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1、Student Academic Experience Survey 2024Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny SotiropoulouStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 2 Contents Foreword 6 Executive summary 8 1 Methodology 10 1.1 Approach 10 1.2 Sample si

2、ze 10 1.3 Weighting 11 1.4 Base sizes 11 1.5 Data tables 11 1.6 Qualifications 11 1.7 Ethnicity 12 1.8 Sexual orientation 12 2 Sample profile 13 3 Value for money 14 3.1 Trends over time 14 3.2 Value by domicile 15 3.3 Factors influencing perceptions of poor value 17 4 Meeting expectations 21 4.1 Ex

3、perience versus expectations 21 4.2 Why expectations are not met 22 4.3 Why expectations are exceeded 25 5 The choice to go to university 26 5.1 Whether students would make same choice again 26 5.2 Whether considered leaving 28 6 Improvements to the student academic experience 30 6.1 Quality and qua

4、ntity of academic support 30 Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 3 6.2 Employability 31 6.3 Delivery modes and practices 32 6.4 Cost of living considerations 34 6.5 Course organisation and administration 35 6.6 Infrastructures

5、access to study spaces and resources 36 6.7 Mental health support 37 7Paid employment 387.1 Paid employment and the Minimum Income Standard(MIS)40 8Student priorities 428.1 Caring responsibilities 42 8.2 Freedom of speech on campus 43 8.3 The use of artificial intelligence 47 9Spotlight on selected

6、groups of students 499.1 Ethnicity(UK domicile)49 9.2 Care-experienced and estranged students 51 10Teaching intensity 5310.1 Workload trends 53 10.2 Online learning 54 10.3 Satisfaction with scheduled contact hours 55 10.4 Workload by HECoS subject 57 10.5 Number of hours in study and employment 58

7、11Quality of teaching and assessment 6111.1 Perceptions of the quality of teaching staff 61 11.2 Rating of assessment 63 11.3 Volume of assignments 65 11.4 Timeliness of feedback 66 12Wellbeing 68Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropo

8、ulou 4 13 Finances and the future 72 13.1 How students living costs are funded 72 13.2 The impact of the cost-of-living crisis 74 14 Voting intentions 77 15 Conclusions and policy recommendations 80 Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotir

9、opoulou Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 6 Foreword The most notable trend this year is a positive one.Some student surveys are useful because they provide a snapshot.Other student surveys are useful because they provide a l

10、ongitudinal set of information that enables deep and meaningful comparisons over time.This Survey is different because,over the 18 years since it began,the HEPI/Advance HE Student Academic Experience Survey(SAES)has fulfilled both these roles simultaneously.+Some questions have been asked year after

11、 year,whether about value-for-money perceptions,contact hours or student workload.Such questions came into their own during the pandemic,and in the years since,by allowing us to track some extreme swings.This year,the number of students saying they have had poor or very poor value for money is the l

12、owest it has been since the full rollout of 9,000 fees in England,while the proportion saying they are receiving good or very good value is back to pre-Covid norms.+Other questions have come and gone from the Survey as policy and sector priorities have changed.This year,for example,we have added som

13、e new questions on students likelihood to vote,given the impending general election,and asked more about tolerating other views as well as about edtech and artificial intelligence.The areas focused on in the reports analysis also evolve.This year,for example,we have focused more than usual on the nu

14、mber of hours of paid employment undertaken by students.The main challenge for Advance HE and HEPI is how to keep the Survey fresh and relevant each year while continuing to build up an unrivalled source of information tracking how the sector is changing over time.In short,we have to make a judgemen

15、t on what to keep in and what to change.We believe the pages that follow prove the lead author,Advance HEs Jonathan Neves,and the other authors,HEPIs Josh Freeman and Rose Stephenson,and Advance HEs Dr Peny Sotiropoulou,have succeeded admirably in this task and have produced a report that will be va

16、lued by the sector and policymakers for months to come.The data produced by the SAES is increasingly used by other organisations,which we strongly welcome and encourage.For example,in the past 12 months,London Higher has produced Living and learning in London in 2023 and TASO and the Policy Unit at

17、Kings College London have published Student mental health in 2023,both of which are built on last years SAES results.Meanwhile,Professor Nicola Dandridges team at the University of Bristol has begun a ground-breaking project based on the SAES questions on whether students would make a different choi

18、ce if applying to higher education again today.We strongly welcome other organisations using the Survey results in these ways,discovering facts we may not have had the resources to dive into ourselves and bringing their own expertise to specific areas to reveal new findings.Student Academic Experien

19、ce Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 7 Higher education institutions have had a torrid time recently,with some well-publicised financial problems and softening student demand from home and abroad as well as being on the receiving end of geopolitical and

20、 domestic upheavals.Yet,as this years SAES results attest,managers,academics and students are generally remarkably resilient,trying to make the best of what they have.That explains why the most notable trend this year is a positive one,with many of the numbers now back very close to where they were

21、pre-Covid.But the results also reflect new challenges,such as the growth in the number of hours worked by students,which can disrupt academic work as well as beneficial extra-curricular activities.The Surveys results have a long history of helping the higher education sector in its process of contin

22、uous improvement by showing changing student expectations.But it is not possible to do more for less forever.So,the challenge for policymakers now is deciding how much further we wish to go to protect the current high standing of the UKs world-beating and open higher education system.One option is t

23、o accept managed decline,especially when compared to other countries.But another,more constructive and positive option,is to start now easing the pressures on students and institutions in line with the policy recommendations provided at the end of this report.Alison Johns Chief Executive of Advance

24、HE Nick Hillman Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute(HEPI)Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 8 Executive summary Looking across this years results,2024 represents a positive story for many aspects of the full-time

25、 undergraduate student experience.Perceptions of value for money have improved,particularly among international students and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.There has also been a positive shift in the student experience,matching or exceeding expectations.Students propensity to consider leavin

26、g their course has also seen a marked decline,adding to this positive picture.Contact hours and overall workload appear to have stabilised at high levels,and it is striking that satisfaction with contact hours is at its highest ever level,implying that many students appreciate relatively demanding w

27、orkloads from a perception of value.Some of the most positive results this year are around teaching and assessment,providing evidence of a strong focus on this across the sector.Ratings of teaching have improved across the board,to some of their highest levels,as have ratings of assessment,which do

28、not appear to have been negatively impacted by the 2023 marking and assessment boycott.As we also found in 2023,the cost-of-living crisis permeates much of the student experience.Although there has been no further material increase in the proportion of students who work,the average number of hours h

29、as increased significantly,to 14.5 hours per week among students who work,representing a significant volume in addition to study time.More general financial concerns are the main reason driving perceptions of poor value for money and are increasing in significance as a reason for students considerin

30、g leaving their course.Concerningly,there remain around three-quarters of students who feel their studies are significantly affected by cost-of-living concerns.In a potentially related aspect,there has been an increase in the proportion who spend time caring for others,and data also identifies that

31、this cohort are having to manage very long hours of study and paid employment,pointing towards a clear need for specific support for students who are managing a wide range of demands alongside their studies.One available area of support is to ensure that a flexible range of timetabling is offered al

32、ongside a choice of online and in-person teaching,and it is significant that this years Survey results tell us that a sizeable level of online teaching continues to be provided.Considering some of the new questions this year,results tell us that one in three students use artificial intelligence(AI)t

33、o help with their studies at least once a week,which is higher among males,international students and older demographics.A relatively high proportion 72%agree that their institution promotes good relations on campus.This is particularly high among international students,but lower among UK domiciled

34、students from ethnic minority backgrounds.Looking ahead to the forthcoming general election,four out of five(UK-domiciled)full-time undergraduate students say they are registered to vote(principally at their main home address),but only two out of three say they intend to vote data which,when compare

35、d to a Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 9 similar HEPI study in 2023,implies reduced levels of student engagement with national politics.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and

36、 Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 10 1 Methodology 1.1 Approach The Survey content was designed and developed in partnership between Advance HE and the Higher Education Policy Institute(HEPI),with online panel interviews independently led by Savanta.1 Savantas student panel includes more than 48,000 undergradua

37、te students in the UK.These students are primarily recruited through a partnership with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS),which invites a large number of new first-year students to join the panel each year.To maximise the overall sample size,further responses were sourced from T

38、orfac and Orchidea.Between 10 January 2024 and 18 March 2024,members of Savantas student panel,as well as respondents from other panels including Torfac and Orchidea,were invited to complete the Survey.In total,10,319 responses were received and analysed,with 8,394 responses sourced from the Savanta

39、 panels,and 1,925 in total sourced from Torfac and Orchidea.The median completion time was 14 minutes and 15 seconds.This years Survey includes several areas of direct comparison to previous years,but also incorporates some new areas of coverage,such as a question on the use of artificial intelligen

40、ce in academic work,a question about tolerance on campus,some deeper probing on student finances and,in reference to the upcoming general election,we have included some questions on students intention to vote,including a follow-up on whether,and where,they are registered to do so.2 1.2 Sample size T

41、his year our Survey captured the views of 10,319 full-time undergraduate students studying in the UK.Unless stated otherwise,all figures and tables relate to weighted data from the 2024 Survey.The total sample size of 10,319,based on a full-time undergraduate population of 1,728,210(2021-22 data),pr

42、ovides a margin of error of+/-1%.3 This is calculated at the 95%confidence level and based on a result of 50%,where the margin of error is at its maximum.1 For specific queries about the base sizes and populations in this report,or for more general information about the contents,please contact surve

