N T S U , S h a k e s p e a r e S t r e e t , N o t t i n g h a m , N G 1 4 G H

Student Written Submission for the Higher Education Review of Nottingham Trent University

November 14

2

INTRODUCTION 4

SECTION 1: STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BODY 6

1.1 What is your relationship like with your university? 6 1.2 What services do the student representative body provide? 6 1.3 Has the submission been democratically approved by the student body? 7 1.4 Details of any student groups whose voices have not been captured during the researching of the

document. 8 1.5 If you have previously had a QAA review, how have things progressed since then? 8

SECTION 2: HOW EFFECTIVELY THE UNIVERSITY HAS ADDRESSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ITS LAST REVIEW 9

2.1 How are students told or involved in any recommendations from previous review outcomes? 9 2.2 How effective is the university normally in sharing good practice? 9

SECTION 3: HOW EFFECTIVELY THE UNIVERSITY SETS AND MAINTAINS THE THRESHOLD STANDARDS OF ITS ACADEMIC AWARDS 11

3.1 ACADEMIC STANDARDS 11 3.1.1 Do students see assessment as getting more challenging as they progress through their course?

11 3.1.2 Do students have access to external examiner reports? 11 3.1.3 Do students feel that their assessments are appropriate? 12 3.1.4 Do students feel that their feedback is timely and helpful? 12 3.1.5 Do students understand grading criteria? 13 3.1.6 Are students aware of the university rules on plagiarism? 13 3.1.7 How are students involved in the design of new programmes? 14 3.2 LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES 15 3.2.1 Do students feel that the staff are fully trained and qualified? 15 3.2.2 Have students had the opportunity to feed back on lectures? 15 3.2.3 Do students see evidence of a link between research undertaken by lecturers and the content of

the modules? 16 3.2.4 Do students believe that the learning resources are adequate? 16 3.2.5 How are students involved in quality assurance processes at all levels? 17 3.2.6 How effective is student representation? How are they supported? 18 3.2.7 Are there any case studies where the university has instigated a change in response to students’

views? 20 3.2.8 How does the university use evidence such as the National Student Survey scores to enhance its

provision? 20 3.2.9 How do students find out about complaints and appeals procedures? 21 3.2.10 How satisfied are students with the outcome and timescales of the above procedures? 21 3.2.11 How is employability embedded in the curriculum for students? 21 3.2.12 How satisfied are students with any careers service provided? 22 3.2.13 How satisfied are disabled students? 22 3.2.14 How satisfied are international students? What welcome do they get from the university? 24 3.2.15 How useful is the university online provision? 24 3.2.16 How satisfied are students who undertake work placements? 25 3.2.17 Does your university have a document (student charter) that sets out mutual expectations? Are

students aware of this? 26 3.3 ENHANCEMENT 27 3.3.1 How does the university listen to the student voice when considering enhancement? 27 3.3.2 How are students made aware of any changes or improvements to their educational experience? 28

3

3.3.3 Are students aware of an ethos of continual improvement in the university? 28 3.4 PUBLIC INFORMATION 29 3.4.1 How user-friendly and up to date is the website/information provided to students? 29 3.4.2 Is it accurate? 29 3.4.3 What language support do international students get? 29 CONCLUSION 31 1. Briefly summarise the key student views 31 2. How has the student submission been shared with fellow students? 31 3. Summarise any recommendations 31 REFERENCE LIST 32

4

Introduction There have been significant recent changes at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU). Last year a new £60 million Students’ Union development was opened, providing students with sector leading facilities. These include sports, leisure and recreational spaces as well as a hub for the Students’ Union’s developmental and representational activities. Training, societies, volunteering, and space for the Union’s research, democratic and information and advice services are housed within the development. The Union replicates these services at each of the University’s other campuses. Significant investment has been made into the Union’s facilities at Clifton this year and a scheme is currently being prepared for the Brackenhurst campus. Investment within the estate used by the Union has been complemented by a significant improvement in the Union’s management and service delivery. These capital and organisational developments are reflected in NTSU winning both the National Union of Students’ (NUS) Staff Engagement Award and NUS Officer Team of the Year Award during 2013/14. A significant improvement in the Union’s National Student Survey (NSS) Question 23 score places us in the top ten of students’ unions based on data including all registered students within an institution. A new Vice Chancellor and Chancellor have been appointed to the University this year heralding the start of a new strategic planning cycle. The University has actively engaged the student body in the current strategic planning process through our Students’ Union in a most positive way. The Union expects that other changes in the structure of the University Executive Team (formerly the Senior Management Team) will support this collaborative, partnership approach. Acknowledging the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) preference for secondary sources, our Student Submission is predominantly focussed on the experience of full-time undergraduate students based upon the results of the NSS. We have also been able to consider postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students through Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) data although this does not supply the same depth or frequency of information as the NSS. Postgraduate representation is an area in which the Union acknowledges it could strengthen its work. These surveys date from 2010 to 2014 allowing us to identify patterns and improvements the institution, particularly in those areas highlighted by the previous review. The quantitative results of the NSS have been reinforced using the qualitative results that have also been examined. This information has also been interrogated at course level by exploring the way that Course Committees handle student feedback and input into the quality assurance process. Information not covered in this secondary data has been collected by a one-off survey of 872 students and a series of more informal discussions. These methods allowed us to speak to a wide range of students across our campuses in a short time frame to capture an up to date snapshot of the student learning experience. Matthew Scrimshaw, Vice-President Education, has compiled our written submission with support from Amy McLaughlan, Student Voice Manager. Joseph Levell, Campaigns and Democratic Engagement Coordinator, Emma Raynor, Course Representatives Coordinator, and Ugne Kuzaite, Hall Representatives Project Coordinator, have supported them. The Vice-

5

President Education has exercised editorial control over the submission at all times and has been primarily responsible for ensuring that it is reflective of the overall student experience. Throughout the process, Students’ Union representatives have had regular meetings with the Institutional Facilitator and relevant University staff to collect any data that we required. This submission has not been democratically approved by the members of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union. The time schedule for submission and the union meetings planned for the term did not facilitate this. However, it will be made available to students and their comments can be accessed by the review team upon request. Planning, drafting and consulting on this submission, alongside researching for our own strategic plan, has provided the Union with an opportunity to reflect on the student experience at NTU. We are looking forward to the visit in February from the review team, providing us and the wider student body with opportunity to clarify any points raised in the submission and discuss further the issues considered herein. On behalf of the students of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union, Matthew Scrimshaw Vice-President Education, Nottingham Trent Students’ Union Lead Elected Student Representative

6

Section 1: Student Representative body

1.1 What is your relationship like with your university?1 1.1.1 The Students’ Union has a positive relationship with the University Executive Team.

Elected officers meet monthly with senior managers from the University at an Executive Forum that discusses and addresses issues of importance to students. The President meets regularly with the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and officers and senior staff meet regularly with the Finance Director and Head of Legal Services. Union staff and officers were actively engaged in the development of the new Students’ Union facilities. The President and President-elect recently presented the Union’s strategic plan and recent developments to the University’s governing body. University senior academics and managers are accessible to officers and receptive to ideas and constructive feedback.

1.1.2 Our own recent strategic research (2013/14) demonstrated that not all University staff are aware of the opportunities that the Union offers. Addressing this would enable more students to be correctly signposted to the Union to benefit from the services and support that it provides. The Union’s current strategic plan includes objectives to improve the way we communicate our activities to academics.

