QAA publishes student report on value for money

QAA's Student Strategic Advisory Committee (SSAC) has published a report on student perceptions of value for money in higher education.

Based on a survey of 48 current students and recent graduates, the study found that the primary value-for-money concerns expressed by respondents related to teaching quality and resources, and employment outcomes.

The report emphasises that students care about teaching excellence and want current, industry-relevant content delivered by lecturers, rather than an over-reliance on self-study with poor, or inaccessible, support.

The research also highlighted the fact that students want to develop skills that are transferable to a range of careers – noting that if a degree is unable to support them into employment it has a perceived lower value for money.

It goes on to observe that student perceptions of value also involve the quality of the support services and facilities which institutions provide.

The SSAC report recommends the creation of a single, co-produced definition of value for money to be used in policy development and quality assurance. It also recommends that government policy should support universities to be able to deliver the value that students want in terms of the quality of teaching, support services and facilities.

It adds that engagement is closely linked to accessing the full value of opportunities available as part of the student experience, and argues that universities should therefore focus on ensuring that access and engagement is equitable for all student groups.

The report's co-author Emily Bastable said:

"As universities ready to welcome another cohort of students, we must ensure that every student has equitable access to quality teaching and learning. In our research we have found that students are highly concerned about being able to access all the opportunities available to them while at university, and graduate into relevant and skilled employment.

"We call on the Department for Education and the Office for Students to work with current students, and key organisations such as QAA to create a single, co-produced definition of value for money to be used in policy creation and quality assurance."