Published:
Overall student satisfaction levels at Heriot-Watt were in the top ten UK universities for five subjects according to an annual study published today.
The National Student Survey 2022 (NSS), which gives the opportunity for final year students in the UK to give feedback about what it has been like to study on their course at university or college, found that Heriot-Watt has been ranked in 107th place out of 123 UK universities and 16th in Scotland for the overall student experience.
Though the rankings have dropped for Heriot-Watt, the University was placed in the top ten for overall satisfaction in four subjects including Chemical Engineering, Planning (Urban, Rural and Regional) and Statistics.
And were also placed in the UK top ten for Average % Agree in Statistics.
Heriot-Watt achieved 1st in Scotland for Overall Satisfaction and Average % Agree in four subjects: including Planning (Urban, Rural and Regional) and Statistics – up from three subjects last year.
Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University said the University would learn from the survey results adding:
“The drop in results is hugely disappointing, and it is not where we wish our University student satisfaction ranking to be, nor where it should be.
“We must also recognise that this has been another exceptionally tough year for all students as they cope with the impact of the pandemic, the severe cost of living increases, and ongoing national industrial action. These issues have no doubt influenced student experiences in some way or another but do not diminish the fact that today's poor results provide us with important learnings to make improvements to our student experience going forward.
“I am grateful to those students who took part in the survey, and my thanks go to all staff who have invested so much in every aspect of student life at our University.”
Nearly half a million students across the UK are invited to take part in the National Student Survey (NSS) every year.
The survey is a key component of the quality assurance and wider regulatory landscape in UK higher education. The NSS 2022 results are available to view online with responses taken from full-time degree students.