1.1.3 Officers sit on the majority of decision-making committees within the University’s governance structure where they are able to influence policymaking and discuss papers for approval, as demonstrated by the relevant terms of reference and minutes. Student representatives are invited to meetings in some Schools (School Academic Standards and Quality Committees). It would be helpful to extend this practice more consistently. In particular, the Union is working with the University to encourage the practice of using elected representatives who are accountable to their fellow students rather than selected students for such School level roles.

1.2 What services do the student representative body provide?2 1.2.1 NTSU is committed to improving the experience of students studying at Nottingham

Trent University, carrying out a broad portfolio of functions to meet this aim: o Information and Advice Service providing independent academic representation,

accommodation and money advice. The service also delivers preventative and outreach work;

o 50,000 hours of student volunteering delivered through projects both in the local community and within the institution;

o 79 student-led societies including three different and award-winning student media groups;

o Year-long programme of student training and accredited awards; o Trained representative groups for halls of residence, course and school level; o Specific support for under-represented groups of students (mature, student

parents, international, LGBT+, black and minority ethnic, disabled, postgraduate and women).

1 Reference List items: 002, 003, 004, 006, 035 2 Reference List items: 007, 014

7

1.2.2 In addition to these core services, NTSU also operates some of the best performing

union commercial services in the country. Premises at each campus provide a range of catering options as well as bar and entertainment spaces for our members. The Union also runs a convenience store at each of our three campuses throughout the year, which are not limited to undergraduate term-times.

1.2.3 Democracy is a core value of the Union. Six elected full-time Executive Officers, holding portfolios for various areas of the student experience, provide direction for the organisation. Supported by three elected part-time Executive Officers who each represent one of our campuses, these representatives guide our strategy through their role as trustees of the Union and directors of the Union’s wholly owned trading subsidiary. Student-led committees provide additional input for everything from our Entertainments department to the content of our Welcome Week programme and services for under-represented groups. This work is supported by eight part-time Student Officers. NTSU encourages all areas of its operation to be led by student feedback.

1.2.4 We face many of the challenges that universities and students’ unions face across the

sector. These include significant distance between campuses and students at partner institutions who understandably identify more closely with local staff than NTU as a validating body. Engaging the diversity of our membership is central to our new strategic plan. The Union’s most significant challenge is communicating opportunities to students who fall outside of our traditionally most active and engaged undergraduate membership. The review team may still meet with students that are unaware of the breadth of opportunities available to them, including students for whom geography and personal circumstances remain barriers to participation. Whilst there is room for improvement, we believe that strengthening the understanding amongst University colleagues about Union services and activities, and their applicability to the broad range of students studying here at NTU, should lead to improved communication and participation.

1.2.5 The Union has been excited to be part of the continuing capital investment in the NTU

estate. The new development at City brings together a wide range of student service providers into a central, on-campus hub, including accommodation, sports and entertainments all under one roof. This has strengthened the Union’s identity, supporting an increase in student engagement and satisfaction. Development at Clifton continues with the improvement of student catering provision, alongside the University’s work to provide a “Heart of Campus”. The Union is currently working with the University on plans to enhance the student experience at Brackenhurst through substantial improvements to University and Union services.

1.3 Has the submission been democratically approved by the student body? 1.3.1 This submission has not been democratically approved by the members of Nottingham

Trent Students’ Union, although it has been approved by the elected Executive Committee. The time schedule for submission and the union meetings planned for the term did not facilitate this. However, it will be made available to students and their comments can be accessed by the review team upon request.

8

1.4 Details of any student groups whose voices have not been captured during the researching of the document.3

1.4.1 By using institution-wide data, we have tried to encompass the diverse range of

students at NTSU, including those who do not typically engage with the Union’s activities. This includes postgraduate students, distance and “in-company” learners, partner college and part-time students. We acknowledge that all students may not have been captured by this report. The University and the Students’ Union are utilising task and finish groups to address the issues facing these hard to reach, non-traditional students as they are often underrepresented throughout their student experience.

1.5 If you have previously had a QAA review, how have things progressed since then?4 1.5.1 Since the last audit, the relationship between NTSU and NTU has improved significantly.

The views of our Executive Officers are more highly valued than in the past, and the input of the Union is actively sought in a range of areas. The Union and University are engaged in a true, meaningful partnership, ensuring this productive relationship means better outcomes for our membership.

1.5.2 The Union is pleased with progress made by NTU to improve feedback to students since the last QAA review as this is regularly identified as an area of great importance for students. The Union is delighted that this significant improvement is now reflected in an NSS score for feedback which is above the national average. Free text comments emphasise the value students place on this improvement. NTSU is keen to see this best practice applied consistently across the institution

3 Reference List items: 008 4 Reference List items: 012, 039

9

Section 2: How effectively the university has addressed the recommendations of its last review

2.1 How are students told or involved in any recommendations from previous review outcomes?5

2.1.1 At the time of the last QAA Review in 2008, the following recommendations were made:

The team advises the University to: consistently apply the policies and guidance provided in the Academic Quality

and Standards Handbook with respect to feedback to students on assessment; remain mindful of the recommendation of the previous Institutional audit with

respect to programme oversight, as it assesses the comprehensiveness and fitness for purpose of its new periodic school review process.

It would be desirable for the University to: consider how to make the process for responding to changes in external

reference points more systematic.

2.1.2 Changes have been made to feedback practices. A commitment to providing feedback within three weeks of the assessment submission date is now established. This has been updated in the Student Handbook and Student Charter, which are both housed online and signposted to students at induction. This change was also advertised online through the ‘You Said, We Did’ campaign that the institution operates and communicated to students using digital advertising screens across all campuses.

2.1.3 As the Students’ Union’s elected officers sit on high-level decision-making boards, they

have been involved in the final agreement of changes made following the previous audit. For example, our Vice-President Education and President sit on the Academic Standards and Quality Committee where changes to the Periodic School Review process have been passed before being referred to Academic Board.

2.1.4 NTSU would be keen to be further involved in the development of plans and ideas that

are taken through the formal committee structure of the University for approval. A good example of this is the Union’s current engagement in the University’s strategic planning process, which has been actively sought by the new Vice Chancellor. The Union has strengthened the team that provides support to its officers on academic issues during the last 12 months and this will provide capacity for the Union to take more initiative in this area.

2.2 How effective is the university normally in sharing good practice?6 2.2.1 The University holds staff conferences throughout the year to encourage the sharing of

good practice. These range from thematic conferences within Schools and Colleges, to institution-wide days dedicated to advances in e-learning or bringing Course Leaders together from across disciplines. The Union has been invited to speak at a number of these events. It has been rewarding to meet with a new group of academics each time,

5 Reference List items: 004, 009, 032, 040, 042 6 Reference List items: 010, 011, 012

10

many of whom do not know what services the Union offers or how they can collaborate with and signpost students to the Union to enhance the student experience.

2.2.2 The Union and University are working together to ensure that good practice around

student engagement in quality assurance and academic representation is shared across the institution. It is important to the Students’ Union that we are able to guarantee a certain level of service and academic representation to all of our members. The University has been supportive in the construction of a steering group to meet this aim.