43、ysadvance-he.ac.uk or adminhepi.ac.uk.2 At the time of writing(spring 2024)a general election has been announced for 4 July 2024.3 HESA(2023)Whos studying in HE?Cheltenham:HESA.Available at:www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/whos-in-he accessed 3 April 2024.This is the most recently available

44、 data.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 11 This means that,for a result of 50%,we can be confident that the true result is between 49%and 51%in 95 out of 100 cases.4 We have highlighted statistically significant differences b

45、etween 2023 and 2024(or in some cases,between sample groups from 2024)in bold text on each chart or table where such differences apply.These differences are calculated at the 95%level,which indicates a 95%chance that a difference between two figures is a true difference beyond any margin for error.1

46、.3 Weighting A comprehensive weighting process was carried out,in partnership with Savanta,using the most recently available Higher Education Statistics Agency(HESA)statistics,to maximise representation while maintaining integrity of the unweighted data.5 A full range of factors were taken into acco

47、unt,including ethnicity,year of study,domicile and type of school attended.1.4 Base sizes To reduce the amount of text,we have not generally included base size descriptions under each chart.Unless specified otherwise,most charts are based on 2024 data comprising the total weighted population of 10,3

48、19.Most of the other charts are based either on time-series data or on one of the specific sub-samples identified in Section 2 below.1.5 Data tables The full Excel data tables,showing the percentage answers to every question,at total level and across a range of sample groups,are freely accessible fr

49、om the Advance HE and HEPI websites.1.6 Qualifications Students responding to the Survey are all full-time undergraduates,studying across a range of qualifications including bachelors degrees,foundation degrees and degree apprenticeships.This is consistent with previous years,but the report and data

50、 tables now contain some further information on specific qualifications being studied for.4 For a guide to margin of error see 5 HESA(2024)Higher education student data.Cheltenham:HESA.Available at:www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/studentshttps:/www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students accessed 3 A

51、pril 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 12 1.7 Ethnicity For ethnicity analysis,the sample profile and main data in this report are once again based on UK-domiciled students.6 This is a standard approach and has been done

52、 to remove the impact of international students on ethnic groups.The ethnic groups analysed are mutually exclusive,hence the Asian category does not include Chinese students,an approach that we have adopted to provide consistency of analysis with previous years.7 1.8 Sexual orientation Some analysis

53、 has been conducted,using the term LGB+,based on students who identify as lesbian,gay,bisexual,asexual or who use a different term,such as pansexual or queer,to describe their sexual orientation.This data is fully available in the data tables.Advance HE and HEPI recognise the limits of this classifi

54、cation.6 For some analyses,groups have been further aggregated into a single Black,Asian and minority ethnic group.This definition is widely recognised and used to identify patterns of marginalisation and segregation caused by attitudes towards an individuals ethnicity.Advance HE and HEPI recognise

55、the limitations of this definition,particularly the false assumption that minority ethnic students are a homogenous group.7 In the 2011 census,Chinese students were counted under the Asian ethnic group.However,this Survey has been running since before this date and has historically analysed Asian st

56、udents separately,as sample sizes enabled this,and to highlight areas where the experience is different.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 13 2 Sample profileOur sample has been weighted to reflect the UK full time undergradua

57、te population and provide consistency with previous waves.The report refers to weighted data throughout.Weighted data Categories 2022(10,142)2023(10,163)2024(10,319)2024 Weighted base size Domicile England 68%69%70%7,192 Northern Ireland 3%3%3%313 Scotland 7%7%6%625 Wales 4%4%4%417 EU 10%9%10%1,006

58、Rest of the World8 6%8%7%766 Institutions Russell Group 28%28%28%2,879 Pre-92(excl.Russell Group)21%20%19%1,911 Post-92 45%43%42%4,295 Specialist 2%4%5%512 Other 3%6%7%723 Ethnicity(%among UK-domiciled students providing an answer)Asian(excluding Chinese)14%16%14%1,089 Chinese 1%1%1%76 Black 4%5%6%5

59、15 Mixed 5%5%6%458 Other 1%1%1%84 White 75%72%72%5,712 8 There is an ongoing focus on increasing the number of students from outside the UK in the unweighted and weighted sample,to match official statistics from HESA more closely.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Ro

60、se Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 14 3 Value for money 3.1 Trends over time Delivering good value for money is,and has been,a challenging concept for higher education institutions(HEIs)across the UK to convey.Although there are a range of fees and funding regimes in place across the different p

61、arts of the UK,and the static undergraduate fee has caused a decline in income to HEIs in real terms,going to university remains an expensive undertaking for many students.This in turn generates high expectations for their experience,which can be challenging to deliver for HEIs managing finite resou

62、rces.9 Further pressure on perceptions of value has been generated in recent years by major external factors,including the Covid-19 pandemic and,specifically in the past couple of years,the squeeze on the cost of living,which has impacted student finances and changed the way some students find the m

63、oney to pay for their university experience.As measured through this Survey,perceptions of value for money fell sharply during the pandemic but have risen steadily since then.We identified in 2023 that the cost-of-living squeeze was potentially slowing the recovery in perceptions of value post-pande

64、mic,as the annual changes in that particular year were relatively small.2024 is more encouraging,with 39%overall feeling their experience had delivered good or very good value a statistically significant increase compared with 37%in 2023.There has also been a strong,statistically significant fall in

65、 the proportion who perceived poor or very poor value from 31%to 26%,the net effect being that we now have the largest(positive)gap between the green and the red lines on the graph below 13 percentage points since 2014.9 Foster,P,Gross,A,Borrett,A(2023)The looming financial crisis at UK universities

66、.Financial Times,18 July.Available at: accessed 30 April 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 15 Note that students could also choose an option“neither good nor poor”(chosen by 35%of students in 2024),which is why these yea

67、rly figures do not add up to 100%.3.2 Value by domicile The perception of value is potentially strongly influenced by the fees and funding policies that vary depending on where a student is from(home region/domicile).10 The chart and table below compare value ratings by domicile in detail.10 Fees in

68、 different parts of the UK relate to where a student is studying and where they are from.Recognising that not all students choose to study in the part of the UK where they are from,there is an additional breakdown of domicile combined with university region in the data tables.50%44%40%37%35%38%41%39

69、%27%35%37%39%21%26%29%32%34%32%29%31%44%32%31%26%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024Value for money of your present course Good/Very GoodPoor/Very PoorStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 16 H

70、ome region/domicile Scotland Wales EU Rest of World England NI 2020 57%41%46%43%37%37%2021 50%29%30%33%24%27%2022 48%40%36%36%34%28%2023 51%37%35%38%35%31%2024 48%40%49%45%36%41%When we break down the sample to this level,significant year-on-year differences for this particular measure have tended t

71、o be infrequent,as base sizes are smaller,particularly for Wales and Northern Ireland.What stands out from this breakdown is that the overall increase in value for money in 2024 appears to be driven strongly by international students,with cohorts from the EU and the rest of the world showing a signi

72、ficant improvement in perceptions of value.This is encouraging for the sector given the importance of international students,at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels,in contributing to HEI income through the higher fees charged.11 We will see later in the report that a number of international s

73、tudents are aware of the higher fees they are paying compared to those from 11 Garca,C A,Weale,S,Swan,L and Symons,H(2023)Fifth of UK universities income comes from overseas students,figures show.The Guardian,14 July.Available at: accessed 1 May 2024.49%45%36%41%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%2013201420152

74、01620172018201920202021202220232024Value for money by home region(good or very good value)ScotlandWalesEURest of WorldEnglandNorthern IrelandStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 17 the UK,and while not all are happy with this,th

75、ere is strong evidence here that value for money is being delivered more frequently.It is also encouraging to see the significant increase among students from Northern Ireland,but perceptions of value among students from England remain low and have not particularly moved over the past couple of year

76、s.It is also clear that ratings among students from Scotland where home students do not pay tuition fees if they choose to study in Scotland remain at levels that are some way below what they were before the onset of the pandemic.3.3 Factors influencing perceptions of poor value To provide further n

77、uance to the key question on value,we asked students what they were thinking about when they gave their answer.This is split into two parts factors linked to perceptions of poor value,and factors linked to perceptions of good value.The table below ranks the main factors which influenced the 26%of st

78、udents who felt they received poor or very poor value.Results ranked in order of 2024s top 11 answers shown.Respondents were asked to select all that apply.17%18%19%20%20%21%23%29%33%35%44%23%20%22%19%20%18%24%23%31%40%41%26%33%21%27%20%28%29%39%56%35%30%47%28%27%18%27%25%36%59%32%Industrial actionO

79、ne-to-one tuition timeVolume of in-person contact hoursCourse facilities/resourcesQuality of feedbackCareer prospectsCourse organisationCourse contentTeaching qualityTuition feesThe cost of livingWhen saying you received poor value/very poor value,what were you thinking about?2021202220232024Student

80、 Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 18 Going back as recently as 2022,tuition fees were the main driver of poor value perceptions.Since then,cost-of-living concerns have come to prominence as the most significant factor,being cited by

81、 44%of students who said they received poor value some 11 percentage points above all other aspects.Whereas the question is phrased to ask specifically about their course,this is clear evidence of how the cost-of-living,as a wider economic factor,is affecting students studies,and impacting on their

82、views of the value they receive on their course.The other aspects mentioned are relatively consistent,with a few fluctuations.The content of the course is cited as more of a concern this year,while future career prospects have also seen an uplift.By contrast,the volume of contact hours and tuition t

83、ime continue to be less of a concern,having peaked as an influencing factor at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.In previous years,through the free text comments,and in 2023 when included as a specific option on the Survey,we have seen industrial action have a clear impact on how students view the

