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Positive student experience at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ sees university rise higher

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has climbed significantly in an influential league table which is compiled purely on feedback from students.

The Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2018 has seen º£½ÇÖ±²¥ rise to 15 out of 126 higher education institutions in the University of the Year category, climbing 51 places on 2017. The University’s facilities and support services also performed particularly well.

Student support services rose 33 places to 7 while the facilities were also rated amongst the best in the country, rising 11 places to 7.

Positive feedback from students also ranked º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Students’ Union at 9, climbing two places from last year’s survey.

In addition, º£½ÇÖ±²¥ was shortlisted for awards in three categories, University Facilities, Student Support and Students’ Union.

The Whatuni Student Choice Awards and tables are compiled purely from feedback from university students and in total over 36,000 students across the country have contributed to the process.

Professor Paul Croney, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of º£½ÇÖ±²¥, said: 'It is extremely encouraging to see º£½ÇÖ±²¥ placed so highly in a number of categories within the Whatuni Student Choice Awards.

'We are committed to providing the very best student and learning experience and the fact that these rankings are based solely on feedback from students demonstrates that people studying at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ are extremely positive about the experience they have here.'

Professor Mark Simpson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, added: 'º£½ÇÖ±²¥ is a fantastic place to study and we are delighted to see so many positive results from the Whatuni Student Choice Awards.

'The University places its students at the heart of everything it does and there is a continuous drive to create an inspirational and stimulating learning culture which provides the facilities, technologies and support for effective learning and development.'

Amy Preston, President Activities at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Students’ Union, said: 'It is another fantastic endorsement of both the Students’ Union and the University from the people who matter most – the students.

'It is clear that a large majority of those who completed the survey feel we are providing the services, support, facilities and events they want and need and that is great to see.'

Earlier this year º£½ÇÖ±²¥ climbed 24 places in the The Times Higher Education (THE) Student Experience Survey 2018, rising to 34 in the table.

It builds on additional national league table success which saw º£½ÇÖ±²¥ rise nine places in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018 and last year’s Guardian University Guide saw º£½ÇÖ±²¥ move up 23 places to 79th, one of the highest climbers.

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has invested heavily in its campus in recent years as part of its commitment to providing the best possible student and learning experience. The University recently announced its £300m Campus Masterplan which provides a blueprint for how the University campus will develop over the next ten years.

Upcoming projects include a £12.5m Student Life Building to bring all student facing services together in one location, significant transformation of student accommodation, the first phase of developing a new home for º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Business School, and the £22m National Horizons Centre, a biomedical research, education and skills facility at the University’s Darlington campus.

• Student experience
• campus masterplan