11

Section 3: How effectively the University sets and maintains the threshold standards of its academic awards

3.1 Academic standards

3.1.1 Do students see assessment as getting more challenging as they progress through their course?7

3.1.1.1 The institution has scored above the national average on assessment and feedback in

the National Student Survey for several years, due to the institution’s increasing focus on tackling assessment and improving policies regarding feedback. Feedback and assessment is still the lowest scoring area of the NSS for NTU and the Union would be keen for this area to remain a priority to build on the significant improvements since the last audit.

3.1.1.2 Throughout the free comments in the National Student Survey, students remark upon

positive challenge in their studies: “removes you from your comfort zone at times, which help to develop yourself both academically and individually” (Academic Studies in Education, NSS 2013)

3.1.1.3 Some free text comments suggest that a minority of students feel their experience could

have been improved if the development they experienced during years 2 and 3 had been better reflected in year 1, and have indicated that they may have benefitted more from their final year had this been the case.

3.1.2 Do students have access to external examiner reports?8

3.1.2.1 The University makes external examiner reports available to students through the NTU Virtual Learning Environment, NOW. This means that all students can theoretically access the external examiner reports for their course.

3.1.2.2 The Union’s recent survey showed that of 872 respondents, only 20.3% knew what an external examiner report is and many of these responses incorrectly refer to the role of a moderator. Only 31 students thought they knew where to access their external examiner reports. Both of these findings suggest that whilst these are made available, students may not be signposted to them. External examiner reports can be misunderstood and may perhaps cause undue concern in the student population if not taken in context. However the Union believes that empowering students with such information is key to meaningful student engagement with quality assurance processes and as such would encourage signposting of this information to students.

3.1.2.3 The Terms of Reference for Course Committees – where Course and School

Representatives – are present also state that the reports from external examiners should be considered annually. Whilst this practice is broadly adopted, the Union would welcome more consistent application within Nottingham Business School and Nottingham Law School.

7 Reference List items: 013, 014, 015, 016 8 Reference List items: 017, 018, 037

12

3.1.3 Do students feel that their assessments are appropriate?9 3.1.3.1 The institution uses a variety of assessment methods including essays, presentations,

group work, and examinations. A small number of students report that these methods are applied unevenly across the institution. Some students report having completed an undergraduate degree without ever undertaking a presentation based assessment. Others express concern that an abundance of presentation tasks may reduce their chances of getting a high grade if this is not their area of strength. A system that more consciously recognises a balance of assessment methods would address the small number of students for which this is an issue and encourage students to acquire and demonstrate a cross-section of skills.

3.1.3.2 Group work frequently appears as an issue in student feedback. Nottingham Business School has attracted a higher number of free text comments than other schools. The main concerns surrounding this include “non-contributing members [who are] often given same mark as members who have completed the majority of the work” (Business, NSS 2013) and an over-reliance on peer support for international students in the class. This affects both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

3.1.3.3 Students praise the use of summative assessment in their modules, providing them with an opportunity to refine their knowledge and skills before their formative deadlines. However this presents an additional pressure for turnaround times on feedback, making it more evident when the three-week turnaround time is not met, as students then do not receive feedback in time for the next piece of work.

3.1.4 Do students feel that their feedback is timely and helpful?10 3.1.4.1 The University adopted a three-week turnaround policy in 2012 in part response to the

recommendations of the 2008 QAA Audit. Students seem to be aware of this policy and appreciate speedy returns in their open text comments supplied for the NSS. However, data collected by the Students’ Union’s Vice-President Education and Representation 2013/14 relating to feedback showed that of 203 students questioned, a significant minority stated that their feedback took more than 3 weeks to reach them. Comments collected for the NSS suggest that students are most frustrated about delays when it impacts on the next assessment or goes unexplained. The Officers of the Union were delighted to be invited to present their findings to Academic Standards and Quality Committee (ASQC) in 2014 and are keen to continue working on this student priority.

3.1.4.2 Importantly, students often acknowledge in free text comments that their courses and course leaders are trying to improve feedback.

3.1.4.3 The newly adopted grade-based assessment (GBA) system (discussed further in 3.1.5) introduced marking grids including “general characteristics” of each class scale. Since this introduction, some students have reported that some markers are just ticking boxes rather than providing the qualitative feedback they require explaining what

9 Reference List items: 015, 016 10 Reference List items: 019, 020, 032, 043

13

needs to be improved. Anecdotally, in a small number of cases, lecturers have reportedly used standardised responses for the entire cohort.

3.1.5 Do students understand grading criteria?11 3.1.5.1 In 2012 the grading system changed across the institution to grade-based assessment

(GBA). This has caused a considerable amount of confusion amongst students with over 40% of students surveyed in the Vice-President Education and Representation’s 2013/14 study stating that they were either “unsure” about or had not had GBA explained to them. The NSS 2013 highlighted that a number of students returned from a placement year in industry to an entirely different grading system.

3.1.5.2 Some students have also commented upon the perceived stigma attached to the naming of bands as “low/mid/high”: comments in the NSS 2013 imply that student morale is affected when they are told that their 2:1 is only a “low 2:1”. It has also been highlighted that “low 1st” covers 70-77% which is a significant range considering the achievement made to get that far.

3.1.5.3 Common to many universities, large numbers of design students raise concerns

regarding the objectivity of their marking in their NSS submissions, claiming that there are great variations in marks between different tutors. This suggests to that students are not always clear of the grading criteria. This may be linked to the change in grading system. While it is acknowledged that this is common across the sector it would be helpful to explore whether further clarity can be offered with the intention of reducing the frequency of comments in future.

3.1.6 Are students aware of the university rules on plagiarism?12

3.1.6.1 Students are made aware of the rules on plagiarism through a variety of methods, including course induction talks, in the Student Handbook (online), and some module documents available on the Virtual Learning Environment.

3.1.6.2 Our recent survey showed that 83% of students declared that they were aware of the University rules on plagiarism, which demonstrates that these procedures are working. However only 62% said that they knew where to find further details after induction, creating some concern about how students would access this information again. Part of this may be down to the fact that in the Student Handbook, plagiarism is grouped into the Academic Irregularities Policy, a term used predominantly by staff and academics.

3.1.6.3 The Union has some concerns regarding the understanding of plagiarism within the

international student community. In the period 1st January 2014 – 11th November 2014, just under one third (32.24%) of academic casework undertaken by the Union’s Information and Advice Service was brought forward by EU and Overseas students. This is compared to EU and overseas students making up just 11.53% of the overall student population at NTU. The Union is keen to work with the institution and partner organisations such as Nottingham Trent International College to ensure that international students are not unfairly disadvantaged in this respect.

11 Reference List items: 015, 016, 019, 020 12 Reference List items: 017, 021, 040, 044

14

3.1.6.4 The Students’ Union has recently undertaken a restructure of our Information and

Advice Centre (formerly Student Advice Centre) to ensure that the service is proactive, undertaking outreach work to support our members in a number of areas such as further education around academic irregularities.

3.1.7 How are students involved in the design of new programmes?13 3.1.7.1 New for academic year 2014/15, students are being invited to join Development and

Approval Groups. This is a paid opportunity, supported by staff in the Centre for Academic Development and Quality (CADQ). The Union is excited to see this opportunity offered to students and has been supporting CADQ in publicising it. We look forward to the opportunity to help shape the support for this new role, ensuring that students are seen as equal panel members.

