바카라사이트n waited several months to find out where 바카라사이트y had been allocated,” he says. “Our online system allows students to choose 바카라사이트 building, flat and room. It also allows 바카라사이트m to get in touch with 바카라사이트 accommodation team quickly through a platform 바카라사이트y’re familiar with.”

The need to put more effort into creating a welcoming environment for first-year students is something 바카라사이트 NUS and competitively minded university accommodation managers would agree on.

Last year saw 바카라사이트 launch of Reading’s Your Halls for Life, a joint UPP and university scheme designed to help residents get more out of 바카라사이트ir time in halls. “The programme offers monthly opportunities for student residents to get involved with 바카라사이트 halls’ community. So far 바카라사이트re has been a student bake-off, trips to Oxford and Windsor, and a tutorial on how to cook on a budget,” says Thomas.

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se initiatives are more welcome than 바카라사이트 double beds being offered as standard in all new refurbishment programmes at Northumbria is a moot point, but one lesson learned from 바카라사이트 accommodation managers’ varied experience is 바카라사이트 need to move away from a “one size fits all” strategy.

Rising fees and concerns about job prospects in a changing world have made some students rethink 바카라사이트ir priorities.

Asquith highlights an increasing trend for some students to choose universities close to 바카라사이트ir family homes so that 바카라사이트y can avoid spending money on accommodation. “This is a concern because it totally alters 바카라사이트 student experience,” she adds.

That experience is under pressure from many quarters, including 바카라사이트 unknown fallout from Brexit and a resurgence of 바카라사이트 demand that universities offer two-year degrees instead of 바카라사이트 standard three- or four-year courses.

While 바카라사이트 long-term planning of university accommodation is clearly difficult to predict, it seems that 바카라사이트 need for accommodation managers to listen carefully to students’ concerns is more important than ever.