84、 quality of their experience.In 2024,however,in the absence of major sector-wide disputes,this has declined in prominence,even though some students who mentioned industrial action may be referring to the marking and assessment boycott from 2023.Beyond the pre-defined answers listed in the Survey,stu

85、dents also had the opportunity to provide their own comments on any other issues impacting their views.These comments represented a small proportion of respondents,but there were a number of references to the price differential for international students,as well as the price of travel an aspect that

86、 might be becoming more of an issue as commuting from home becomes a greater consideration as a more cost-effective option.12 12 Maslin,E(2023)I spent the last six months travelling alongside commuter students.Heres what I learned.Wonkhe blog,1 September.Available at: 5 April 2024.Student Academic E

87、xperience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 19 Other reasons received for poor value selected open comments13 “International fees are triple the amount.Makes it feel like were overpaying.”“University spends so much on useless thingsThey charge internati

88、onal students a high amount but dont really provide enough support.”“Education is not a consumable,it should not be for profit.”“Cost of travel to and from placement every day,can be around 30 a week before parking.”“I dont pay for my coursehowever transport to the University is around 120 a month a

89、nd takes an hour and a half one way.”“No uni course is ever worth 9,000 per year,its a ridiculous price which the experience is just not worth.”“No change in cost during the Covid pandemic,despite certainly less course expense due to the lack of in-person teaching and otherwise expensive practical/l

90、aboratory sessions.”We also asked respondents who said they received good value what their key drivers for that response were.In general,many of the same aspects were mentioned as for the equivalent question on poor value but in a positive light around aspects such as teaching quality,course content

91、 and course facilities.There is also positive feedback around the quality of university campuses,which implies that investment in a modern and welcoming campus infrastructure is a good way for HEIs to demonstrate value.13 All open comments have been included verbatim,without adjustments to spelling

92、or grammar except where this impacted understanding.30%34%43%48%51%32%35%41%52%54%40%47%53%56%38%46%56%61%Career prospectsQuality of university buildings and campusCourse facilities/resourcesCourse contentTeaching qualityWhen saying you received good value/very good value,what were you thinking abou

93、t?2021202220232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 20 There was also a selection of free text comments which shed more light on the positive experience that many students did experience,a cross-section of which we have liste

94、d below.Other reasons received for good value selected open comments“Access to summer schools and study abroad programmes.”“I receive a funded bursary from the Department of Health which is 430/month so over 5,000/year.It is not excellent,but it helps greatly towards my rent and other bills.I do not

95、 have student loans or fees to pay back which I am very grateful for.”“Lots of practicals with high quality equipment.”“Fees are less than other university and quality is often beyond what others offer.”“I do feel like I have had value for money.The lectures are good and give good feedback.Course or

96、ganisation is good.Very helpful and good information.”“The amount of new skills I have learned.”Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 21 4 Meeting expectations 4.1 Experience versus expectations Students arrive at higher educatio

97、n with a wide variety of expectations,some of them realistic,some less so.Nevertheless,by asking a large sample of undergraduates to rate their experience compared to their expectations and comparing this over time,we can gain a view as to the quality of their experience and,by extension,whether the

98、ir expectations were set realistically.The most common response to this question remains that the experience is in some ways better and in some ways worse than expectations,which has remained on or around 48%for some time.This intuitively makes sense as going to university is such a fundamental life

99、 event that it is difficult to fully prepare for and may reasonably lead to satisfaction in some aspects and disappointment in others.However,there is evidence of more students having their expectations met or exceeded over the past year or two.Having an experience exactly as expected is relatively

100、rare,but at 16%this is at the joint-highest level it has been over the past 11 years.This implies that students can obtain from social media,word of mouth and other information sources a more realistic view of what university life is really like,something which might have been particularly difficult

101、 during the pandemic.45%50%49%49%51%53%52%48%48%51%48%48%32%27%28%27%25%23%22%26%13%17%19%22%13%12%12%13%13%12%13%13%27%15%13%8%9%9%9%9%10%11%11%8%11%16%16%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024Experience compared to expectationsBetter in some ways and worse in other

102、sIts been betterIts been worseIts been exactly what I expectedStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 22 We have also seen a statistically significant increase in students saying their experience is better than expected(from 19%to

103、22%),contrasted by a significant decline in those saying their experience has been worse(15%to 13%).The net result of this is that there is now a net positive view compared to expectations,on par with pre-pandemic levels.Total sample Home region/domicile Northern Ireland Home region/domicile Wales B

104、etter than expected 22%13%29%Worse than expected 13%19%10%Geographically,the most positive findings are from students from Wales(whether they were studying in Wales or elsewhere),with a significantly higher proportion who felt their expectations were exceeded.By contrast,students from Northern Irela

105、nd were more likely to find their experience worse than expected,despite their being a positive increase in value for money perceptions among this cohort this year(see previous section).This is a similar picture to that identified in 2023,which underlines this as a notable finding despite the relati

106、vely small base sizes for Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.The maximum Government maintenance support available to students varies significantly by domicile.Within the four parts of the UK,maintenance levels are highest among students from Wales and lowest among students from Northern Ireland

107、.14 This might reasonably be contributing at some level to how students feel their experience has played out compared to what they expected although,as we shall see later,many students across all parts of the UK supplement their income by spending significant time in paid employment.4.2 Why expectat

108、ions are not met There has been little material change in why expectations are not met,with responses focusing on teaching quality,course organisation and student support.Despite the relatively recent marking and assessment boycott,students are not any more likely this year to mention issues with fe

109、edback impacting on their experience which fits with positive ratings of feedback we will go on to see later in the report.14 Hill,K,Padley,M and Freeman,J(2024)A minimum income standard for students.Oxford:HEPI and London:TechnologyOne,p 55.Available at:www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/A-M

110、inimum-Income-Standard-for-Students-1.pdf accessed 16 May 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 23 Over the past two years,and continuing into 2024,there have been fewer concerns around in-person interaction with staff and/o

111、r students,which makes intuitive sense as these issues were at their most prevalent during the pandemic.17%17%17%20%24%28%29%33%37%22%23%23%25%23%31%32%30%36%37%40%39%27%33%39%40%42%51%54%52%25%29%42%30%37%Industrial actionToo little in-person interaction with staffToo little in-person interaction w

112、ith other studentsFewer in-person contact hours than I was expectingNot put in enough effort myselfFeedback was poorDid not feel supported in independent studyCourse was poorly organisedTeaching quality worse than expectedWhy was experience worse than expected?2021202220232024Chart displays top 10 m

113、entions.Ranked in order of 2024 results.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 24 There were also a sizeable number of“other”comments this year 7%of responses.These covered a range of issues and help bring some of the challenges t

114、o life.Expectations not met selected open comments“I struggled more than I thought I would.”“The course isnt exactly what I was expecting and its hard to talk to anyone to make friends.”“Very hard to make friends and find time to socialise as a commuter,many if not all societies are only accessible

115、to people who live on campus as they are held late at night and transport is not available.”“The cost of living away from home causes a lot of stress.”“Lecture hours are way too late and seem catered only to campus students-4pm to 6pm daily is ridiculous.”“Hard to participate in social aspects of un

116、iversity given accommodation is far away.”“Money is the main cause of my worries.”“Im having to work more and more to cover my living costs and I think my learning and grades are being affected.”“Travelling has been worse than I imagined and the timetable is not ideal for those living off campus.”In

117、 particular,there were a number of mentions which all spoke to the theme of cost-of-living challenges,in some cases these also illustrated how commuting can impact on attendance,with other comments describing the difficulties in balancing work and study.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonath

118、an Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 25 4.3 Why expectations are exceeded This year it is encouraging to see significantly more students(22%)say their experience is better than expectations compared to the proportion(13%)who feel it has been worse.Chart displays top 10 ment

119、ions.Ranked in order of 2024 results.There is general consistency in the reasons behind this,with respondents citing good organisation,good quality teaching and good quality feedback which has increased since last year.There is also evidence of the importance of students feeling challenged by their

120、course and recognising when they have put in a good amount of effort.32%33%34%35%37%37%38%41%42%43%36%35%33%33%34%36%38%38%38%41%37%38%35%39%39%45%47%45%50%52%37%36%28%26%33%44%46%47%45%48%39%42%49%45%37%47%50%46%51%50%Supported in independent studyGood size teaching groupsGood level of in-person in

121、teraction with studentsGood level of in-person interaction with staffQuality of feedbackTeaching qualityPut in a good amount of effort myselfTeaching staff accessibleCourse has right level of challengeCourse well organisedWhy was experience better than expected?20202021202220232024Student Academic E

122、xperience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 26 5 The choice to go to university 5.1 Whether students would make same choice again One of the regular key measures of the overall experience is represented by a question on whether students are happy with t

123、heir choice given their experience to date,or,given what they now know,whether they would have made a different decision.15 While keeping the core options the same,we tweaked the question slightly this year to provide more clarity on the level of apprenticeship that might be selected,splitting into

124、degree apprenticeship or non-degree apprenticeship.Hence this aspect of the question is not directly comparable to previous years,but the other aspects are.16 Where there is no data in a particular year this denotes a new option introduced later on.The option“degree apprenticeship”was hidden in the

125、Survey for respondents who were already enrolled on one,but for consistency they have been included in the base for all options charted.15 Advance HE and HEPI are currently supporting a team led by Professor Nicola Dandridge at the University of Bristol to conduct dedicated research into what lies b