13 Reference List items: 022

15

3.2 Learning opportunities

3.2.1 Do students feel that the staff are fully trained and qualified?14 3.2.1.1 Teaching always scores well in the National Student Survey, with students submitting

broadly complimentary comments about the passion and enthusiasm of their staff. Negative comments tend to be around staff not caring on a personal level, rather than their professional credentials.

“I have always found my lecturers enthusiastic and approachable. I want to thank them for all their support, as they are a credit to the university!” (Academic Studies in Education, NSS 2013) “I personally believe … staff are very well trained and have the right knowledge according to the course. Also when needed advice staff are always there to help.” (Accounting, NSS 2013)

3.2.1.2 The Students’ Union facilitates student-led teaching awards. The annual Outstanding

Teaching Awards has received great support from students. This year the Union’s officers have taken the decision to keep the nominations open all year to ensure that staff that only teach in the first semester are not disadvantaged.

3.2.2 Have students had the opportunity to feed back on lectures?15 3.2.2.1 Students have the opportunity to feedback through EvaSys regularly. This feedback

informs the annual reports for each School which are received by School Academic Standards Quality Committee (SASQC). When the Union requested information from EvaSys to inform this report, not all feedback was accessible due to anonymity. As a result our ability to understand how effectively this feedback is utilised by both parties has been a little limited.

3.2.2.2 Course Representatives have the opportunity to feedback on lectures in their Course

Committees. There is some promising practice emerging where University staff (often Learning and Teaching Coordinators) are working hand in hand with the Union to support Course Representatives in presenting what can be very sensitive feedback regarding lectures honestly and constructively. Analysing the reach of this feedback through the minutes which were made available to compile this report has been helpful. Continued access to the minutes would enable further analysis in future.

3.2.2.3 Encouragingly, a noticeable number of students completing the NSS stated that they felt

able to approach lecturers about their lectures suggesting that there are some positive and productive relationships between learners and academics at NTU.

14 Reference List items: 013, 014, 015, 016, 023 15 Reference List items: 011, 015, 016, 035

16

3.2.3 Do students see evidence of a link between research undertaken by lecturers and the content of the modules?16

3.2.3.1 Only 30% of the 872 students questioned were actually aware of any research being

undertaken by their lecturers. However, NTU is not a research-intensive university. 3.2.3.2 However of the students who were aware of the research undertaken by their lecturers,

83% said that they could see the link between that and the content of their modules. They cited examples such as “lecturers use own papers as examples and ask us to critically review/read/engage with them” and “my tutor was describing some research he was carry(sic) out at the moment, and just from that conversation our group learnt all about the equipment the university has available to use”. Whilst this is a small number, it is encouraging to see evidence that this is happening in some areas.

3.2.4 Do students believe that the learning resources are adequate?17 3.2.4.1 The University scores well in the NSS for learning resources and is still investing in

estates and technological capital. Students see the investment in the physical spaces they access and frequently comment on how impressed they are by the contemporary facilities provided.

3.2.4.2 Investment in the library comes up a lot in written feedback. 24/7 library facilities feature heavily in the positive open text comments on the NSS. These opening hours have recently been reviewed and reduced following analysis of usage statistics and discussion with the Library User Group. However, the changes have been unpopular with students. The University has responded quickly to the feedback raised in response to the changes and there is a clear intention to address the issue constructively.

3.2.4.3 Studio and workshop provision is diverse across NTU campuses and produces a range

of feedback. Many students speak about “limited opening hours”, particularly at weekends in the run up to assessment deadlines. Some of this discontent may come from the fact that students compare their access to that received by their peers in other disciplines, for whom 24/7 library facilities are available. The Union appreciates that studio and workshop spaces are a different facility which have a range of other requirements such as a technician’s presence to make the area safe. Architecture students are particularly concerned about this issue as they do not have their own dedicated studio space for the duration of the course, as offered by some comparable institutions.

3.2.4.4 The Information Services (IS) provision across campus, including access to specialist

software, is generally well received by students. Negative comments tend to focus upon access to computers in popular student study areas. There is perhaps a limit to how many computers can be put into each space. The Information Services department are keen to work with students to gather and action feedback, holding a fortnightly Information Services Student Committee attended by up to 20 student representatives from across the institution. This reflects an established student-focussed approach

16 Reference List items: 017 17 Reference List items: 009, 013, 014, 015, 016, 024

17

within the IS department. It would be useful for IS to include some of the changes made as a result of the committee in the University’s ‘You Said We Did’ initiative.

3.2.4.5 The Virtual Learning Environment (NOW) has also received a lot of investment from the institution, including an updated mobile version. It receives mixed reviews from students, with students tending to be more positive in survey responses than in person: in our recent survey, 95% of students described NOW as “user friendly” or “user friendly but some changes could be made”, whilst in focus groups for the University’s 21st Century University strategic review project, students have been less positive about the ease of navigating the system. The Union is confident that through its work for the 21st Century University project and the Information Services Student Committee, this provision will continue to improve.

3.2.4.6 The Union acknowledges that the University also undertakes a number of other

activities in regards to learning resources to improve the student experience at NTU. Students report receiving free materials for model making in Architecture, whilst other students in the School of Art & Design receive £100 pre-loaded onto their NTU Smartcard. Other courses have vital trips included in their course fees, or iPads provided to limit the impact of hidden course costs.

3.2.4.7 Student comments often refer to the University curriculum requiring group work as an

assessment method, yet physical facilities and study spaces are not always suited to this working style. This is something that the Union expects will be addressed through the 21st Century University project.

3.2.4.8 The Union would like to see the extension of free materials and degree show provision

to other design courses. It would also be advantageous for feasibility studies to be undertaken regarding the extension of later opening hours to studio/workshop spaces.

3.2.5 How are students involved in quality assurance processes at all levels?18 3.2.5.1 Students are involved in quality assurance processes at all levels in places across the

institution. In the past year, the University has made efforts to codify their ideals in the new Student Engagement chapter of the Quality Handbook. Some instances of excellent practice are emerging and the Union intends to share these through the work undertaken by the Student Engagement in Academic Representation (StEAR) steering group, a growing partnership between the Union and University.

3.2.5.2 Course level quality assurance is delegated from Academic Board to Course Committees, attended by student representatives. The Union prefers that these are elected representatives who are accountable to their peers however the terms of reference do not specify this and until now this has not been monitored by the Union.

3.2.5.3 At School level, quality assurance is delegated to School Academic Standards and

Quality Committee (SASQC) where student representation is not guaranteed and notably not included in the Student Engagement chapter of the Quality Handbook. In places, student representatives are beginning to be invited but this practice is

18 Reference List items: 003, 004, 012, 018, 025, 026, 035

18

inconsistent. Many Schools use School Forums to gather feedback from students who are happy to work with Deans and other high level staff, but these groups do not securely fit into the overall quality assurance structure, feeding into other executive committees instead (e.g. Student Executive Forum). The Union would encourage the practice of using elected representatives who are accountable to their fellow students rather than selected students for such School level roles.

3.2.5.4 At institution level, our elected officers sit on the panel for Periodic School Reviews and

on the highest-level meetings within the University’s quality assurance structure. NTSU would be keen to be further involved in the development of policy and academic enhancement, before it reaches these high-level meetings. The Union has strengthened the team that provides support to its officers on academic issues during the last 12 months and this will provide capacity for NTSU to take more initiative in this area.

