The results of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022, commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS) have been published, with The Open University (OU) ranking sixth amongst 175 participating degree-awarding providers.
The OU achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 86% across the UK, which remains well above the sector average of 74%.
As the only institution in the survey to operate across the whole of the UK, the OU also performed well across the neighbouring UK countries, achieving first place in both Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The first place in Northern Ireland (amongst 5 participating universities) is a position the OU has held for 18 consecutive years, with an overall satisfaction result of 88%. The ranking of first place in Scotland is a first for the OU, alongside the University of St Andrews (amongst 19 participating universities), with an overall satisfaction result of 90%.
The OU has continued to perform extremely well for its teaching and learning offer, with 84% of students satisfied with the teaching on their course and 83% with their assessment and feedback they receive.
Dr Liz Marr, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students), commented:
“The results of the latest National Student Survey (NSS) were once again particularly hard to predict, in a year that has continued to present so many challenges for our whole OU community. I am therefore extremely pleased to see that the OU has continued to perform exceptionally well across all four nations of the UK, with us being ranked 6th overall and first for satisfaction in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The sheer dedication, commitment and hard work of all our staff has been critical to delivering the study experience and outstanding support that our students have once again told us is among the very best in the sector”.
Sarah Jones, President of the OU Students Association, added:
“The past year has continued to present real challenges for our students and the university, but I am reassured by the OU’s commitment to listening to our needs, in order to deliver the best study experience for us all. The OU Students Association enjoys a positive partnership with the University and we will continue to work collaboratively together for the benefit of all OU students”.
What is the National Student Survey?
The NSS is an annual survey of almost half a million students final-year undergraduates studying for higher education qualifications at publicly funded higher education institutions (HEIs) and further education colleges (FECs) in England and Wales, and HEIs in Northern Ireland and Scotland. The survey consists of 27 questions, which relate to aspects of the student experience – teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, learning community, student voice and overall satisfaction.
Find out more
For further questions, please contact the Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Students) office: PVCS-Engagement@open.ac.uk
*The analysis in this article was carried out by the OU’s Data & Student Analytics team. A more in-depth analysis of the results will be available in due course.