126、ehind students perceptions of their choice of course and institution and what information they may have required if they wished they had made a different decision.16 For completeness,we have included the previous years figures in the graph for the option“do an apprenticeship”,which was changed in 20

127、24.2%2%3%4%6%7%7%8%60%2%3%6%6%7%7%9%58%2%3%7%5%8%6%10%59%1%2%11%5%7%5%9%58%2%3%6%8%4%11%64%Do something else outside HEDo a non-degree apprenticeshipGet a jobDefer study to a year laterDifferent course and universityDifferent courseDo a degree apprenticeshipDo an apprenticeship(level not specified)D

128、ifferent universityNo change-happy with choiceWhether students would make the same choice again 20202021202220232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 27 Overall,six out of ten full-time undergraduates are happy with their cho

129、ice of course and institution,a small but statistically significant improvement from last year.However,this overall level does not yet match that achieved in 2020,before the most significant impact of the pandemic on university life.Balancing this small increase,there are fewer students who would ha

130、ve taken a gap year an aspect that has been declining since the end of the pandemic,and also fewer respondents who would choose a different university.The proportion who would have chosen a degree apprenticeship is relatively strong,with indications that this is a key consideration among bachelors d

131、egree students in particular(by some distance the largest cohort),while a non-degree apprenticeship is a clear consideration for some students currently enrolled on HE certificates or diplomas.Currently studying Foundation certificate or degree Degree apprenticeship Cert.or Dip.HE HNC or HND Bachelo

132、rs degree Integrated Masters 2024 would do a degree apprenticeship 6%N/A 7%7%8%4%2024 would do a non-degree apprenticeship 2%7%6%6%1%1%Statistically significant differences between columns in bold.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotirop

133、oulou 28 5.2 Whether considered leaving To complement the above question assessing the decision to choose to go to university,we added a question a few years ago asking students whether they had considered leaving their course,with a further question enquiring as to the reasons behind this.17 Statis

134、tically significant differences between 2023 and 2024 in bold.In another positive movement this year,the propensity to have considered leaving has declined significantly,by three percentage points to 25%.This represents a clear change from the end of the pandemic when this was around 30%.Balancing t

135、his,it is striking to see that most of the other responses are students saying they have not considered leaving,rather than choosing not to give an answer.Accordingly,these results represent a clear positive shift over the past few years.Although this is an encouraging story,there remains around one

136、 in four who has considered leaving,and the relative fluctuations in the reasons driving this enable us to highlight some of the main issues of concern to these students.Looking at these reasons,mental health issues continue to dominate,but at a slightly lower level.Against this,there has been a fur

137、ther rise in the significance of cost-of-living(ie financial)challenges,which have increased significantly again and are now a direct factor in considering leaving 11%of the time.This provides further evidence of financial concerns having a key influence on university life and creating pressure that

138、 is having a material impact on students studies,although it should be 17 Hillman,N(2024)Dropouts or stopouts or comebackers or potential completers?:non-continuation of students in the UK.Oxford:HEPI.Available at:www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Dropouts-or-stopouts-or-comebackers-or-poten

139、tial-completers-Non-continuation-of-students-in-the-UK.pdf accessed 16 May 2024.29%30%28%25%65%65%68%72%5%5%5%4%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%2021202220232024%considered withdrawing from or leaving university YesNoPrefer not to sayStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose

140、Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 29 considered that,when considering leaving,financial pressures and mental health concerns may be related to each other.5%6%6%11%28%6%5%5%8%29%4%4%7%6%34%3%3%8%4%34%Difficulty balancing study and other commitmentsFamily or personal problemsCourse deliveryFinancial

141、 difficultiesMy mental/emotional healthReasons considered leaving2021202220232024Chart displays top five mentions.Ranked in order of 2024 results.Chart based on all students who had considered leaving.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sot

142、iropoulou 30 6 Improvements to the student academic experience This section provides additional,qualitative analysis of the large number of open free-text comments received in relation to the question“What is the one thing your institution could do to improve the quality of your academic experience?

143、”.The analysis was carried out and written up by Dr Panagiota(Peny)Sotiropoulou,Mixed-Methods Researcher at Advance HE,with the aim of identifying the topics raised most frequently by those students who responded.The 4,317 valid responses were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti software,following

144、an inductive approach.18 Identified themes were then ranked according to the number of quotations associated with each one of them,that is,the number of times students raised each topic.The resulting themes identified in rank order were:quantity and quality of academic support;employability;delivery

145、 modes and practices;cost-of-living considerations;course organisation and administration;infrastructures;and mental health support.6.1 Quality and quantity of academic support In general,students want more and better-quality academic support.This is most often related to access to academic staff(sp

146、ecifically,tutors)and feedback provisions.In terms of access,students ask for more contact hours and meaningful encounters with academic staff who are supportive and responsive to their needs,echoing themes highlighted in a recent Wonkhe article.19 “More time with lecturers for adding questions and

147、discussing progression/improvements relating to my work.”“Teachers are a key element of a students academic experience.Educational institutions should promote interaction between teachers and students,including regular academic counselling,seminars,and online discussions.This helps students get more

148、 in-depth academic guidance and support.”“Meet with students to discuss their work at length and do regular check-ups with them to make sure they are coping.”When it comes to feedback,students want timelier,more personalised and standardised provisions across modules although it should be noted that

149、 feedback in general rates strongly this year in terms of rating scales,as covered later in this report.They highlight the 18 https:/ Maxwell,R and McVitty,D(2024)Five aspirations for effective academic support systems.Wonkhe blog,11 March.Available at: 15 April 2024.Student Academic Experience Surv

150、ey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 31 importance of feedback that is constructive and looks forward,indicating clear actions that they can take to improve.“Offer more opportunities for feedback and ensure content of feedback is consistent across modules.More

151、 often than not,some tutors will provide little to no feedback while others in the same module will give more detailed feedback.”“Release the assignment feedback earlier so there is time for students to have office hours with lecturers to discuss about how to improve for the next coming assessment.”

152、“Deliver feedback more regularly and more promptly and be more proactive about explaining what we need to do to improve.”6.2 Employability The title of a recent academic journal article perfectly summarises the comments raised by students regarding what institutions could do to engage them more and

153、thus improve their academic experience:offering a“relevant,practical and connected to the real world”curriculum.20 First,students crave more practical and context-specific learning,which will enable them to understand the application of their studies through real-world examples.In other words,studen

154、ts call for more authentic methods of teaching and learning,and assessment,that will make their studies more engaging while enhancing their employability.“More engaging seminars,more real-life tasks to prepare us for the working world.”“Increased access to real world application of the course work.”

155、“Allow more field trips so that students can have practical experience of what they are being taught.”Moreover,students highlight work-integrated learning opportunities as another aspect they want,such as placements,internships and opportunities for industry collaborations.As previous research shows

156、,embedding such work experience elements in degree programmes are some of the most effective employability enhancing practices.21 20 ONeil,G and Short,A(2023)Relevant,practical and connected to the real world:what higher education students say engages them in the curriculum,Irish Education Studies:1

157、-18.Available at:doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2023.2221663 21 Inceoglu,I,Selenko,E,McDowall,A and Schlachter,S(2019)(How)do work placements work?Scrutinizing the quantitative evidence for a theory-driven future research agenda,Journal of Vocational Behavior,110:317-337.Student Academic Experience Survey

158、 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 32“It could help me to better gain work experience while I am studying.”“I feel that having placement hours alongside teaching could be useful as it would help consolidate what we are learning in a more productive way.”“Devel

159、op partnerships with industry leaders to provide students with real-world exposure and opportunities for practical application of their knowledge.”Last but not least,students bring up the need for relevant career advice and planning to be available to them and embedded throughout their curricula.“Pr

160、ovide greater support and transparency regarding whats required to get employment.”“Develop robust career development services,providing students with guidance on internships,job placements,and skill-building opportunities to better prepare them for the transition to the professional world.”“Provide

161、 career development guidance and resources,including internship placements,career counselling and information on employment opportunities.This allows students to understand the needs and trends in the professional field while studying.”6.3 Delivery modes and practices Alongside requesting more,and m

162、ore meaningful,contact with staff,as outlined earlier in this section,students also raise their preference for this to happen face-to-face.Students mention in-person teaching and learning provisions as more enriching,not only in terms of academic merit,but also because of the opportunities they prov

163、ide for increased interactions and community-building with staff and peers.As Hodgson aptly puts it,“the essence of community building lies in the human encounter empathetic,understanding,and supportive academic staff,and a community of peers who might also become friends”.22 For this to materialise

164、,students want in-person contact.“Less online lessons and more lectures.I believe in-person learning is always better and gets you out of the house.”“Slightly less online lectures and more in person as I believe it is more beneficial as people tend to contribute less online than in person.”“Have mor

165、e time face to face with staff and students rather than spending most of it doing independent learning.”22 Hodgson,R(2024)Time to go back to basics on belonging,Wonkhe blog,22 March.Available at: 15 April 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr

166、 Peny Sotiropoulou 33 Students comments about smaller-group teaching and learning provisions,and increased opportunities for group-based work,also seem to relate to this overall idea of more close-knitted environments that nurture in-depth discussions and fruitful experiences to develop.“More in-per

167、son contact sessions with smaller groups to have better discussions.”“I feel like there could be more in-person sessions with teaching staff.Im not against online lectures,but I feel like there are more opportunities to ask questions and get feedback in face-to-face sessions,which also allow student

168、s to work with(and get to know)their peers.”“Smaller groups/sessions I know this may be difficult as some courses such as mine have a large amount of people.However,smaller study focused sessions could help engage students and allow us to feel that classroom environment many of us are used to from s