3.2.5.5 Whilst students have a number of less formal routes through which to provide feedback

to various University managers (e.g. through the tutorial system, School Forum, the ‘You Said, We Did’ campaign), this feedback and the way in which it is actioned is difficult to track and therefore difficult to collate outcomes for reporting back to the student body. The Union would be keen to see students involved in quality assurance processes in a more consistent and systematic manner across the institution so that their impact can be monitored and measured.

3.2.6 How effective is student representation? How are they supported?19 3.2.6.1 Student representation was codified through a Joint Statement on student academic

representation, adopted in academic year 2011/12. It establishes the responsibilities of the representatives, the Union and the University. It is included as a supplement to the Quality Handbook and in the Students’ Union’s annual Course Leader Guide. It was written as a set of overarching principles that should be applied across the University. It has since been acknowledged that this is focussed at a high level and that academics across the institution could benefit from understanding in more detail the practical implications for them at a course level. This is a task that the steering group mentioned in 3.2.6.7 below is looking into.

3.2.6.2 The Union’s elected Vice-President Education produces a Course Leader Guide annually that is circulated through Deans of School and School Administration Managers. As well as the Joint Statement, this includes details for course leaders of the new Officer’s strategic priorities for the year ahead and an update on any changes to the provision. This year the Union launched “Opportunity Profiles” for the roles of Course and School Representative to better articulate the role and responsibilities involved from the outset. It is hoped that this will help improve retention of representatives throughout the year.

3.2.6.3 Student representation at course level is managed by the Union and supported by the University. Course Representatives are elected either online - through the Students’ Union online election tool - or through in-class elections facilitated by the relevant academic and later registered with the Students’ Union. This year 88 Course

19 Reference List items: 012, 027, 028, 035, 036

19

Representatives out of the 542 in post at the point of writing were elected online, a number that the Union hopes to increase in future. These elected individuals sit on Course Committees where they have the opportunity to provide feedback on their academic experience and contribute to course development. They should also receive annual reports including those from external examiners. The Students’ Union has a dedicated Course Representative Coordinator, a full-time member of staff, who is available to support elected representatives throughout the year (post created 2013/14). The Students’ Union is committed to ensuring that representatives are democratically elected so that they can be effectively held to account by their constituents and is working with the University to reduce the number of appointed ‘representatives’.

3.2.6.4 At school level, the Students’ Union holds elections for School Representatives, taken

from the existing cohort of Course Representatives on a one per year, per school basis. This ensures some continuity within the system and allows for further development of the most engaged representatives. School Representatives are tasked with working with their fellow Course Representatives to gather feedback and look for School-wide trends to address to the institution. This structure helps our elected sabbatical officers to efficiently gather feedback from the hundreds of course level representatives, and in turn the wider student body. School Representatives do not currently have an official University forum to feed into: they are not necessarily included in the membership of School Academic Standards and Quality Committees (SASQC) or even School Forums. This is a gap that the Union hopes to work with the University to fill.

3.2.6.5 Representatives of all levels are trained by the Students’ Union. These sessions increasingly involve members of the school level team who support teaching and learning or quality managers who are able to provide the students with real life examples of how student representation has improved the student experience in their sphere of influence, and demonstrate partnership working with the Union. Generally, Course Representatives are seen as more effective in the areas where they are supported by their lecturers and course leaders. In places, School-run training sessions have emerged that are not Union endorsed: the Union hopes to work with these Schools to ensure that the level of training and support offered to representatives is consistent across the institution.

3.2.6.6 Course leaders/members of school level management who have had bad experiences

with inactive Course Representatives sometimes choose to select their own set of “representatives” independent of the Students’ Union. The Union is concerned that these representatives will not receive the same level of support and are not encouraged to feed into the Union. The Union is working with these Schools to identify the problems that led to this state of affairs and hopefully address them fully so that the Schools can once again have confidence in the system. The Union has strengthened the team that provides support to academic representatives during the last 12 months and this will provide capacity for the Union to take more initiative in this area.

3.2.6.7 In 2013/14 the elected officers of the Students’ Union proposed the creation of an

oversight group to improve academic representation, a proposal that the University supported. The group for Student Engagement in Academic Representation (StEAR) is now in its infancy but demonstrates a tangible commitment from the institution to

20

partnership working. The Union is excited by the opportunity this provides to build a better picture of what shape student representation takes across the institution, utilising good practice to improve the overall effectiveness of the academic representative system.

3.2.7 Are there any case studies where the university has instigated a change in response to students’ views?20

3.2.7.1 At course level students seem happy that their views are heard and changes made

appropriately. Examples are frequently given in NSS open text responses and in other surveys, such as that recently carried out by the Students’ Union to support this submission:

“Our Research modules have been improved based on our feedback, such as more regular workshops for all students, instead of the workshop happening once per year for one particular year student only” (PhD, NTSU Student Submission Survey) “…as soon as the Dean received the feedback in the forum it was changed within the next two weeks.” (Health & Social Care, Course Rep Feedback)

3.2.7.2 At school level and most recently, the University responded to student views made

public through a range of social media channels and adjusted the Brackenhurst library opening hours within a week of this having been brought to their attention. This now includes provision before lectures begin and later into the evening.

3.2.7.3 At University level, the academic appeals procedure was revised based upon student

feedback. In 2011/12 the Union’s officers started to address an emerging mass of student concerns about the fairness of the procedures; there were concerns that limitations placed upon the acceptable evidence may disadvantage international students and that timeframes for appeals differed between Schools. The University responded positively and has amended the process improving the way these issues are addressed and the way students are supported during what can be a difficult and stressful time.

3.2.8 How does the university use evidence such as the National Student Survey scores to enhance its provision?21

3.2.8.1 In addition to evidence produced through the annual National Student Survey, the

University collects evidence on student evaluation of modules (at levels 4 and 5 only), and at course level at the end of the teaching year. This evidence is considered in annual reports at course and school level, which are in turn presented to Course Committees and School Academic Standards and Quality Committees (SASQC). Module evaluation data and resulting responses/actions are published on the relevant NOW (VLE) Learning Rooms.

20 Reference List items: 015, 016, 017, 035, 041 21 Reference List items: 018, 025, 035

21

3.2.8.2 In the School of Education, the Union’s officers have been invited to partake in groups analysing and working on such results with the Learning and Teaching Coordinator. The Union looks forward to taking part in this project and hopes this good practice will be emulated elsewhere in the future.

3.2.8.3 Student Academic Satisfaction Board oversees student satisfaction monitoring and

performance against key indicators of engagement and satisfaction. There is no student representation on this board. The Union would value participation on this board.

3.2.9 How do students find out about complaints and appeals procedures?22 3.2.9.1 Students tend to be informed about complaints and appeals procedures through

contact with a member of staff, normally a module administrator. Information can also be accessed on the University’s website when searched for.

3.2.9.2 Staff are informed of changes to such procedures through briefings open to all and held on all three campuses. The Union’s Information and Advice Service have dealt with a number of cases where students have not been able to access accurate information regarding this because their lecturers are unaware of the details. These concerns have been echoed in the NSS responses:

“Information regarding if you fail to submit work due to exceptional circumstances/special situations (i.e., if you are ill) isn't easily accessible and a lot of the staff I've spoken to about it only seem to have a basic understanding of the process, and knowing/finding out who to discuss it with is unclear.” (Psychology, NSS 2013)

3.2.10 How satisfied are students with the outcome and timescales of the above procedures?23 3.2.10.1 Following the changes to the appeals procedure discussed in 3.2.7.3, timescales are

now more clearly laid out in policy, although students struggle to locate this information.

