Have your say: your feedback matters - Current students

You and your fellow students are the only ones who know what it is like to study on your course; this is why your feedback is important.

All the feedback we receive through our surveys, whether it’s something you think we’ve done well or an area you think we need to do more work on, helps us to improve the student experience across the University.

This is your opportunity for your voice to be heard – get involved and make a difference. We’ve already made changes, large and small, to help improve your University experience. Take a look at some of our collective achievements since the last student surveys.

#HaveYourSayStaffs

How your feedback from last year's survey has improved the student experience

“We need more computer lab spaces, faster PCs and a quicker, more reliable network.”

We’ve created a new open lab space, purchased over 400 new PCs now located across all sites, and have upgraded the wireless network to increase speed and coverage across campus.

“We need quicker access to our support and wellbeing services, to make it easier to seek help when we need it the most.”

We’ve introduced a new central ‘Front Door’ for student support, reducing waiting times and bringing together your support services to ensure you get the best experience.

“We want more ‘Go-Abroad’ opportunities, and the chance to visit, work and study in more destinations.”

Your Careers and Placements team have added trips to Nepal, Morocco, Sri Lanka and new European countries, and have also launched new internships in Vietnam!

“We would prefer to come in on days with a full schedule, rather than attend one or two sessions a day.”

We’re being more strategic with timetabling to condense your time on campus, where possible, so you can plan your work, commutes and care commitments to be more organised and time effective.

“We want a better range of industry standard equipment, resources and software to use in our projects.”

We’ve invested in upgraded equipment including a new materials testing system, an industry-standard milling machine, and a larger-format resin 3D printer, enhancing your learning experience and expanding what’s possible in your projects.

How your feedback has improved how we deliver our courses

Art and Design

“We want more opportunities to sell our work and more events like Stoke CON Trent.”

We set up StART – a lively and interactive sellers fair that runs during University Open Days, allowing you to demonstrate your skills and sell your work.

Biomedical Science

“We want more placement opportunities across the ‘sciences’ sector.”

We’ve created placements at new locations including Alderley Park Science Village to enhance your employability prospects.

Biomedical Science Apprenticeship

“We need more time between formative and summative assessment submissions, so we can better use any feedback received.”

We’ve designed modules to have earlier formative assessment windows and will be providing verbal feedback to help you enhance your drafts.

Computing

“We want more opportunities to engage with relevant industries.”

We’ve worked with TechSkills to introduce hackathons, guest speakers, and interview skills development sessions, and have increased your exposure to industry practice and practitioner advice.

Criminology

“We want the marking criteria to always be available to us.”

We’ve linked the marking criteria to the assessment briefs, so they are easier for you to find, with everything in one place.

Education, Children and Teaching

“We need more visibility and increased access to the support that is available to us, and more time to complete group tasks.”

We’ve introduced a slide at the end of all presentations that highlights key support links, and have provided more time for your group tasks.

Engineering

“We would like to go on more trips to relevant industries.”

We have organised visits to GE, BMW Mini, Airbus, and Fuchs Olis, giving you the chance to see industry in practice.

Esports

“We want more external events and internal activities, with opportunities for all students to get involved.”

We’ve increased the number of external events taking place such as Evil Geniuses - Call of Duty, Halo, and E6, and internal activities such as Riot Play and society event support, ensuring that roles are offered out fairly to all students that apply.

Film and Media

“We need more high-spec production equipment that mirrors current industry practices.”

We’ve purchased £170k of new portable production equipment, including six Sony FX6 cameras, additional lighting, gimbles, and audio recorders.

Forensic Science

“We need more job and placement opportunities across forensic science and forensic investigation, and more general sciences.”

We’ve introduced a careers page on each Blackboard module shell and have created student internship posts via the student placement officer scheme.

Games

“We want more ways to showcase our work, on campus and online.”

We built the Flaxman Arcade - a space to showcase student games. We’ve also installed 50 frames in Cadman for displaying artwork, and students can now submit their work to be spotlighted on our Instagram and TikTok accounts.

Health and Social Care

“We need more practical sessions and extra help to prepare for employment once we have graduated.”

We’re working with our Service Users and Carers to develop bespoke simulation sessions and have introduced interview technique and CV writing sessions to help you develop key skills in gaining employment.

Law

“We need more bespoke IT and Library resources to support our learning.”

We’ve embedded IT and Library skills into the teaching of key modules and placed reminders on Blackboard about the bespoke support available, as well as signposts to external legal database accreditations.

Midwifery

“We want more face-to-face teaching, and additional support for our practical examinations.”

We’ve added more face-to-face sessions to the timetable and have arranged peer learning sessions for students to share their experiences with each other.

Music and Sound

“We need more time between the start of the project and the deadline, to enable us to fully develop our research ideas.”

We’ve moved the research project deadline to later in the year, giving you more time develop your ideas.

Nursing

“We want a broader range of topics in our modules and think some subjects could be more engaging.”

We’ve expanded knowledge topics, introduced a wider use of flipped classroom and gamification in your sessions, and have enhanced problem-based learning and table-top simulations.

Operating Department Practice

“Practice educators are not always consistent in their expectations of students out on placement.”

We’ve created an updated training package for our practice educators to support them throughout your placement, making everything more consistent and ensuring you get a better experience all round.

Paramedic Science

“We would like our assessments to be more spaced out so we find them less stressful.”

We’ve reviewed the assessment schedule and spread out the assessment deadlines as much as possible.

Policing and Investigation

“We want sessions to be more engaging, with clear links to employability.”

We’ve increased simulation and applied learning opportunities, and embedded more work-based scenarios into lectures to help highlight professional practice.

Psychology

“We don’t know who to contact when we need support.”

We’ve developed a Link Tree quick links app, which is now on all staff email footers and the UG Psychology Blackboard, making it easier for you to access the support you need, when you need it.

Social Work

“We need more information about the course content to give us a head start on what we will focus on.”

We’ve created a channel for each module on Teams, that has links to module descriptors and reading lists ahead of the start of the academic year.

Sport and Exercise

“We want greater links with employers and more volunteer, internship and employment opportunities.”

We’ve worked with partners like Staffordshire Tennis, Staffordshire Football Association, Stoke City FC, and local schools, colleges and businesses to create more opportunities during your studies.