Students relax at our Colchester Campus
Students have voted their Essex education among the best in the UK, giving the University of Essex some of its highest student satisfaction scores ever.
The University achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 91 per cent in the National Student Survey (NSS), placing Essex sixth out of mainstream English universities.
The University maintained or improved on its best ratings since the NSS began ten years ago for satisfaction with organisation and management (87%), assessment and feedback (77%) learning resources (83%) and personal development (84%).
High levels of satisfaction were also recorded for academic support (83%) and teaching(89%).
Thirteen out of Essex’s sixteen schools, departments and centres covered by the NSS achieved overall satisfaction scores of 90% or more, with the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, East 15 Acting School and the Department of Language and Linguistics achieving 95 per cent or above.
Subjects at Essex ranked in the top 10 nationally for student satisfaction included Nursing, Computer Science, European Languages, Philosophy, Performing Arts and Other Creative Arts.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education, Professor Aletta Norval, said: “Giving our students a learning experience that helps them to grow and develop is our highest priority. We have been listening to students and developing how we work with them and our Students’ Union to offer the educational opportunities and facilities they need.
“We are committed to a research-led education, where students learn to challenge, to argue and to generate new knowledge, developing the skills they need for a fulfilling future. We are investing in new facilities including our £26 million student centre and library extension, which open next year, in our careers and employability services and in our Students’ Union.
“Working with the Students’ Union, we are looking to ensure students have even more opportunities to gain work and volunteering experience, and to take advantage of the broad range of sports and societies Essex offers, to develop their skills and experience.”
President of the Students’ Union, Chantel Le Carpentier, said: ”The University of Essex has made a genuine commitment to working in partnership with the Students’ Union to deliver the best experience and education for students at Essex. I’m confident that we are already seeing changes around campus and in the classroom to fulfil this commitment.
“Through extensive research and continual feedback from students, the Students’ Union is working to make sure that the university is adapting to the every changing student need. The Union believes in the University’s commitment to excellence in both research and education and that we cannot have excellent research without delivering that in the classroom.”
Students have taken more opportunities than ever this year to enhance their experience at Essex, with a record number of 3,000 joining a club or society, and more than 1,000 undertaking volunteering work. Over 500 students completed the Big Essex award, an initiative which allows their extra-curricular achievements to be recorded on their degree transcripts.
As the University of Essex enters its 50th anniversary year, it is ranked one of the top 2% of universities in the world, and earlier this year came 22nd among world universities less than 50 years old.