169、econdary school.Furthermore,it creates a sense of community and belonging.”“They could help to arrange smaller groups of students to work together on assignments and topics.This would help as we would be gaining experience and knowledge from others,but also building friendships which is very importa

170、nt.”However,it should not be omitted that the flexibility provided by online options and provisions was also highlighted in students comments,mostly as an enabling factor for access and participation as well as a supplementary means to delve deeper or catch up on module aspects.For this reason,blend

171、ed learning and hybrid modes of delivery seem to remain the best option to accommodate all students.“More flexibility-eg the option for online seminars-especially as in London there is constant strikes in the transport sector and they refuse to accommodate this.”“I personally think hybrid/remote stu

172、dy works for me better as I can manage and dedicate my time between work and study more efficiently,and self-independent study works better,when you study at your pace,in the right environment,especially for students who live far from campus.Thus,it would be great if flexible options can be offered

173、to students.”“Be more flexible with attending lectures online.During the period of Covid-19,most lectures were performed online.This supports students who live in excess of 60 miles from university and also disabled students who may be well enough to listen to the lecture but not physically attend i

174、n person.This would support students with their attendance.”Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 34 6.4 Cost of living considerations Multiple publications within the last year or so have described the financial pressures curren

175、t university students face(for example,the 2023 House of Commons briefing paper on students and rising cost of living;23 Student Money Survey 2023;24 the report published in March 2023 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Students;25 the Office for National Statistics February 2023 Student Cost

176、of Living Insights Study;26 HEPI and TechnologyOnes May 2024 paper27).This is further testament to how much of an urgent topic this is for students and their academic experience.For this reason,it should come as no surprise that,once again,cost-of-living considerations clearly emerge from students o

177、pen-ended comments.Most frequently mentioned are requests around reduction and/or provision of more flexible payment plans for accommodation and tuition fees in combination with more financial support opportunities,such as bursaries or providing paid jobs for students.“Financial advice on how to spe

178、nd and save money.Help students who commute to university.”“Minimise fees/costs so that students feel less pressure in their day-to-day lives.It significantly increases our stress,even if we arent below the poverty line.Token gestures are worthless and frankly insulting.We are aware that we need to

179、save and wear an extra jumper.What would be particularly helpful would be access to financial management support not just reminders to stay on top of it,but support to help us set up a bank account and a savings account.Related to this is increasing the amount of(reasonably priced)accommodation,beca

180、use the housing shortage is severe.”“I would like to be given more of a chance to apply for sponsorship or bursaries as the financial strain is having an impact on my studies.”23 Lewis,J(2023)Students and the rising cost of living(HC briefing paper 9886).London:House of Commons Library.Available at:

181、researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9886/CBP-9886.pdf 24 Brown,L(2023)Student Money Survey 2023 results.London:Save the Student.Available at:www.savethestudent.org/money/surveys/student-money-survey-2023-results.html accessed 15 April 2024.25 All Party Parliamentary Group for Student

182、s(2023)Report of the inquiry into the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on students.London:APPG for Students.Available at:appg-students.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/APPG-Students-Report-Cost-of-Living-Inquiry-220323.pdf accessed 15 April 2024.26 Office for National Statistics(2023)Cost of liv

183、ing and higher education students,England:30 January to 13 February 2023.ONS statistical bulletin,24 February.Available at:www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/educationandchildcare/bulletins/costoflivingandhighereducationstudentsengland/30januaryto13february2023 accessed 15 April 2024.27 Fre

184、eman,J(2024)A minimum income standard for students.Oxford:HEPI and London:TechnologyOne.Available at:www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/05/09/a-minimum-income-standard-for-students accessed 21 May 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 35 6

185、.5 Course organisation and administration According to Horrod,students use course organisation and administration as a benchmark on which to base their academic experience.28 This is reflected in the current student comments,with mentions of improved timetabling and workload as well as assessment vo

186、lume and distribution management.Timetabling comments highlight the need for better facilities management as well as timely and clear communications,which enable students to attend their sessions and plan their work and other commitments accordingly,mirroring relevant points raised in the literature

187、.29“The timetable could be better constructed I find that sometimes the schedules for lectures or workshops are quite far apart,so it is difficult to utilise our time well during the time in between,or that we have an online lesson right after the in-person workshop,so that we need to leave early.”“

188、Organisation of our course we get our timetables extremely late(a weekend before the semesters start)making it very hard to balance outside life for example finding a part time job many opportunities were missed and also other things like booking healthcare appointments etc.”“Timetabling and cancell

189、ing sessions/seminars and lectures are the greatest challenges in my institution.”“My institution could provide better organised timetables/schedules that are not as strenuous and do not stretch into inconvenient times in order to make room for students to seek part time employment and rest.”However

190、,distributing the required workload and assessments across modules and terms as evenly as possible is the theme raised most frequently.Ensuring that module workload and assessments are proportionately spread out and appropriately scheduled promotes a conducive learning environment.Learners are not a

191、ble to produce their best work if they have multiple assignments to complete within a short timeframe and,similarly,staff have fewer chances to be able to mark and feed back in a timely manner.30 For this reason,students think that a more collaborative approach to assessment and feedback planning,ca

192、pitalising on course-level oversights,would improve their academic experience.28 Horrod,S(2019)The recontextualisation of higher education policy in learning and teaching practices:the discursive construction of community,in Montessori,N M,Farrelly,M and Mulderrig,J(eds)Critical policy discourse ana

193、lysis.Cheltenham,UK:Edward Elgar,pp 73-96.29 Kaur,M and Saini,S(2021)A review of metaheuristic techniques for solving university course timetabling problem,in Goar,V,Kuri,M,Kumar,R and Senjyu,T(eds)Advances in information communication technology and computing.Singapore:Springer Nature,pp 19-25.30 K

194、night,S and Ferrell,G(2022)Principles of good assessment and feedback.Bristol:Jisc.Available at:www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/principles-of-good-assessment-and-feedback accessed 15 April 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 36“More

195、 well-thought deadlines.Often all of the deadlines are bunched together in one week and then we have weeks of no deadlines at all.”“Communicate with each other to spread out our deadlines rather than have them all due at once.”“Dont stuff so much work that requires time to be done well into such a s

196、hort timeframe.”6.6 Infrastructures access to study spaces and resources Campus learning and living spaces,whether formal(such as classrooms)or informal(libraries),can impact student outcomes.31 Moving towards the standardisation of hybrid learning modes,quality and ease of access of online resource

197、s also significantly influences the student academic experience.32 Along these lines,student comments reveal their desire for better built and online infrastructure,allowing them to easily access spaces and resources that are appropriate and necessary for their studies.Students talk about the need f

198、or more and better study spaces as well as educational materials that are accessible to and adequate for all students.This consists,for example,of more spaces for group study or better equipped labs as well as improved online learning platforms and educational materials.“One thing my institution cou

199、ld do to improve the quality of the academic experience for students is to provide learning facilities and good lecture hall for students.”“Enhance technological infrastructure to facilitate seamless online learning experiences,incorporating advanced e-learning platforms,virtual labs,and interactive

200、 multimedia resources to complement traditional teaching methods.”“Give more in-campus group study spaces to book.There is barely any group study space availability for booking even though some assignments need group work”“Equipment is an enormous part of our course as a lot of our work and time is

201、spent editing and producing content on computers.The computers provided in editing locations are completely unfit for purpose they do not have the specs needed to edit properly.They constantly freeze,corrupt,and lose work that has taken hours.”31 Oliveira,S,Tahsiri,M and Everett,G(2022)Campus spaces

202、 and places:impact on student outcomes.Review of evidence.UK:AUDE/HEDQF/Willmott Dixon.32 Brassington,L(2022)The future of digital learning resources:students expectations versus reality.Oxford:HEPI.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotir

203、opoulou 37 6.7 Mental health support The most recent available data shows that 30.4%of the total first-degree undergraduate student population in 2021-22 disclosed a mental health condition.33 This number is probably higher in reality,as it is based on students self-assessment,and underreporting of

204、mental health issues is a widely acknowledged challenge facing higher education.In recent years,the coronavirus pandemic and rises in the cost of living have been added stressors for students wellbeing,with additional evidence showing that universities are seeing an increase in the severity and comp

205、lexity of mental health issues reported by students.34 35 36 The Office for Students clearly states that it is important that all students can access the mental health support and information they need while at university,as poor mental health can have a negative impact on students ability to partic

206、ipate in and complete higher education courses.37 Following the above pattern,student comments highlight the need for appropriate mental health support to enable them to thrive academically and address adversities they might be facing.“More mental health support,not having to wait months for counsel

207、ling etc.”“Increase support services for mental health and well-being to ensure students have resources for a balanced academic and personal life.”“Expand mental health support services,including counselling and well-being programs,to address the mental health challenges that students may face durin

208、g their academic journey.”“Improve mental health services for the students who are studying there.Mental health assistance is inaccessible for many students within the university,and the course is extremely mentally overwhelming and so this help should be readily available.”33 Advance HE(2023)Equali

209、ty in higher education:student statistical report 2023.York:Advance HE.34 Office for National Statistics(2022)Coronavirus and higher education students:25 February to 7 March 2022 ONS statistical bulletin,21 March.Available at:www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthand

210、wellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandhighereducationstudents/25februaryto7march2022 accessed 15 April 2024.35 Office for Students(2023)Studying during rises in the cost of living.Bristol and London:Office for Students.36 IFF Research(2023)HE providers policies and practices to support student mental he

