Student Academic Experience Survey report 2018

More than 14 000 students took part in the SAES an annual survey that began in 2006 and has been recording the views of students about their academic experience and their attitudes towards policy issues that impact upon them. The SAES offers insights and commentary and is widely quoted and used to inform policy and practice in higher education in the UK. 
 
Among the highlights this year’s survey reveals:

• 38% of students in the UK perceive ‘good or very good’ value from their course. This is a three percentage point improvement over last year’s survey and reverses a five-year downward trend. 
• Fewer students studying in the UK 32% perceive ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ value when compared with 34% in 2017. 
• In particular there is a clear statistically significant improvement among students from England representing the largest number of students where 35% report ‘good’ or ‘very good’ value. 
• There has been an improvement (though not statistically significant) among students domiciled in Scotland where 60% of students surveyed perceive ‘good’ or ‘very good’ value while students from Wales and EU students studying in the UK report similar perceptions of value as last year 48% and 47% respectively. Perceptions of value in Northern Ireland remain in decline – albeit not statistically significant.
• Students at institutions which secured a Gold award in the Teaching Excellence Framework are more likely to have received good value; but there is no noticeable difference on this measure between Silver and Bronze-rated institutions.