National Student Survey 2020

News | Posted on Thursday 16 July 2020

We’re delighted to learn that our chemistry students rated their learning experience highly in the National Student Survey, and are some of the happiest in the UK.

The Department of Chemistry has received 91% for 'Overall Satisfaction' in the 2020 National Student Survey (NSS). The Department placed first out of the surveyed Russell Group universities in six of the eight individual areas:

  • Teaching on my Course
  • Learning Opportunities
  • Academic Support
  • Organisation and Management
  • Learning Support
  • Learning Community

Head of Department, Professor Duncan Bruce said: "We really believe that the Department of Chemistry in York is a unique learning community in which staff and students work together at the frontiers of the subject. We are delighted to see that our students value this rather special environment, appreciate the learning opportunities and resources we provide, and rate our teaching as some of the very best in the country."

The NSS is a nationwide survey of final-year students in higher and further education that encourages them to give honest feedback about a variety of aspects of their university experience, including their department and course. This helps prospective students to make informed choices and also influences real change in future students’ experiences, from institution-level to course-level.

As a whole, the University of York scored 85.39% for 'Overall Satisfaction', which sits above the national average of 82.65%. Of the Russell Group universities included in the survey, the results position York as first for 'Academic Support' and 'Learning Opportunities', and second for 'Teaching on my Course'.