211、alth.London:Department for Education.37 Office for Students(2023)Meeting the mental health needs of students.Bristol and London:Office for Students.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 38 7 Paid employment A proportion of studen

212、ts have aways needed to and/or chosen to spend time working for pay.Going back just a few years,this represented a significant minority,between 35%and 40%.In 2022 and 2023 we saw a step change to a clear majority in 2023 who said they were in paid employment during term time.Considering this Survey

213、comprises full-time undergraduates only,this was a major finding and clear evidence of financial pressures impacting on student life.In 2024 the situation appears to have stabilised with little evidence of further change in the proportion of students in employment there was a non-significant increas

214、e of one percentage point.That said,although there has not been a material change in the proportion of students who are in paid employment,there is clear evidence of a major increase in the number of hours being worked by those students.65%64%64%63%61%58%66%55%45%44%35%36%36%37%39%42%34%45%55%56%0%1

215、0%20%30%40%50%60%70%2015201620172018201920202021202220232024Students in paid employment in term timeNo paid employmentAny paid employmentStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 39 Across all students in the Survey,there is now an avera

216、ge of 8.2 hours spent in employment a significant increase.This rises to 14.5 hours if we calculate this based only on studentswho work,which represents a sizeable number of hours,potentially the equivalent of thetime some students spend in timetabled classes or independent study.5.04.65.57.58.211.9

217、13.712.313.514.50.02.04.06.08.010.012.014.016.020202021202220232024Paid employment mean hours per week term time All studentsStudents in paid employment80%72%67%71%65%65%63%56%85%75%66%71%70%63%60%55%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%Care experiencedCaring for othersCommmute 10 miles or moreAged 26+Study

218、ing in Northern IrelandStudying in Greater LondonScheduled contact hours 20+All respondentsSpecific subgroups with a high propensity to be in paid employment 20232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 40 In the context of thes

219、e extended working hours,the data tells a clear story around the extent to which students are having to balance paid employment with other pressures.Employed students are more likely to have high volumes of contact hours,as well as needing to spend time commuting and/or caring for others.This range

220、of demands potentially requires specific support mechanisms to enable students to organise their time and ensure their studies are prioritised.The above chart also highlights the very high proportion of students studying in Northern Ireland and London who work,as well as those from care-experienced

221、backgrounds,all of which potentially relate to a greater financial need due to location and/or background.38 In the case of students in London,a more buoyant job market is also likely to be a factor in more students being able to work to help counteract the greater expenses of living and studying in

222、 London.39 7.1 Paid employment and the Minimum Income Standard(MIS)In May 2024,HEPI and TechnologyOne published a detailed report into how much income students need if they are to have an acceptable minimum standard of living(MIS).40 Among the new areas of analysis in the report,there is an assessme

223、nt of how the proposed annual MIS of 18,632 outside London and 21,774 within London would only likely be partially covered by Government maintenance support set at different levels across the four parts of the UK.41 Accordingly,paid employment is one of the ways in which this shortfall could be made

224、 up,with the report identifying how many hours of paid work per week,at the minimum wage,would need to be worked on average in order to fill the gap.42 Due to the size of the shortfall being based on the different levels of maintenance support available by domicile,this analysis was conducted separa

225、tely for each of the four parts of the UK.Given we have robust data from our Survey for how many hours per week students are working(during term term)we have taken the opportunity to compare this broadly with the analysis in the HEPI and TechnologyOne report.As seen in the chart below,this high-leve

226、l comparison shows that,for England,Scotland and Wales,students who work are doing so at levels not far removed from the levels required to make up the average maintenance shortfall,and in the case of Wales,this is 38 Allen,B(2023)More Northern Ireland students taking on part-time work.BBC News,28 A

227、ugust.Available at:www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-66597965 accessed 16 May 2024.39 For a more in-depth analysis of results from students based in London across previous years of the Survey,see londonhigher.ac.uk/london-students-most-satisfied-with-student-experience-out-of-all-english-region

228、s/40 Freeman,J(2024)A minimum income standard for students.Oxford:HEPI and London:TechnologyOne.Available at:www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/05/09/a-minimum-income-standard-for-students accessed 21 May 2024.41 The report features analysis by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University.42

229、 This assumes no parental support or other income source.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 41 slightly above the shortfall.However,for students from Northern Ireland,such is the size of the MIS shortfall that,even with high volum

230、es of working hours(close to the Survey average),the data implies that there is still a substantial shortfall in income that would need to be made up elsewhere or else have a major impact on the quality of student life.Note:this is not a direct comparison as MIS report data is based on figures for s

231、tudents outside London.SAES data is based on students from each domicile studying anywhere.However,for Northern Ireland,Scotland and Wales in particular,the proportion studying in London is very small hence the“outside London”data has been chosen for the best comparison.We should also note that SAES

232、 data is based on term-time employment.One potential implication from this comparison is that volumes of working hours may be unlikely to rise much higher for England,Wales and Scotland,but if economic conditions allow,they have clear potential to do so for Northern Irish students.18.723.416.114.57.

233、97.79.77.41413.91515.70510152025EnglandNorthern IrelandScotlandWalesHours per week-comparison by domicile Hours needed to work to cover MIS shortfall(MIS report)Hours worked(SAES-all students)Hours worked(SAES-students who work)Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose

234、 Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 42 8 Student priorities 8.1 Caring responsibilities In 2023 we included a question on whether students had caring responsibilities(for children and/or other adults),and we are now able to make a comparison to 2024.We can see there has been a statistically signifi

235、cant increase over the past year.This may potentially be related to the cost-of-living crisis,which could be impacting on the ability of some households to access professional care.This data also brings to light the importance of considering the needs of students with caring responsibilities,as they

236、 are a sizeable and growing cohort.If we look at the profile of some selected demographic groups where caring responsibilities are particularly prevalent,we can see that significant numbers of students are having to balance a range of pressures alongside caring responsibilities.11%14%0%5%10%15%20%25

237、%30%35%Do you have any caring responsibilities?20232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 43 In particular,there is a clear link between spending time working,commuting and caring.We also see how disabled students are more likely(

238、than the total population)to be carers,while nearly half of care leavers are in a caring role.8.2 Freedom of speech on campus Promoting freedom of speech and demonstrating an inclusive environment continues to be one of the major challenges facing HEIs in the UK.43 We first introduced a series of qu

239、estions to consider this in 2022,which we have compared over time,and for 2024 we introduced a new question on good relations on campus,which we have charted separately.Since we introduced the questions shown in the charts below on freedom of expression,results have shown that students have,in gener

240、al,been relatively satisfied on this issue.Over two thirds of our sample agree that they are comfortable expressing their views and they hear a wide variety of opinions,both of which have increased gradually over the past couple of years.Disagreement levels are relatively low 13%for the first statem

241、ent and just 7%for the second statement.43 Cooper,B(2023)Whats really happening with free speech at universities?London:Universities UK.Available at:www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/insights-and-analysis/whats-really-happening-free-speech accessed 16 April 2024.17%21%19%39%49%14%15%19%16%40%55%11%0%1

242、0%20%30%40%50%60%DisabledCommmute 10 miles or morePaid employment 10+hoursAge 26+Care experiencedAll respondentsSpecific subgroups with a high propensity to be carers 20232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 44 At a total sa

243、mple level,therefore,a combination of the 2024 results and the findings from the last two years,particularly the low levels of disagreement with the statement,appear to point towards freedom of expression on campus not being one of the major issues of concern.0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%202220232024I fee

244、l comfortable expressing my views even if others disagreeAgreeNeither agree nor disagreeDisagree69%71%73%19%18%19%9%8%7%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%202220232024I hear a wide variety of opinions on campus,incuding those different from my ownAgreeNeither agree nor disagreeDisagreeStudent Academic Experi

245、ence Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 45 In the wake of a range of work being done across the sector to promote good relations on campus,we added a new question referring to this issue.44 45 As with the other questions on freedom of expression,our responde

246、nts in general did not identify major concerns on this point,with three out of four agreeing or agreeing strongly that their institution does promote good relations on campus.As with the other questions,disagreement levels were relatively low.While this is generally a positive story,it is important

247、to consider the extent to which these general levels of agreement might not be matched across a range of different student cohorts,particularly among minority groups.44 Advance HE/ECU(2013)Promoting good relations on campus:a guide for higher and further education.York:Advance HE.Available at:www.ad

248、vance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/promoting-good-relations-campus-guide-higher-and-further-education accessed 16 April 2024.45 The question in full was“My institution promotes good relations between different groups on campus(for example,by tackling intolerance and promoting understanding of diversity an

249、d respect for all)”.22%50%19%5%2%3%My institution promotes good relations on campusAgree stronglyAgreeNeither agree nor disagreeDisagreeDisagree stronglyDont knowStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 46 Ethnicity(UK domicile)Sexu

250、al orientation Domicile%agreement with the following statements:Black,Asian and minority ethnic White LGB+Heterosexual UK EU/Rest of the World I feel comfortable expressing my viewpoint 61%66%69%66%65%74%I hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on campus 66%74%74%73%72%76%My institution promotes

251、good relations on campus 68%72%73%71%71%79%Significant differences between cohorts within each category marked in bold.The results in the table above highlight that minority ethnic groups are less comfortable when it comes to expressing their views,and do not feel they hear as wide a variety of opin

252、ions,with agreement levels for Black,Asian and minority ethnic students being significantly lower than for White students.It is important to clarify that levels of disagreement with these statements(between 8%and 14%,not charted)are still relatively low among minority ethnic groups,which indicates t

