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Top Student Satisfaction Rating for University of Leicester in National Survey

Leicester and Cambridge ranked top for student satisfaction among mainstream English universities.

06 August 2009

Students at the University of Leicester continue to be among the most satisfied in the country, according to the findings of a national poll published today.

Leicester was ranked joint top with Cambridge for student satisfaction among mainstream English universities teaching full-time students.

The National Student Survey – a key measure of quality that reveals how students feel about their university education – has found that 91 per cent of students at Leicester are satisfied with their course.

The results confirm Leicester as a model institution for student satisfaction- having achieved a consistently high ranking among the leading universities for student satisfaction since the inception of the survey. Leicester also received a 100% or near 100% satisfaction rating in certain subject areas: In Physiology 100 per cent of students were satisfied; while in Politics and Chemistry it was 98 per cent, and in Spanish, within the School of Modern Languages and Geology 97 per cent. Spanish was also the highest rated course within its subject area.

The University particularly won high praise from students for a wide range of aspects of its teaching, student support and facilities.

Academics also received a strong vote of confidence - 94 per cent of students said they were good at explaining things, 92 per cent felt they were enthusiastic about what they were teaching, and 91 per cent that they were able to contact staff when they needed to.

The biggest increase in satisfaction levels came in the proportion of students feeling that library resources and services were good enough for their needs, rising from 81 per cent last year to 91 per cent this year. This was not entirely a surprise to staff at Leicester as it follows the opening of the award-winning David Wilson Library which has been visited over 1.5 million times in its first year.

The NSS results come after a year of landmark achievements for Leicester, which include winning the Times Higher Education magazine’s University of the Year award; record numbers of student applications; top 20 rankings in university league tables; maintaining its position as the only world-class university to hit Government-set targets for widening access to higher education; and the unveiling of a £1 billion Development Plan for the University which will include increased capacity to take up to 50 per cent more students, redevelopment of the Students’ Union building, and campus facilities that are open 24 hours a day.

Leicester’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Burgess, said the University’s high student satisfaction rating reflected its strong focus on paying close attention to the needs of students and providing them with the best support and facilities.

He said: “The NSS results prove once again that Leicester is fulfilling its aim of being a top university with world-class teaching and research that also works hard at, and succeeds in providing, the kind of student-centred environment that satisfies the needs of students from all backgrounds. I am particularly pleased to see that students feel our staff exude enthusiasm for their discipline, teach it very well, and are there for students when they need them.

“We are very excited about being able to delight our students even more with the facilities we will be able to provide in the coming years as our development plan rolls forward.”

Charlotte Binks who graduated in last month (July) said: “Medical physiology at the University of Leicester has been both an interesting and challenging degree, which provides its students with an in depth insight into the world of scientific research. Students on this course have the opportunity to observe a wide range of experimental techniques as a result of the department's fantastic facilities. Furthermore, the academic staff in the department are extremely accessible and approachable; they constantly exceeded my expectations, and never failed to impress me with their enthusiasm for the course, which is clear in their teaching. The classes are relatively small, which helps when attempting to work closely with the rest of the group, and to make friends.

“The University of Leicester's campus is quite small and compact, which makes a busy timetable easier to handle. Altogether, my time at this university has been absolutely fantastic, and my degree in Medical physiology has been a vital step in my career.”

Dr. Blair Grubb, Head of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology that coordinates the course, commented: “Absolutely fantastic. This relatively new course has just produced its second graduating class and it has been enormously popular with students since day one.

“I think the reason for its success is simple: it provides a first rate training in physiology and pharmacology while always allowing students to apply their knowledge to understanding the causes of an array of human diseases and how these are treated at present or could be successfully treated in the future. It’s also important to remember that all of the teaching staff in the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology lead active research programmes and I believe that our Medical Physiology graduates are not only very well trained in their scientific discipline, but also get to experience some of the enthusiasm and exhilaration that active participation in cutting-edge research brings. I would like to express my thanks to all staff in the Department for their commitment to making the Medical Physiology degree such a positive experience for all of our students.”

Alex Smith, Academic Affairs officer in the Students’ Union, said: “The University of Leicester Students’ Union plays a key role in enhancing the overall experience for students studying here. We tailor our activities to meet our students’ needs whilst ensuring that we offer the resources for students to create new opportunities.”

Overall Student Satisfaction in England: Mainstream Universities

The Department of Geography have produced a news item on their results in the National Student Survey, which you can view by clicking here