Evaluating student satisfaction at a top-performing UK university
Abstract
This paper compares UK and non-UK students’ satisfaction with their teaching and learning experiences in higher education. Modules surveyed at a UK University, awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) (Times Higher Education [THE], 2017), were examined to determine whether satisfaction is influenced by the percentage of UK and non-UK students registered per module. Students were grouped by residency, irrespective of nationality, to examine the different academic experiences in and outside the UK. UK students were defined as residing in the UK permanently and non-UK students as residing outside the UK, except during their studies. Findings indicated that although there were apparent links between residency and satisfaction, these differences may instead be attributable to other variables, such as class size. The results of this study question whether integrating non-UK students into large class sizes, in order to fulfil demand, has implications for the student experience.
Downloads
References
Bandiera, O., Larcinese, V., & Rasul, I. (2010). Heterogeneous class size effects: New evidence from a panel of university students. The Economic Journal, 120 (549), 1365-1398. http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02364.x
Boslaugh, S. (2007). Secondary data sources for public health: A practical guide. Cambridge University Press.
Bunce, L., Baird, A., & Jones, S. E. (2016). The student-as-consumer approach in higher education and its effects on academic performance. Studies in Higher Education, 1-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1127908
Cantwell, B. (2015). Are international students cash cows? Examining the relationship between new international undergraduate enrollments and institutional revenue at public colleges and universities in the US. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 512–525. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1066279
Chapleo, C. (2013). The effect of increased tuition fees on higher education marketing in the UK. A research report. Retrieved from: http://www.communicationsmanagement.co.uk/site/assets/files/1365/the_effect_of_increased_tuition_fees_on_he_marketing.pdf
Coughlan. S. (2016). Universities tuition fees rise to £9,250 for current students. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36856026 [Accessed June 2017]
Dean, A., & Gibbs, P. (2015). Student satisfaction or happiness? A preliminary rethink of what is important in the student experience. Quality Assurance in Education, 23(1), 5-19. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-10-2013-0044
Dearing, R. (1997). The Dearing Report. Higher education in the learning society. The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education. Available at: http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/dearing1997/dearing1997.html [Accessed June 2017]
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. (2016). Success as a knowledge economy: Teaching excellence, social ability and student choice.
Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523396/bis-16-265-success-as-a-knowledge-economy.pdf
Department for Education. (2016). Teaching excellence framework: Year two specification (September). Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/556355/TEF_Year_2_specification.pdf
Douglas, J., Douglas, A., & Barnes, B. (2006). Measuring student satisfaction at a UK university. Quality assurance in education, 14(3), 251-267. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880610678568
Douglas, J. A., Douglas, A., McClelland, R. J., & Davies, J. (2015). Understanding student satisfaction and dissatisfaction: an interpretive study in the UK higher education context. Studies in Higher Education, 40(2), 329-349. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.842217
Grady, D. G., Cummings, S. R. & Hulley, S. B. (2013). Research using existing data. In Hulley, S. B., Cummings, S. R., Browner, W. S., Grady, D. G., & Newman, T. B. (Eds.), Designing clinical research (pp. 192-207). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Guilbault, M. (2017). Students as customers in higher education: The (controversial) debate needs to end. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.03.006
Hemsley-Brown, J. (2012). ‘The best education in the world’: reality, repetition or cliché? International students' reasons for choosing an English university. Studies in Higher Education, 37(8), 1005-1022. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.562286
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). (2015). Higher education in England 2015. Key facts. Bristol: UK. Retrieved from: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Analysis/HE,in,England/HE_in_England_2015.pdf
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) (2016). A new National Student Survey for 2017. Retrieved from: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Pubs/2016/CL,302016/CL2016_30ab.pdf
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) (2017). National Student Survey. Available at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/nss/ [Accessed August 2017]
Lelkes, Y., Krosnick, J. A., Marx, D. M., Judd, C. M., & Park, B. (2012). Complete anonymity compromises the accuracy of self-reports. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(6), 1291-1299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.07.002
Lenton, P. (2015). Determining student satisfaction: An economic analysis of the National Student Survey. Economics of Education Review, 47, 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2015.05.001
Lillyman, S., & Bennett, C. (2014). Providing a positive learning experience for international students studying at UK universities: A literature review. Journal of Research in International Education, 13(1), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475240914529859
