At UCLan Students’ Union, we believe that the investment that students make in their education, both financially and mentally should be taken seriously, and that students should feel that they receive good value for money when it comes to their academic experience.
The discussion of value for money in university education has been a hot topic for years. However, the conversation deepened during the Corona Virus pandemic. Students were dissatisfied that the blended learning method was value for money. As ‘just over a quarter (27%) of the 10,000 full-time undergraduate students studying in the UK who responded to the Survey felt that they have received ‘good or very good’ value, reversing the improving trend recorded between 2017 and 2019. Forty-four per cent of students report ‘poor or very poor’ value – a significant leap from the 29% of students with that perception in 2019, reflecting the major upheaval in their academic experience over the past year.’ (Higher Education Policy Institute, 2021). UCLan states on their website that value for money is defined as ‘the most advantageous combination of cost, quality and sustainability to meet student and stakeholder requirements.’ UCLan believes that they create value for students through providing:
- An innovative teaching and learning environment
- Industry links, work experience opportunities and graduate employability
- Second-to-none student support and engagement
- Sound corporate governance and management
- Travel opportunities and being part of a university with global connections
- A contribution to our local communities through strong external engagement
UCLan is a proud widening participation university, meaning that you as students will have a variety of definitions and indicators that determine whether you believe that you are receiving good value for money. Since the pandemic, you may have found further indicators or realigned your views on what good value for money in terms of your course and wider academic experience at UCLan looks like. In short, we need to know what ‘good value for money’ means to you so that we can work with the University to make sure that they know what their students want and that their priority is that students get it!
Your Vice President Education 2021-2022, Usman Kasaba said:
‘With the increased (and soon to be increasing) price of education, it is imperative that while students are at UCLan, they feel that they are getting their money’s worth. The past few years have been difficult for students and it is important we hear from students about how they feel about the quality of education they are receiving and what can be made better.’
For us to help you, we need to know:
- How you would define good value for money when it comes to your education.
- What factors you consider a priority in your assessment of good value for money.
- Where you believe your investment in your education should be spent.
- How informed and prepared you were for the costs of being a student at university.
- How you want the university to inform you about their activities so you can make an informed assessment about whether you received value for money from your academic experience.
- Whether you believe you receive good value for money on your course and in your university academic experience.