3.2.11 How is employability embedded in the curriculum for students?24 3.2.11.1 Many courses have placements built in with students frequently commenting in NSS

free text comments on the preparation that this gave them for graduate employment and the links that many were able to make in their chosen industry before graduation. Similarly “in company” courses make education more accessible to students from a broader range of backgrounds.

3.2.11.2 Students on design-based courses are particularly appreciative of the live briefs they receive from industry that allow them to practice their skills for the real world:

“The opportunity to work with brands on projects are a great experience in terms of what to expect from a client brief when we go to work in industry. They also

22 Reference List items: 011, 013 23 Reference List items: 035 24 Reference List items: 015, 016

22

allows to actually present our ideas to those that have helped to set the brief, giving us a feel for professional presentations, and what it may be like to present in an actual workplace. I think this course really helps prepare you for the workplace.” (Design, NSS 2013)

3.2.11.3 In some courses students have been given credit-bearing employability modules as

part of their course. Where such modules are undertaken, student feedback suggests that they are most appreciated when they have a clear purpose and are timed so that the learning outcomes can be applied appropriately, for example prior to applying for placements.

3.2.11.4 Feedback from students in the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences

suggests that they would value a clearer application of their course content to a working environment:

“Also, I would have benefited more if some of the modules talked about the subject but in a working environment, like the field of job in that area, and how to use the knowledge or that subject in it.” (Agriculture, NSS 2013)

3.2.12 How satisfied are students with any careers service provided?25 3.2.12.1-The University offers an Employability service on all three campuses, covering

graduate jobs, part-time work, voluntary work and placements (through the dedicated ‘InPlace’ system).

3.2.12.2-The Employability team offer the Acceler8 Employability Award to provide formal

recognition for extracurricular activities. The number of students who can apply is limited to 600. The Students’ Union would like to see the capacity of this initiative increased. NTSU offers a similar employability award, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management.

3.2.12.3-Student feedback around the Employability service tends to relate to their ability to

support work placements and so is mixed according to individual experiences. Generally, students find the service “easy to contact” and students are impressed by their ability to deal with both placements and graduate roles.

3.2.12.4-The University’s Information Services team works with students by embracing

feedback to develop the service for future generations. The Union regard this as a model of good practice and the Employability Service may usefully employ some of these features to further improve its service to students.

3.2.13 How satisfied are disabled students?26 3.2.13.1-There is negligible variation in the overall student satisfaction scores between

disabled students and those with no known disabilities. The greatest positive variation comes in response to “staff have made the subject interesting”, where students with specific learning disabilities have provided an 87% satisfaction score, 4 percentage

25 Reference List items: 005, 015, 016, 024, 029 26 Reference List items: 013, 014, 015, 016

23

points higher than the institutional average. Open text comments from the NSS also provide some positive case studies where students with disabilities feel that NTU has provided them with the support that they needed to make the most of their experience:

“Nottingham Trent University is just the best university any disabled student could wish for. I have had a wonderful time at my course and the university as a whole. The environment is wheelchair friendly, as an individual, I get all the help I need. My course is great and I have the most educated, exposed, caring and understanding lectures. They are always ready to listen and offer their advice when needed. My course has broadened my perspective about the globalise world and international relations at large. I'm grateful I'm studying my course at NTU.” (Politics, NSS 2013) “I have had a lot of support and help, especially being an older student with children and also finding out in my first year I was dyslexic and being able to deal with and work around my difficulties.” (Biology, NSS 2013) “NTU is amazing at helping students with disabilities, mental health issues or other issues adversely affecting their studies.” (Chemistry, NSS 2013)

3.2.13.2-The satisfaction of students with disabilities varies from the rest of their cohort in a

small number of areas, predominantly those surrounding communication. Disabled students scored the institution between six and ten percent lower on “any changes in the course or teaching have been communicated effectively”. Those with non-learning related disabilities scored 6% lower than the institutional average for “I have received detailed comments on my work”. These results perhaps suggest that the University and individual academics should consider the methods of communication that they use for students with disabilities. Similarly satisfaction is lower for “the course has helped me to present myself with confidence” amongst students with non-learning disabilities, suggesting that this is an area that might be explored in future.

3.2.13.3-Students with non-learning related disabilities were 7% less satisfied with the advice and support that they received with their studies in the NSS 2014. This represents an eight percentage point decrease on satisfaction in 2013, when disabled students were actually more satisfied with this area than the rest of their cohort. Comments such as the below suggest that the University could do more to advertise the support available to disabled students amongst colleagues to help ensure that students are better signposted:

“I feel that throughout my time at Nottingham Trent I have not received sufficient help for my dyslexia, when I have tried to get support I have been pass(sic) around from department to department. When things that like happen it just make you give up and just try to do it on your own. Access to support need to be more straightforward.” (Design Studies, NSS 2013)

3.2.13.4-In 2014 students with disabilities were more satisfied with their Students’ Union than

their peers. The Union hopes to maintain this level of satisfaction with this traditionally hard to reach and underrepresented group.

24

3.2.13.5-Although beyond the scope of the QAA, the Union would like to note the good work undertaken by NTU Sports for promoting disabled sports and inclusion within the sporting offer here at NTU. As well as promoting specific disabled sports such as wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, they have also responded positively to student requests. In 2013/14 they worked to help a group of visually impaired students set up a “buddy system” to improve their accessibility to gym facilities.

3.2.14 How satisfied are international students? What welcome do they get from the university?27

3.2.14.1 The University works to promote intra-cultural opportunities through the use of

Global Lounges at the two largest campuses. Whilst designed to help students interested in opportunities to study and work abroad, in practice they have become an international student-facing space, holding cultural events and social activities predominantly attended by the international student community. Global Week is an annual event run in partnership between NTSU and NTU, a celebration of the cultural diversity of students here at NTU, encouraging students to share their culture and heritage with one another. Further development of the integration of home and international students will enhance the internationalisation at NTU.

3.2.14.2 An increasing number of international students enrolled at NTU are joining through

Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) after undertaking a University preparation course. This appears to create a safe and supportive environment for international students new to the United Kingdom. The Union is working to build links with NTIC – starting with academic representation – to help further with the transition into the main NTU community and hopefully increase integration with the home student community.

3.2.14.3 NTSU and NTU are currently working together to duplicate activities held during

Welcome Week during January’s scheduled “Give It A Go” Week to support the welcome of international and postgraduate students with January start dates. We hope this will be successful and well received by the international student community.

3.2.14.4 International students are also making themselves at home within NTSU, setting up a

range of cultural and faith societies, and making excellent use of our subsidised day trips and weekend breaks to a range of UK cities and landmarks. The Union is working to ensure that this traditionally underrepresented group has their voice heard in our democratic structures.

