Students have awarded the overall student experience at Victoria an “A,” but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Victoria has recently released the results of its Student Experience Improvement Survey which it conducted in April and May this year. The survey aimed to give the university an opportunity to hear the ‘student voice’ in order to further understand students’ perceptions of the services the university provides.
Overall, 80 per cent of survey respondents rated all services and facilities at Victoria as ‘good’ or ‘very good.’ Students identified services that supported studying and living as the best performing and service areas, and services that supported enrolling and getting started as the services which need the most improvement.
However, there appears to be a disparity between students in taught courses and those engaged in research-based courses. The survey found “Research students appear to be somewhat dissatisfied with Faculty-based services.”
In terms of services and facilities that help students’ studies, the library was the big winner. Both students in taught courses, as well as research students, rated the library as the service that contributes most positively to their studies. Of taught students, 88 per cent were happy with the library resources and 86 per cent were happy with the library services.
Student computing services were also acknowledged to be of high value to students and their studies. However, 27 per cent of taught students also believed this to be the study-related service which needs the most improvement.
The survey found that the timeliness of information was a big issue for students and one that the university is underperforming in. In terms of enrolment, only 64 per cent of students were happy with the timeliness of communication over enrolment details.
Students also rated timely feedback on assignments as one of the most important features in helping their studies. However, alarmingly, only 47 per cent rated the timeliness of this feedback as ‘good’ or ‘very good.’
Communication of information with students was also found to be a particularly troublesome area. Students reported difficulty in finding information or the right person to talk to and generally lack confidence that information will be consistent across sources. Students also believe the University web site is targeted more towards prospective students than current students.
The survey also looked at the services provided which enhance student life at Victoria. vicbooks, Student Health Services, and cafes and food on campus were rated the most important in this regard. It was also the cafe and food services on campus which were judged most in need of improvement in this area.
Interestingly, in light of VSM, only 5 per cent of students saw services provided by the students’ association as the most important services on campus.
The survey results also included the university’s plans to improve in the areas identified by students—including the improvement of online information , research into what first-year students value at university, and the development of computing services.
The survey had 4150 respondents, all of whom are current students, and about 22 per cent of the student population at Victoria.