The Student Academic Experience Survey 2021 - Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys, Advance HE Rachel Hewitt, Director of ...
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The Student Academic Experience Survey 2021 Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys, Advance HE Rachel Hewitt, Director of Policy & Advocacy, HEPI
Perceptions of value-for-money have fallen to their lowest levels
so far
Value-for-money of your present course
70%
60%
53%
50%
50% 44% 44%
40% 41%
38% 39%
40% 37%
35%
30% 34%
32% 32% 31%
29% 29%
20% 26% 27%
21%
18%
10%
0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Good / Very Good Poor / Very Poor
This decline has been seen across all domiciles
Value-for-money – by domicile
(good or very good value)
80%
70%
60%
50% 50%
40% 33%
30% 30%
29%
20% 27%
24%
10%
0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Scotland Wales EU Northern Ireland England Rest of World
Scotland Wales EU NI England Rest of World
2019 63% 47% 44% 38% 39% 37%
2020 57% 41% 46% 37% 37% 43%
2021 50% 29% 30% 27% 24% 33%The main reasons behind this are tuition fees, contact hours and the
absence of in-person teaching – issues that are often interlinked
When saying you received poor value / very poor value, what were you thinking
about?
Tuition fees 59%
Volume of in-person contact hours 47%
Opportunity to access in-person teaching 42%
Teaching quality 36%
Volume of online contact hours 32%
The cost of living 32%
One to one tuition time 30%
Course facilities / resources 28%
Course organisation 27%
Feedback received 27%
Course content 25%
Accommodation quality 19%
Work placements 18%
Career prospects 18%
Student support services 17%
Sports & social facilities 12%
University buildings & campus 12%
Class size 12%
Another reason 4%
Further insights: Creating Socially Distanced Campuses and Education
Project Final Capstone ReportThere is a strong perception that levels of fees do not provide value in
the current / recent circumstances
“Due to Corona, everything seems too high a price for what we are receiving”
“Fees have not changed even considering the changes made with Covid”
“Most courses are around the same price, so quality of teaching is well worth the value, however COVID undermines what
we’re paying for because I’m sure in person it would be great, but online isn’t worth £9k+”
“Online learning is extremely different to in person learning. Uni was great up until the pandemic hit, although I do still believe
the fees were overpriced regardless”
“The course is great…, but considering its all online, I think £9,250 is too much”
“Fieldwork which was meant to be included in the course but didn’t happen due to coronavirus. The ability to go to a uni with
free field-trips was one reason I chose (it)”
“As I am a practical course, although I understand why we cannot meet in person I believe that my quality of education cannot
be what I needed. They are trying their best but there are some things you can't replace online”
“Working for free as a student nurse while also paying to go to uni, I am essentially paying to work”
“I don't feel like I learnt what I was supposed to learn (lab skills speaking) in my third year to be prepared for graduate level
jobs”Other key measures, such as experience compared to expectations,
have also fallen to their lowest levels
Experience compared to expectations
70%
60%
53% 52%
50% 51%
49% 49% 49% 48% 48%
50% 45%
40%
32%
27% 28% 27% 27%
30% 26% 25% 26%
23% 22%
20%
13% 12% 12% 13% 13% 12% 13% 13% 13%
11%
10%
11% 10% 11% 11%
8% 9% 9% 9% 9% 8%
0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Better in some ways and worse in others It's been better It's been worse It's been exactly what I expectedIn the absence of in-person interaction, timeliness and detail of
feedback has come under increased scrutiny
Returning assignments – whether expectations met Selected open comments
“The University should make sure to hold
60%
53% the staff to the same level of expectations
50%
48% 47% as they do with students. For example,
46% 46%
lecturers and tutors are allowed to take
40% 45% 45% twice the time than usual marking them.”
43% 43%
40%
“Give more contact hours. I was told I
30%
would get 12 a week, I get 6. Every single
assignment feedback I have received has
20%
been delayed a week.”
9% 9% 9% 10% “Give actual feedback for work instead of
10% 7%
making us submit so many assignments
that don't even have individual feedback.
0%
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Staff were overwhelmed with marking out
Expectations exceeded Expectations met Expectations not met
work on time, students were overwhelmed
with getting the work done.”