3.2.15 How useful is the university online provision?28 3.2.15.1 As discussed earlier, the Virtual Learning Environment (NOW) has also received a lot

of investment from the institution, including an updated mobile version. It receives mixed reviews from students, with students tending to be more positive in survey responses than in person: in our recent survey, only 5% of students considered NOW to be “not user friendly”. However, in focus groups for the University’s 21st Century University strategic review project, students have been quite critical about the ease of

27 Reference List items: 030, 031 28 Reference List items: 015, 016, 032, 033, 041

25

navigating the system, although this was a much smaller sample of students. The Union is confident that through its work for the 21st Century University project and the Information Services Student Committee, this provision will continue to improve.

3.2.15.2 Whilst timetable changes appear to be easily tracked using NOW, there is concern

regarding the frequency of changes in some areas, the notice given of changes, and the timing of distribution of timetables generally. The Student Charter states that students can expect to receive “notice of changes to timetables in reasonable time”. However, students only receive their timetable after they have enrolled, which for many is once they are on campus at the commencement of the academic year. This can have negative impacts on students who work or have caring responsibilities alongside their studies, with isolated incidences of students losing their paid employment as a result of not being able to provide their employers with notice of their availability. In a recent Union survey as part of our tri-campus Feedback Week, 81.2% of students expressed a desire to receive their timetables no later than one month before the start of the course. The Union is keen to ensure this is tackled. It regards this as an issue that is inconvenient for all but which causes particular disadvantage for non-traditional student groups.

3.2.15.3 Many courses utilise online functionality such as Dropbox for submission of work

throughout the year. This is particularly useful for distance learners and commuting students.

3.2.15.4 The recording of lectures to be shared online at a later date has been introduced in a

small number of areas and has been received very positively by students. The University facilities are more than capable of handling the student demand for this useful resource and the Union would be keen to see this practice extended.

3.2.15.5 Students frequently comment upon how easy it is to contact University staff online

with queries. Staff are often praised in NSS free text comments for their speed of response and willingness to help.

3.2.16 How satisfied are students who undertake work placements?29 3.2.16.1-A large number of courses at NTU offer work placements of varying lengths which are

very well received and a welcome addition to the portfolio of students, with some describing it as “the highlight of my university experience” (Business Studies, NSS 2013). Students also speak about such opportunities providing an important stepping-stone into graduate work. These opportunities are clearly signposted to students at the pre-application stage through the use of a dedicated tab on the course information pages of the website.

3.2.16.2-The University has also recently accepted the accreditation of study and/or

placements abroad in the form of an additional diploma. This is an interesting addition to the curriculum, which the Union hopes students will respond to positively.

3.2.16.3-Students’ feedback about the experience of finding work placements is very mixed,

even within courses, suggesting that this may come down to individual

29 Reference List items: 013, 014, 015, 016, 034

26

students/members of staff. Whilst some report receiving lots of help, other students were left to search alone and found it a real struggle, tarnishing their view of the institution as a whole. A minority felt pressured to find roles abroad and were uncomfortable with some elements of this process.

3.2.16.4-Course Representatives during 2013/14 reported a small number of incidents of poor

coordination between the institution and the placement provider. This often involved employers being requested to release students for a day to have a review appointment with a tutor, only to discover that the tutor did not keep the appointment.

3.2.17 Does your university have a document (student charter) that sets out mutual expectations? Are students aware of this?30

3.2.17.1-The University’s Vice-Chancellor and Students’ Union President are co-signatories on

a Student Charter, reviewed annually by both parties. This forms part of the Student Handbook, housed online. Students should be made aware of this during their induction. Further improvements could be secured by having a clear procedure for communicating updates to the handbook to returning students who will not receive a basic induction.

3.2.17.2 In our recent survey, only 21.58% of respondents knew of the existence of the Student

Charter. This is of some concern as there are core issues covered by the Charter that students have been greatly affected by, such as notice of timetable changes in ‘reasonable time’ - a very subjective measure (as discussed in 3.2.15.2). Alternatively another means could be explored by which mutual expectations of staff, the institution and the Union should be disseminated.

30 Reference List items: 017, 032, 040

27

3.3 Enhancement

3.3.1 How does the university listen to the student voice when considering enhancement?31 3.3.1.1 Executive Officers are invited to a number of high-level meetings within the

University’s governance structure. NTSU would be keen to be further involved in the development of academic enhancement. The Union has strengthened the team that provides support to its officers on academic issues during the last 12 months and this will provide capacity for the Union to take more initiative in this area.

3.3.1.2 At course level, proposals for curriculum development and enhancement should be

discussed at Course Committees. The Union is working hard with its elected Course Representatives in training to ensure that they are able to meaningfully contribute to such discussions.

3.3.1.3 At school level, School Academic Standards and Quality Committees (SASQC) play a key

role in the consideration of enhancement. Student representatives are invited to meetings in some Schools. It would be helpful to extend this practice more consistently. In particular, the Union is working with the University to encourage the practice of using elected representatives who are accountable to their fellow students rather than selected students for such School level roles.

3.3.1.4 At school level, instead of inviting student representatives to SASQC many have isolated

student membership to School Forums. Whist this provides another feedback channel for students and the Union is pleased that students have the opportunity to work directly with the Deans of School, enhancement is not the main purpose of these meetings.

3.3.1.5 At course and school level there seems to be a distrust of elected academic

representatives in isolated areas, with a tendency to select students to attend focus groups and forums rather than using elected representatives that are trained by the Union and accountable to their peers. The School Forums’ terms of reference provides one example of how this practice has become formalised:

5. Membership… 5.2 A representative group of students from the School: these will normally be

course representatives, but Schools may choose other recruitment systems (the process for recruiting student members will be transparent and communicated to students within the School).”

The Union is concerned that such statements undermine the mandate given to elected representatives at all levels by their constituents. The University and Union have now established a joint group working on Student Engagement in Academic Representation (StEAR) which is in its infancy but is hoped will close this gap by mapping the ways in which Schools capture the student voice and sharing good practice across the institution.

31 Reference List items: 003, 012, 015, 018, 035, 036

28

3.3.1.6 Anecdotal evidence captured in the open text comments from the NSS suggest that students generally feel that their voices are heard, particularly through the academic representative system.

3.3.2 How are students made aware of any changes or improvements to their educational experience?32

3.3.2.1 In our recent survey, respondents stated that they got most of their information on

changes to their experience from emails, the Virtual Learning Environment and in person from staff. The NTU Student Newsletter seems to be well read with students considering the information held within to be up-to-date.

3.3.2.2 Only 26% of respondents claimed to be aware of a change to their academic experience. They tend to give examples focussing on physical changes around campus to the facilities that they use.

3.3.2.3 Of the students who expressed a concern about their academic experience, particular

concern was expressed about changes made mid-course:

“In the final year, a lot of changes were made, particularly regarding our dissertation/research project. Some of the tutors seemed to be unclear about what was needed/expected. This also happened in other modules and there was often a long wait for responses to simple questions. A lot of the assignments felt disorganised and it seemed that criteria hadn't been made very clear.” (Business Studies, NSS 2013)

“Changes were made to the course whilst we have been studying here; we were not involved in these changes or kept in the loop enough about what was happening.” (Initial Teacher Training, NSS 2013)

3.3.3 Are students aware of an ethos of continual improvement in the university?33 3.3.3.1 In our recent survey, 30% of respondents felt that NTU are continually improving the

student experience, with a further 58% acknowledging that they see attempts to improve their experience in places.