253、hat these figures should perhaps not be a major cause of concern.However,it is important to consider how students of all ethnic backgrounds can be made to feel equally comfortable when navigating sensitive topics in the public sphere.A notable finding from the above table is that on two out of three

254、 statements there appears to be no major difference in perceptions by sexual orientation,with LGB+students just as likely as heterosexual students to look positively on their institutional environment when it comes to free speech.However,there is significant higher agreement among LGB+students with

255、the statement on feeling comfortable expressing a viewpoint.We have also compared perceptions of students domiciled in the UK to those of international students.What is noticeable is that although the views of UK students are relatively positive,they are a lot more positive among international stude

256、nts,for whom around three out of four(or higher)say they agree with the statements.International Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 47 students will comprise people from a range of different societal and political environments,in

257、some cases being particularly sensitive to the high-level debates being played out on UK campuses and beyond.It is therefore striking to see evidence that international students,as a whole,have a positive view of how UK campus environments support these kinds of debates and the different viewpoints

258、they entail.8.3 The use of artificial intelligence This year,in light of the growing interest in artificial intelligence(AI)tools,we asked students how often they use AI tools in a way allowed by their institution.Previous research by HEPI has suggested a large proportion of students are now familia

259、r with AI tools and are using them often.46 In some ways,our findings here,covering many more students,confirm those results.Some 62%of students use AI at least a little and nearly a third of students(31%)do so at least once a week.When looking at the use of AI by some demographics,there is some evi

260、dence of a digital divide in use between different groups.Men are more likely to use AI tools at least once a month(57%)than women(41%)or non-binary students(32%).However,in contrast with HEPIs previous findings,which were based on a smaller sample size,older students appear more likely and not less

261、 likely to use AI tools.International students also use them more frequently than home students.46 Freeman,J(2024)Provide or punish?Students views on generative AI in higher education.Oxford:HEPI.Available at:www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/02/01/provide-or-punish-students-views-on-generative-ai-in-higher-educa

262、tion 8%23%16%14%38%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%Every dayAt least once a weekAt least once amonthLess than once amonthNeverHow often do you use artificial intelligence(AI)tools in a way that is allowed by your institution?Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenso

263、n and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 48 A further 45%of those from the lowest social grades D and E do not use AI tools at all,compared with 32%from the highest social grades A and B.Why are students using AI?The data shows that students who have more contact hours,students who do more intensive courses like

264、medicine,those who do more hours of paid employment and those who commute a longer distance are all more likely to use AI tools daily.This suggests AI tools are being used by at least some students to save time in busy schedules.Some students may also be using AI while doing paid work.57%41%32%44%53

265、%51%44%50%59%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Students who use AI tools at least once a month by demographicStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 49 9 Spotlight on selected groups of students 9.1 Ethnicity(UK domicile)Across past iterations of

266、 this Survey,and in accordance with wider data across the sector,students from Black,Asian and minority ethnicities have tended to report a less positive experience compared to White students.This is despite spending more time engaging in their learning.47 In our Survey this gap has been closing on

267、several measures and it is encouraging to see that this has continued in 2024.There is still a sizeable gap in terms of being likely to make the same choice of course and university again,but this is smaller than in recent years.Value for money has a relatively small gap of four percentage points,wh

268、ile the results for the experience being better than expectations are now at the same level for both minority ethnic and White cohorts.On these measures the results are the closest we have come to being able to evidence a parity of the experience by ethnicity.47 Neves,J(2019)UK Engagement Survey 201

269、9.York:Advance HE,p 12.Available at:s3.eu-west- accessed 16 May 2024.22%10%48%27%13%50%30%16%51%34%21%54%28%14%62%38%19%62%38%19%62%38%21%63%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Value for moneyExperience better thanexpectationsWould choose same course&university againKey measures over timeBlack,Asian,Minority Eth

270、nic 2021Black,Asian,Minority Ethnic 2022Black,Asian,Minority Ethnic 2023Black,Asian,Minority Ethnic 2024White 2021White 2022White 2023White 2024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 50 Looking at value for money specifically,it i

271、s the experiences of UK domiciled minority ethnic groups,together with those of international students,that have driven the positive uplift at an overall level with the experiences of UK domiciled White students showing no overall change.When we break down the experience by specific ethnic groups,we

272、 see some fluctuations,but also some evidence of how the experience of UK-domiciled Black students,in particular,is generally positive in terms of value for money and meeting expectations.The table below highlights in detail the extent to which the scores on these measures have increased for Black s

273、tudents across the past year.The scale of some of these changes is strong,which is a very positive story for a minoritised group that had often reported a less positive experience and associated outcomes.Value for money Experience better than expectations Would make same choice again 2023 2024 2023

274、2024 2023 2024 Black ethnicity 29%40%22%25%45%55%32%19%52%40%25%55%27%19%57%34%21%56%34%31%54%38%21%63%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%Perceived good value for moneyExperience better thanexpectationsWould choose same course&university againKey measures 2024 by different ethnic groups AsianBlackChineseMixe

275、dOtherWhiteStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 51 9.2 Care-experienced and estranged students In 2023 we included a new question on whether a student is,or has ever been,in local authority care the wording of which has been updated

276、 this year.For 2024 we have also introduced a supplementary question on whether the respondent is estranged from their parents.48 This is in response to wider debate in the sector around the need for more extensive data collection on this group of students.49 Across the total sample,6%are care exper

277、ienced,and 8%are estranged(note that the two categories are not mutually exclusive).However,there are some demographic groups where the propensity to be care experienced and/or estranged is a lot higher.Among trans students this is extremely high just under one in three while it is also very high am

278、ong mature students and students who currently care for others.There is also evidence that students from care experienced or estranged backgrounds spend more time commuting.We saw earlier in the report that students who work or care for others often face a range of other 48 We worked with the Unite

279、Foundation(www.thisisusatuni.org/unite-foundation/)to include the questions:“Have you been in care?Select yes if youve ever lived in public care or as a looked-after child”and“Would you consider yourself estranged from your parents(i.e.youre not in contact with and supported by your parents)?”(Full

280、wording available on request).49 Office for Students(2022)Care experienced students and looked after children.Bristol and London:Office for Students.Available at:www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/effective-practice/care-experienced/advice/accessed 11 May

281、2023.6%11%11%29%20%8%8%15%6%27%22%11%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%All studentsAge 26+Black ethnicityTransCaring for othersCommute 10miles+Profile student cohorts most likely to be care experienced/estranged Care experiencedEstrangedStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose St

282、ephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 52 pressures on their time(for example,commuting),and we can see here that a potentially vulnerable group of students faces a range of challenges including an overlap with other vulnerable groups and living far away from campus.Student Academic Experience Survey 202

283、4 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 53 10 Teaching intensity 10.1 Workload trends Total hours(attended in average week)Timetabled contact hours Independent study hours*Contact hours attended*Placements or fieldwork*201930.8 13.9 13.8 12.0 4.9 202031.6 14.6 14.1 12.6 4.

284、9 202129.9 12.4 15.7 10.7 3.6 202230.7 13.4 14.8 11.3 4.6 202333.4 16.0 14.5 13.4 5.6 202433.5 16.1 13.6 13.3 6.6*These measures contribute to the total figuresHigh levels of working hours are,in general,appreciated by students who want to be tested and to receive what many perceive as“value”for the

285、ir tuition fees.However,a high overall average can mask some extremely high workloads in particular subjects,which in some cases needs to be incorporated alongside paid employment and caring responsibilities.Hence,there is potentially a natural ceiling to the volumes of workload hours that are susta

286、inable.In 2024,working hours have remained consistent overall,which suggests that they might have just about peaked following a post-pandemic increase.However,within this there are some key fluctuations in how the overall workload volumes are comprised.33.516.113.613.36.60.05.010.015.020.025.030.035

287、.040.02015201620172018201920202021202220232024Workload hours in average weekTotal hours(attended)Timetabled contact hoursIndependent study hoursTimetabled contact hours attendedPlacements or fieldworkStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Soti

288、ropoulou 54 Timetabled hours have increased marginally and are at the highest levels we have seen.Against this,the number of contact hours attended has fallen slightly,but is still at a high level.The main changes have been in the volume of independent study,which has fallen significantly from 14.5

289、to 13.6 hours per week.Counteracting this there has been an equal(and proportionately greater)increase in time spent in placements and fieldwork,which at 6.6 hours is the highest level we have seen.During the pandemic we did see several comments around the(understandable)absence of field trips and i

290、n-person placements and how this was impacting the quality of the experience.It therefore appears that this is an aspect being prioritised by HEIs across the sector and is playing an increasing role in the workload mix.10.2 Online learning Since the pandemic,when a high proportion of lectures took p

291、lace online,we have seen a gradual return to face-to-face interactions,but it is striking that a significant proportion of online delivery remains.In 2022,nearly 90%of students had at least some of their lectures online,and while this has reduced gradually,to 69%in 2024,it does appear that a signifi

292、cant proportion of online delivery is set to stay in place.It is likely that a proportion of this online delivery was already in situ before the pandemic,but potential changes in students preferences,and advances in the ability to use technology to maximise flexibility and inclusiveness,are likely t

293、o have played a role to help shape the level of hybrid delivery that is established across multiple courses in many institutions.11%12%10%10%9%11%7%6%7%5%13%25%19%13%12%7%7%4%3%4%2%4%31%21%12%10%7%5%3%2%2%2%4%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%0%1-10%11-20%21-30%31-40%41-50%51-60%61-70%71-80%81-90%91-100%Proport

