National Student Survey 2008 Results

National survey results for full-time students have again placed Aberystwyth University Number 1 in Wales for Student Satisfaction. This is just one of the results of the National Student Survey 2008, which had over 12000 students in Wales and 207000 students in the UK overall taking part in the survey.

The National Student Survey has been running annually since 2005. It is a survey of mostly final year undergraduates in the UK, with the main purpose to help inform the choices of prospective higher education students about where and what to study.

Overall satisfaction at Aberystwyth University remains high at 90%, the same as last year, though Aberystwyth University has improved since last year in students' scores concerning: -

*        The teaching on my course,
*        Academic support,
*        Learning resources, and
*        Overall satisfaction

In addition to Aberystwyth's high overall position as a university, many of the subjects taught at Aberystwyth University to full-time first degree students have achieved the top marks in the UK.

TOP - Aberystwyth’s Sports Science is rated with the highest Overall Satisfaction results in relation to all the other institutions ranked in the National Student Survey 2008, scoring well above other UK universities offering Sports Science such as Exeter, Bangor, Birmingham and Swansea.

TOP – Aberystwyth’s Agriculture is rated equal top with Harper Adams University College, well above Agriculture at other UK universities such as Newcastle University and the Royal Agricultural College.

TOP - Physical Geography and Environmental Science scores highest for Overall Satisfaction, easily beating UK universities where the subjects are taught such as Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor and even Oxford.

TOP – Human and Social Geography is rated equal top in the UK with Exeter University for student satisfaction, well above Cambridge University.

TOP - Zoology at Aberystwyth has also received one of the highest ratings in UK satisfaction, sharing equal top position with the subject at Glasgow and Leeds, above Cardiff, Bristol and Durham.

The other subjects at Aberystwyth that have done very well in relation to student satisfaction compared to the other universities in the UK are: -
*        Fine Art,
*        Computer Science,
*        Biology,
*        Politics,
*        Drama,
*        Cinematics and Photography,
*        Economics,
*        Information Services,
*        History,
*        English,
*        Law and
*        Business Studies

Professor Aled Jones, Pro Vice Chancellor at Aberystwyth University said:
“We are delighted that our students have once again, this year, acknowledged the safe, beautiful and welcoming atmosphere of Aberystwyth, the distinction and commitment of its staff, the exciting academic courses and the wonderfully friendly community spirit that makes studying at Aberystwyth such a memorable and rewarding experience for students from all over the world.

“We have always been near the top of every student satisfaction survey to date, but to have done so well again as the best in Wales, is a matter of the greatest pride for us all. At the same time, our aim is to continue to improve the student experience here in every respect. Our students, and those who'll join them here in the future, now know that they really are enjoying the best student environment that the UK can offer”, he added.