You and your fellow students are the only ones who know what it is like to study on your course; this is why your feedback is important.
All the feedback we receive through our surveys, whether it’s something you think we’ve done well or an area you think we need to do more work on, helps us to improve the student experience across the University.
This is your opportunity for your voice to be heard – get involved and make a difference. We’ve already made changes, large and small, to help improve your University experience. Take a look at some of our collective achievements since the last student surveys.
#HaveYourSayStaffs
How your feedback from last year's survey has improved the student experience
“We want accommodation options that are modern and meet our wide range of neurodiverse needs.”
We refurbished Clarice Cliff Court following a collaborative student-led design process to make sure the room layout and design, and the shared social spaces, fully meet your needs.
“We want safe, accessible outdoor spaces to benefit our physical and mental wellbeing.”
We’ve made improvements to the paving and external surfaces on campus for improved safety and accessibility.
“We want more accessible parking on campus.”
We have re-surfaced the College Road car parks and improved layouts to make manoeuvrability and access to parking bays better for everyone.
You felt the timing of the resits period in August meant you didn't have enough time to properly consider resit options and make decisions in time for the next university year.
We consulted with the Students' Union and moved the summer resit assessment period from mid-August to the end of July, to give you more time to make decisions.
“We need better accessibility features within The Catalyst to make it more user friendly.”
We’ve improved accessibility for everyone using the building, across all levels. This includes adding ‘Hold Open’ and Auto-opening’ devices to main circulation routes and the toilet lobbies.
“We need state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to use throughout our studies.”
We built a brand new, multi-purpose “2.7m Esports arena on campus.
"We want to have better access to IT lab computers, as we often can't use them during the day when they are used for teaching."
Students are welcome to use available machines during teaching sessions if they check with teaching staff first, and they don't disrupt any teaching taking place.
How your feedback has improved aspects of course delivery within our schools
"We want more opportunities to perform in Musical Theatre, more theatre trips and increased support with our digital showcases."
Acting and Drama
We’ve created more opportunities for public performances, arranged trips to local Theatre performances with possibilities to meet and greet professional cast and observe rehearsals, and are bringing in professional actors/directors to work with you.
"We get so much from the relationships with established comic book creators and publishers on the course, but would benefit from a broader variety of voices."
Cartoon and Comic Arts
We’ve diversified the range of guests and industry speakers we invite in and have mirrored this approach with a wider range of lecturers across all three years.
"We want more clarity on marking."
Business School
We’re recording all assessment briefs and have embedded rubrics for clarity.
"We need further access to software outside of classes, more study options and state-of-the-art equipment."
Computing
We built a dedicated VM server solution for you, have added more options for your studies, and have purchased Misty Robots and set up a hardware Ai Demonstrator facility.
"We want access to more industry work, more support for academic work, and a Physical Space for self-directed work."
The Wilkes Academy (UK Partner)
We’ve added Showreel, Audition prep and acting for audio sessions, made studios for 'Creative Company' available, refreshed Assessment Criteria for all years, and have remodelled the student support facility.
"We need help with buying necessary course materials and books for our degree.”
English Literature and Creative Writing
We provide first years with a stack of fresh books which are theirs to annotate and keep, so you do not need to buy any books in your first year.
You want a more accessible virtual learning environment, with digital resources that meet the needs of all learners.
We implemented Blackboard Ally to automatically check and fix accessibility issues, guide instructors in improving course materials, and offer you alternative content formats.
You want a more consistent, standardised approach to using Blackboard across all modules.
We introduced a Blackboard mandate to ensure a common layout and guidelines. This year, we’ve achieved 86% compliance, creating a more streamlined and user-friendly online learning experience.
You requested a reliable, high-quality content capture system to revisit lectures and academic materials at their convenience.
We’re investing in a cutting-edge content capture platform that will record lectures, seminars, and key learning sessions. This will give you the flexibility to review class materials at your own pace, anytime, anywhere, ensuring a more accessible and inclusive learning experience for all.