294、ion of lectures held online 202220232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 55 Some of the main drivers of student preference are likely to be represented by extra-curricular demands on their time,such as paid employment,caring and

295、 commuting.We can see the impact of this in the table below,which infers that students with extra-curricular demands seek out or take up the opportunity to carry out a higher proportion of their learning online.Paid employment Commuting Caring None 10 hrs+None 10 miles+No Yes Any lectures online 59%

296、79%58%77%67%84%10.3 Satisfaction with scheduled contact hours Satisfaction with contact hours has been a very consistent measure across several years with the only material fluctuation in 2021 during the pandemic.Although this year has seen a relatively small change in absolute terms,it does signify

297、 a statistically significant increase in students being satisfied with their contact hours,with 68%representing the highest figure we have yet seen on this measure.65%64%66%64%65%62%50%63%66%68%16%17%17%17%17%18%21%18%18%17%19%19%17%19%19%19%30%19%16%15%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%20152016201720182019

298、20202021202220232024I am satisfied with my timetabled contact hours AgreeNeither agree nor disagreeDisagreeStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 56 Reinforcing this,the proportion who disagree with this statement is at its lowest

299、 level,hence providing a clear picture that current volumes of contact hours are at the right level for many.Total contact hours Paid employment Caring 0-910-1920-2930+None 10+hours No Yes Agree they are satisfied with contact hours 61%72%71%68%69%68%69%67%Looking at how this differs(or not)by curri

300、cular and extra-curricular workload,we can see clearly that students in general are happy with relatively high volumes of contact hours.Although the nature of individual course delivery and expectations around this does vary,some students are less satisfied when they are assigned fewer than 10 timet

301、abled hours.However,it is notable that satisfaction levels increase significantly between 10-19 hours and remain high even up to 30 hours plus.We may reasonably have speculated that students with working or caring responsibilities would be less satisfied with the number of timetabled contact hours.H

302、owever,it is evident from the above table that relatively high levels of paid employment,or caring for others,do not appear to impact on how contact hours are perceived.Students with these additional responsibilities are still likely to require support regarding flexible times and ways of accessing

303、their classes,but this data provides evidence that,irrespective of how wider demands are being managed,sufficient contact hours remain a key barometer of a positive student experience.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 57 10.4 Wor

304、kload by HECoS subject Subjects ranked in order of overall workload.50 Some individual subjects have relatively low base sizes and hence are sensitive to annual fluctuations.When ranking the HECoS subject by workload,there are some quite major differences in terms of contact hours(for example betwee

305、n Veterinary Sciences and Historical Studies),while volumes of independent study are a lot more consistent between the different subjects.51 Where volumes vary the most,however,is in terms of fieldwork and placements,which is the element with the largest influence on where different subjects are ran

306、ked in terms of overall workload.Many subjects(often in Arts and Humanities)have very low volumes but in some areas,such as subjects allied to Medicine and Education and Teaching,the time 50 Humanities and Liberal Arts,and Others in Science were not included in the table this year due to small base

307、sizes.51 For information on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects(HECoS),see www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/hecos accessed 9 April 2024.10.710.310.011.59.212.311.014.911.914.213.215.114.515.015.012.713.714.418.714.616.012.413.915.313.917.012.415.312.711.312.413.513.713.415.414.313.31

308、2.815.713.412.114.13.22.72.93.42.85.03.82.77.44.24.83.85.03.44.79.09.37.26.620.119.90102030405060PsychologyGeographical and Environmental StudiesLanguage and Area StudiesSocial SciencesHistorical,Philosophical and Religious StudiesBusiness and ManagementLawCreative Arts and DesignCombined and Genera

309、l StudiesCommunications and MediaBiological and Sport SciencesPhysical SciencesComputingMathematical SciencesEngineering and TechnologyAgriculture,Food and related studiesMedicine and DentistryArchitecture,Building and PlanningVeterinary SciencesEducation and TeachingSubjects allied to MedicineWorkl

310、oad hours by HECoS subject categoriesContact hours attendedIndependent studyWork outside of courseStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 58 spent in external work for their course is very significant and leads to the highest overa

311、ll workloads.When we look at these individual subjects,some of the base sizes are relatively small,hence we do get some year-on-year fluctuation in these results which impacts the relative ranking.Comparing to 2023,we again see medical subjects towards the top and subjects such as Psychology,Languag

312、es and History towards the bottom.By contrast,the amount of time spent externally has fluctuated for Education and Teaching increasing significantly this year so it is now once again one of the subjects with highest workload.At the lower end of the scale last year was Communications and Media,but st

313、udents this year report higher volumes of all types of workload,resulting in a mid-range position this year.52 10.5 Number of hours in study and employment Given the increases in the last few years(less so this year)in workload hours,as well as the acceleration in time spent in paid employment,in th

314、e chart below we have combined these two key measures of time spent to provide an overall picture of the number of hours per week that students are having to devote to study and paid working.The figures represent the mean averages across all students including those who do not spend any time in a pa

315、rticular activity.52 For comparative results,see SAES 2023 at https:/advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/student-academic-experience-survey-2023 10.711.313.413.319.319.420.120.24.65.57.58.20510152025303540452021202220232024Average number of hours spent studying or in employmentTimetabled hours attendedIn

316、dependent study or fieldworkPaid employment outside studiesStudent Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 59 At a total sample level,students spend an average of 42 hours per week in paid work and study,and this has been rising steadily.This

317、level is clearly above the UK average number of paid working hours for the full-time working population,which currently stands at 36.9 hours,providing strong evidence that the undergraduate student population has to manage a substantial combination of study workload and extra-curricular responsibili

318、ties.53 These figures are based on our sample as a whole,but when we look into the data in more detail we can identify particular cohorts whose responsibilities in terms of classes,wider study and/or employment are much higher,equating to high numbers of hours per week.Students studying health subje

319、cts(for example,Medicine,Dentistry,Veterinary Studies)have been regularly identified in this Survey as working long hours as part of their course,but rather than compensating for this by spending relatively few hours in paid employment,we can see from this data that the volumes of paid work are in f

320、act just above the average,providing a net combined workload of over 55 hours per week,which is a significant volume.Aged 26+University region Northern Ireland Caring responsibilities Health subjects Contact hours or other study(average=33.5)38.6 40.9 37.5 47.3 Paid employment(average=8.2)12.6 9.8 1

321、2.7 8.6 Total(average=41.7)51.2 50.7 50.2 55.9 53 Office for National Statistics(2024)Average actual weekly hours of work for full-time workers(seasonally adjusted).Newport:ONS.Available at:www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/timeseries/ybuy/lms accessed 03

322、May 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 60 There are also high combined workloads for mature students,those with caring responsibilities,and those studying at HEIs in Northern Ireland.For these groups we saw earlier that t

323、heir propensity to be in paid employment was high,but this is put into a specific context when we see that their study workload is also above average,potentially compounding the pressures these groups,and others,are facing.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Step

324、henson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 61 11 Quality of teaching and assessment 11.1 Perceptions of the quality of teaching staff Our Survey contains a set of consistent measures that have been designed to assess overall teaching quality and have been running for a number of years.Chart shows the proportion wh

325、o agree or agree strongly with each statement.The results in 2024 represent a clear good news story.For every one of the seven aspects,agreement ratings have increased significantly which is the first time we have seen such consistent and marked improvements across the board.In particular,there have

326、 been sizeable improvements for staff motivating students to do their best work,and helping to explore their own areas of interest both of which achieved the highest scores seen since they have been included in the Survey.It is potentially significant that these strong and consistent improvements in

327、 ratings of teaching quality among full-time undergraduates have come relatively soon after the 48%47%59%58%64%65%76%41%42%52%54%61%63%70%37%39%50%53%62%63%76%34%39%47%56%61%63%75%39%40%54%60%67%65%77%35%36%53%59%66%67%79%Teaching staff helped you to explore your ownareas of interestTeaching staff r

328、egularly initiated debates anddiscussionTeaching staff motivated you to do your best workTeaching staff used contact hours to guideindependent studyTeaching staff were helpful and supportiveTeaching staff clearly explained course goals andrequirementsTeaching staff encouraged you to takeresponsibili

329、ty for your own learningTeaching staff characteristics 201920202021202220232024Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson and Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 62 publication of the Teaching Excellence Framework(TEF)ratings in 2023,which represented the first time HEIs ha

330、d been officially rated on their teaching quality since 2019.54 This greater focus on teaching across the sector may have played a positive role in driving quality and making more students aware of where resources and efforts are being focused within the teaching space.Russell Group Pre-92 Post-92 S

331、pecialist Encouraged your responsibility for own learning 78%78%74%74%Clearly explained goals and requirements 63%68%65%69%Were helpful and supportive 61%64%65%70%Used contact hours to guide independent study 58%58%59%56%Motivated you to do your best work 54%54%61%64%Regularly initiated debates and

332、discussions 42%45%49%52%Helped you explore your own areas of interest 41%44%51%57%Significant differences between cohorts in bold.Comparing the results on teaching quality across a range of types of institution,we can see some statements show a clear contrast between Russell Group and other pre-92 H

333、EIs on the one side,against post-92 and specialist providers on the other side.Russell Group and 54 McCabe,G and Bhardwa,S(2023)What is the TEF?Results of the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.The Student,Times Higher Education,18 December.Available at: accessed 16 April 2024.Student Academic Experience Survey 2024 Jonathan Neves,Josh Freeman,Rose Stephenson&Dr Peny Sotiropoulou 63 pre-92 are str