Marginson, S. (2017). Brexit: Challenges for Universities in Hard Times. International Higher Education, (88), 8-10. https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2017.88.9682
Maringe, F., & Sing, N. (2014). Teaching large classes in an increasingly internationalising higher education environment: pedagogical, quality and equity issues. Higher Education, 67(6), 761-782.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9710-0
Mavondo, F. T., Tsarenko, Y., & Gabbott, M. (2004). International and local student satisfaction: Resources and capabilities perspective. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 14(1), 41-60. https://doi.org/10.1300/J050v14n01_03
McDonald, I. (2014). Supporting international students in UK higher education institutions. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 18(2), 62-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2014.909900
McGrath, C. H., Guerin, B., Harte, E., Frearson, M., & Manville, C. (2015). Learning gain in higher education. Santa Monica, California, United States of America: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR900/RR996/RAND_RR996.pdf
Moskal, A. C. M., Stein, S. J., & Golding, C. (2016). Can you increase teacher engagement with evaluation simply by improving the evaluation system? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(2), 286-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1007838
Mulryan-Kyne, C. (2010). Teaching large classes at college and university level: Challenges and opportunities. Teaching in Higher Education, 15(2), 175-185. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562511003620001
Neves, J & Hillman, N. (2016). The 2016 Student Academic Experience Survey. The Higher Education Policy Institute and Higher Education Academy (HEPI-HEA). Retrieved from: http://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Student-Academic-Experience-Survey-2016.pdf
Paddick, R. (2015). The university brand challenge. Available at: http://universitybusiness.co.uk/Article/the-university-brand-challenge [Accessed January 2017]
Porter, S. R., Whitcomb, M. E., & Weitzer, W. H. (2004). Multiple surveys of students and survey fatigue. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2004, (121), 63-73. https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.101
Ramsden, P., & Callender, C. (2014). Review of the National Student Survey: Appendix A: Literature Review. London: UK. Retrieved from: https://www.natcen.ac.uk/media/457945/nss-lit-review-.pdf
Soilemetzidis, I., Bennett, P., Buckley, A., Hillman, N., & Stoakes, G. (2014). The HEPI-HEA Student Academic Experience Survey 2014. Higher Education Academy. Retrieved from: http://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/HEA_HEPI-Report_WEB_160514.pdf
Spencer-Oatey, H., & Dauber, D. (2015). How internationalised is your university? From structural indicators to an agenda for integration. GlobalPAD working papers. Retrieved from: https://www.i-graduate.org/assets/2015-How-internationalised-is-your-university.pdf
The Complete University Guide (2017). Top 10 most popular courses for overseas students. Available at: http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/top-10-most-popular-courses-for-overseas-students/?entry=9
[Accessed January 2017]
Times Higher Education (THE) (2017). Teaching excellence framework (TEF) results 2017. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/teaching-excellence-framework-tef-results-2017 [Accessed July 2017]
UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) (2017). International student statistics: UK higher education. Available at: https://institutions.ukcisa.org.uk/info-for-universities-colleges--schools/policy-research--statistics/research--statistics/international-students-in-uk-he/#International-(non-UK)-students-in-UK-HE-in-2015-16 [Accessed June 2017]
UK Higher Education International Unit (2015). International undergraduate students: The UK’s competitive advantage. Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/International/international-undergraduate-students-uk-competitive-advantage.pdf
Universities UK. (2014).The funding environment for universities 2014: International students in higher education: the UK and its competition. Higher Education in Focus. London: UK.
Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2014/international-students-in-higher-education.pdf
Universities UK. (2015a). Efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. London: UK. Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2015/efficiency-effectiveness-value-for-money.pdf
Universities UK. (2015b). Patterns and trends in UK higher education 2015. London: UK. Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2015/patterns-and-trends-2015.pdf
Universities UK. (2016). Student experience: measuring expectations and outcomes. London: UK. Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2016/student-experience-measuring-expectations-and-outcomes.pdf
Universities UK. (2017). Education, consumer rights and maintaining trust: what students want from their university. London: UK. Retrieved from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2017/education-consumer-rights-maintaining-trust-web.pdf
Wilkins, S., & Huisman, J. (2012). UK business school rankings over the last 30 years (1980–2010): Trends and explanations. Higher Education, 63(3), 367-382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-011-9446-7
Wilkins, S., & Balakrishnan, M.S. (2013). Assessing student satisfaction in transnational higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 27(2), 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513541311297568
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