Further insights: On Your Marks: Learner-focused Feedback Practices and
Feedback LiteracyWhile the volume of assignments continues to increase
Average number of assignments per term / semester
7.0
6.1
6.0 5.7
5.2
5.0 5.0 5.0
5.0
4.0 3.6
3.1
3.0 2.5 2.6
2.4 2.4
2.0
1.0
0.0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Summative assignments Formative assignmentsWellbeing among students has declined again, as it has for the general
population – although student wellbeing remains much lower
Comparison of wellbeing measures
45%
40%
40%
35% 35% 35%
35% 32% 32%
30%
30%
25%
25%
19% 19% 19%
20% 18% 18% 18%
17% 17% 17%
16%
15%
14% 14% 14% 14% 13%
15% 12%
11% 11%
10%
6%
5%
0%
Life satisfaction Life worthwhile Happiness Low anxiety
ONS 2019 ONS 2020 SAES 2017 SAES 2018 SAES 2019 SAES 2020 SAES 2021Despite this, higher education remains a popular choice, with relatively
few students feeling that the choice may have been the wrong one
Whether would choose same course
and university again
64%
No change - happy with choice 58%
64%
Defer study to a year later 11%
12%
Different university 9%
11%
8%
Different course 8%
7%
In a separate question,
6%
Different course and university 6%
5% just 29% had
Do an apprenticeship
3%
4%
5%
considered leaving their
Get a job
3%
3%
course
2%
2%
Do something else outside HE 2%
1%
2019 2020 2021A relatively encouraging proportion (67%) agree their institution is
committed to eliminating racial inequalities
My institution is committed to eliminating racial inequalities for students
12%
1% 26%
4% Agree strongly
Agree
Neutral
16% Disagree
Disagree strongly
Don't know
41%
Further insights: • Tackling structural race inequality in higher education
• Decolonising Identity podcasts • Tackling racism on campusAlthough there remain disparities in the quality of the student
experience between different ethnic groups
Key measures 2021
80%
70%
62%
60% 59%
60% 58% 57%
56%
54%
51% 52%
50% 49%
50% 46%
40%
30% 28%
26%
22% 21%
20%
20% 15% 14%
10% 11% 10% 11%
10% 5%
0%
Value-for-money Learnt a lot Experience better than Would choose same course &
expectations university again
Asian Black Chinese Mixed Other WhiteLess than half of students expect to go onto a ‘graduate-level’ job after
university
What do you expect to do when you leave university?
49%
Graduate-level employment (employer) 44%
50%
13%
Further study 12%
17%
7%
Travel 6%
7%
5%
Develop a creative portfolio 5%
5%
5%
Run own business 4%
5%
4%
Self-employment/freelancing 4%
4%
4%
Non graduate-level employment (employer) 3%
5%
3%
Unemployed 3%
3%
1%
Voluntary work 1%
2%
8%
Unsure 7%
8%
Total sample Final year Non-final year
Further insights: Essential Frameworks for Enhancing Student SuccessMost students feel satisfied with how their institution uses educational
technology in their learning
Satisfaction with the use of educational technology
7% 1%
15%
26%
51%
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfiedHowever we have seen a decline in satisfaction with timetabled contact
hours
I am satisfied with my timetabled contact hours
80%
67% 66%
70% 64% 65% 64% 64% 65%
62%
60%
50%
50%
40%
30%
30%
20% 20% 19% 19% 19% 19% 19%
20%
17%
21%
17% 17% 17% 17% 18%
10% 16% 16%
14%
0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Agree Neither agree nor disagree DisagreeStudents have balanced out a decline in contact hours and placements
with increased independent study
Workload hours in average week
35.0
30.0 29.9
25.0
20.0
15.0 15.7
12.4
10.0 10.7
5.0
3.6
0.0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Total hours (attended) Timetabled contact hours Independent study hours
Timetabled contact hours attended Placements or fieldworkIt is clear that students are looking forward to a return to in-person
teaching, although there may be benefits to some blended learning
If there were no pandemic restrictions, how would you prefer to learn?
31%
57%
12%
Mostly in-person Mostly online A blended approach
Further insights: Re-thinking delivery models for quality Higher EducationLess than half of students (42%) feel their voice is heard and
represented by their institution
My voice is heard and represented by my institution
6% 7%
5%
13%
36%
33%
Agree strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree strongly Don't knowThere has been a slight increase in students believing Government
should cover the costs of higher education
Who should contribute to the cost of teaching undergraduates
50%
44%
45% 42% 42% 43% 43%
40%
40%
35%
30%
26%
25% 22% 23% 22% 22% 23%
20% 20%
18% 18% 17% 18%
15% 16%
10% 11% 10% 11% 11%
9%
7%
5%
2% 3% 3% 3% 2%
0% 1%
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Govt should pay more than half Govt should pay all Both should pay equal
Students should pay more than half Students should pay allThis has increased among all groups, with students from Scotland
unsurprisingly being most supportive
Government should pay more than half, or all of the costs
90%
85%
82%
80%
75% 76%
70%
70%
68%
65% 65%
60%
55% 56%
50%
45%
40%
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Scotland EU England Northern Ireland Wales Rest of worldHowever students say living costs are of a greater concern than tuition
fees
Which of these costs is of most concern to you?
23%
54%
23%
Living costs Tuition fees BothStudents from private schools are almost twice as likely to be
financially supported by family as students who attended state schools
Paid employment School attended
None 0–9 hours 10+ hours Private State
Maintenance loan
63% 52% 48% 33% 61%
or grant
Family support 32% 37% 24% 59% 28%
Income from
2% 9% 27% 6% 8%
employmentPerceptions of value More students feel their
But most students would
have declined due to experience has not
still choose to enter HE
fees and limits on matched their
again
contact time expectations
Students feel HEIs are
Wellbeing has declined Most students want to
committed to tackling
and remains return to mostly in-
racial inequalities, but
significantly lower than person teaching post-
racial disparities in
the general population pandemic
experience persist
Slightly more students
But living costs concern
AdvanceHE Student Exp Survey Covers 2019 - v05.qxp_) 24/05/2019 16:42 Page 1
believe Government
students more than
should cover the costs
tuition fees HEPI Report 78
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