Students happier with universities in the Midlands
Universities in the Midlands are improving – including Staffordshire which has risen 14 places in a table for student experience, a new survey revealed today.
Staffordshire University is ranked 60th out of a total of 102 in the country for student satisfaction according to figures released by the Times Higher Education magazine. It is up from 74th last year.
The University of Wolverhampton is ranked 88th, up from 97th last year.
The survey also showed that the University of Birmingham is the highest-ranked university in the West Midlands again.
This year it finished in joint 11th position, up from 13th place last year. Birmingham City University received the ninth best score overall for the most improved university.
It ranked at number 82 this year, up from 94 last year.
Today education chiefs in Wolverhampton insisted that the recent investment in facilities – with further revamp works in the pipeline – would help lead to further improvements.
James Allen, spokesman for the University of Wolverhampton, said: "Providing a great student experience is one of the key priorities of the University of Wolverhampton.
"The university has invested in new facilities over the last 12 months, which came on the back of a massive campus improvement scheme in recent years.
"During the summer we made further improvements to the students' union facilities at both the city and Walsall campuses as well as social and learning spaces right across the university.
"Added to that we recently announced a further investment in a new science centre and a proposed new business school building in the city centre as well as a new multi-area sports pitch.
"We know, from more detailed surveys that are carried out during the year, that satisfaction rates among our students continue to improve and it's important we keep listening and working with students to deliver the best experience possible."
The only university in the region to drop in the survey was Aston which was ranked at number 86 down from 63 last year. Top of the list for experience was the University of East Anglia.
More than 12,000 full-time undergraduates were asked to rate their university in 21 categories, including quality of staff, lectures, social life and accommodation.
John Gill, Times Higher Education editor, said: "With the Government's higher education reforms ramping up levels of competition in the sector, improving the student experience has never been a greater priority for universities."