3.3.3.2 Comments gathered through our research regarding improvements tend to focus upon

technological and physical facilities - tangible improvements - with students being happy to see the University invest in these areas. Whilst it may be difficult to compete with multi-million pound developments on campus, the University could do more to communicate changes to the academic learning experience so that students are aware of the continual work undertaken in quality assurance and enhancement.

32 Reference List items: 015, 017 33 Reference List items: 017

29

3.4 Public information

3.4.1 How user-friendly and up to date is the website/information provided to students?34 3.4.1.1 Only a handful of respondents (19 of the 872) thought the website was not user

friendly in our survey. 51% still thought improvements could be made but would still characterise it as user-friendly. Statistics are similar for the up to date nature of the information presented on the website.

3.4.1.2 Over half of the respondents who stated that they were aware of changes at NTU said

that they had heard about these through the Student Newsletter, www.ntu.ac.uk, or on the Virtual Learning Environment, demonstrating that the University uses its online channels well to communicate information to students. As mentioned in 3.3.3.2, the University could do more to communicate changes to the academic learning experience so that students are aware of the continual work undertaken in quality assurance and enhancement, as well as physical developments.

3.4.2 Is it accurate?35 3.4.2.1 We also asked students about the accuracy of the information they received from the

NTU website in the pre-application stage: 93% of respondents reported that the information they were given at this stage either “exactly” or “mostly” matches their experience of the course now that they have undertaken study at NTU.

3.4.2.2 Timetables are often altered after release. Whilst in the Student Charter the University

states that students can expect to receive “notice of changes to timetables in reasonable time”, student comments suggest that they find this unacceptable given the late release of timetable information. Students only receive their timetable after they have enrolled which, for many, is once they are on campus at the commencement of the academic year. However in a recent Union survey as part of our tri-campus Feedback Week, 81.2% of students expressed a desire to receive their timetables no later than one month before the start of the course.

3.4.3 What language support do international students get?36

3.4.3.1 Our partner institution, Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), a joint venture with Kaplan, provide university preparation courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. These courses guarantee students a place on a NTU course if they pass the NTIC course, including the relevant language qualification. These courses are at an additional cost to the student. Given the disproportionate number of international students accessing Union support through our Information and Advice Service, discussed in point 3.1.6.3, more could be done to ensure that students take up the considerable opportunities for further language development.

3.4.3.2 The NTU Language Centre offers Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP)

courses at an additional cost. These courses range from 6 weeks to 30 weeks in

34 Reference List items: 017 35 Reference List items: 017, 033, 041 36 Reference List items: 013, 014, 015, 016, 021

30

duration and are highly recommended to students who have already passed the required language requirements, as well as those who are still working towards the necessary exams. The additional cost of these courses can present a barrier to some international students who have already passed the language exams and therefore do not need to attend.

3.4.3.3 The NTU Language Centre also offers Academic English classes throughout the year for

free to students who have already met the language criteria and are in-session on a course at NTU. Individual tutorial support for topics such as referencing is only offered to those students who regularly attend the English Support classes. This provision has not yet reached the Brackenhurst campus and does not appear to be very well known amongst students. Whilst there are inevitably resourcing implications attached, the Union would like to see more students benefiting from these classes and individual tutorial support.

3.4.3.4 The University Language Programme, although primarily designed to delivery foreign

language provision to home students as part of their studies, also offers credit-bearing courses in Business English and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses at a discounted rate to NTU students. These courses are open to staff and the general public as well.

3.4.3.5 Home students express concerns about the level of English language used by their

international counterparts, with anecdotal evidence coming through both NSS open text comments and feedback from elected Course Representatives, that home students are used to provide unexpectedly high levels of peer support to their international colleagues where there is lots of assessed presentation or group work. Whilst peer support obviously plays a role for non native-speakers of English studying at a British institution, it is worrying that home students express concern that their own grades may suffer. This perhaps shows a lack of understanding of how group work is marked in areas.

31

Conclusion

1. Briefly summarise the key student views

The partnership between the University and Union is in good health and continues to grow.

Significant steps have been taken since the last audit, particularly in regards improving

assessment feedback, resulting in a better than average NSS score in this area. Disseminating best practice consistently across the institution would bring about further improvements.

Graduate employment prospects are good, highlighting the University’s commitment to embedding employability in the curriculum. However this is not consistent across all Schools and remains a key area of student concern.

The commitment to facilitating student involvement in University decision-making has

progressed significantly in recent years. The Union is keen to be engaged in further improvements in course and school level representation and is confident that this can now be addressed through the strengthened partnership with NTU.

2. How has the student submission been shared with fellow students? Timescales for submission have not allowed for widespread sharing and democratic approval ahead of submission. However, the document will be made available to students and their comments can be accessed by the review team upon request.

3. Summarise any recommendations

NTU should ensure that the quality of the student experience across campuses and Schools is consistent, particularly in reference to academic representation and provision of facilities and resources.

The Union is keen that its representative role is acknowledged at all levels of the academic structure and that progress since the last audit is further developed.

32

Reference List 001 Student Submission

002 NTSU Strategic Research 2013/14

003 NTU Governance Structure (colour-coded)

004 NTU Quality Handbook Section 1 - Academic quality governance

005 Proof of ILM Accredited Award

006 Instrument of Government of Nottingham Trent University

007 NTSU Union Guide 2014

008 NTU Task & Finish Group on Enhancing the Experience of Non-traditional Students:

Draft minutes from first and second meetings

009 NTU You Said We Did campaign site

010 NTU Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2015 webpage

011 Example EvaSys Feedback: Leadership & Employability - Economics

012 NTU Quality Handbook Supplement 8B - Student Engagement and Academic

Representation steering group

013 National Student Survey Data 2013

014 National Student Survey Data 2014

015 National Student Survey Verbatim Comments 2013

016 National Student Survey Verbatim Comments 2014

017 NTSU Student Submission Survey Results

018 NTU Quality Handbook Supplement 1B - Course Committees: Terms of Reference

019 NTSU VPEd Feedback Survey 2013-14

020 NTU Grading Scheme for Undergraduate Courses

021 NTSU Information and Advice Service statistics: fees status against issue

022 NTU Quality Handbook Section 5 – Course development and approval

023 NTSU Outstanding Teaching Awards Programme 2014

024 NTU Information Services Student Committee flier

025 NTU Quality Handbook Section 8 – Student Engagement

026 NTU Quality Handbook Section 7 – Periodic School Reviews

027 NTU Quality Handbook Supplement 8A – Joint Statement on student academic

representation

028 NTSU Course Leader Guide to Academic Representation

33

029 NTU Employability service web pages

030 NTU Global Lounge web pages

031 NTU Global Week web pages

032 NTU Student Charter

033 NTSU Feedback Week Timetables Feedback

034 Example NTU Course information web page with placements tab

035 NTU Quality Handbook Section 17B - Academic Appeals Procedure

036 NTU Quality Handbook Supplement 8C - School Forum: Terms of Reference

037 External Examiners reports discussed at Course Committees: NTSU Tracking

038 National Student Survey Data - Disabled Students Analysis

039 NTU Student Executive Forum: Terms of Reference

040 NTU Student Handbook

041 ZenDesk Feedback

042 NTSU 21st Century University Project Briefing

043 Example GBA Marking Grid

044 NTU 2013 Annual Report

All documents can also be found at www.trentstudents.org/StudentSubmission