Confidence boosting experience keeps Coventry students satisfied

Coventry University is the UK’s best at boosting students’ confidence, according to a newly published league table.

The University scored the success in National Student Survey (NSS) 2016. Released today, the NSS is an independent review which gives final year undergraduates across the country the opportunity to rate how satisfied they are with their place of study.

Coventry, which the survey ranks seventh overall in the UK amongst non-specialist higher education institutions^† secured joint top spot nationally in the personal development category in which students were asked to assess how their confidence, communication skills and ability to tackle problems had improved during their studies. 

Coventry was also ranked first amongst modern universities for both personal development and for the organisation and management of its courses.  Out of all the non-specialist universities in the Midlands, Coventry secured top spot for personal development and finished joint first for teaching, and organisation and management.

The positive feedback that students have reported around their own personal development is especially satisfying for the University as it strives to increase accessibility to higher education and enhance the learning experience for those who come to study at Coventry.

Over the last five years, the University has admitted almost 40% of its students from the lowest socio-economic groups with the vast majority of its students (nearly 97%) coming from state schools. Students recruited from Black and Ethnic Minority (BME) groups have also increased and the University has invested considerable resource into support services for disabled students.

The University has also focused its efforts on making higher education more flexible and affordable to meet the lifestyle and career aspirations of modern learners through its affiliated Coventry University College and recently launched Coventry University Scarborough Campus, which opens its brand new facility in September.

These endeavours have contributed to Coventry achieving a number of notable accolades, which include the title of ‘University of the Year’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015 and being named ‘Modern University of the Year’ for the third time by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016. In June this year Coventry maintained its top 15 ranking in the latest Guardian university league table.

Coventry University vice-chancellor John Latham said:

At Coventry University we’re really focused on enhanced learning. What that means in practice is that alongside gaining knowledge in a specific field and acquiring a worthwhile qualification we want our students to grow in confidence during their time here so they feel well equipped for the workplace and beyond when they leave us.

We’re very pleased to have once again scored highly in the personal development category in this year’s student survey. It’s particularly satisfying given our student demographic and especially rewarding to watch them become more self-assured while they study here.
 

In light of this I’d like to communicate to prospective students eagerly awaiting their A-level results and deciding on their next place of study that here at Coventry University we’re committed to helping you develop both professionally and personally. 

The University is now preparing for A-level results day and the clearing process. Prospective students can visit www.coventry.ac.uk/clearing for more information or they can call the clearing hotline on +44 (0)24 7679 1791, which opens at 7am on Thursday 18 August.

Students who are interested in studying at Coventry can also come along to the University’s dedicated clearing open day on Saturday 20 August to get a feel for the campus and the choices available to them.

For further media enquiries please contact Mark Farnan (Press Officer, Marketing and External Affairs) on +44 (0)24 7765 8245 or email mark.farnan@coventry.ac.uk. 

Notes 

^†Non-specialist institutions include general university institutions which cover a broad range of academic subjects. References in this press release are based around benchmarking like-for-like against these institutions, and do not include colleges, private institutions or those specialising in specific fields.

About the NSS

The NSS covers nearly all final-year undergraduates studying for higher education qualifications at higher education institutions (HEIs), further education colleges (FECs) and alternative providers in England and Wales, and HEIs in Northern Ireland and Scotland. The survey is funded by the four UK higher education funding bodies (the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Scottish Funding Council, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland), the National College of Teaching and Leadership and Health Education England. HEIs in Scotland, Wales and participating alternative providers fund their own participation in the survey.

Around 312,000 000 final-year students responded to the survey this year, from 155 HEIs, 190 FECs and 13 alternative providers of higher education. The response rate to the 2016 survey is 72 per cent, slightly higher than the previous two years. The number of alternative providers opting to take part in the survey this year has also increased. Many more will take part in next year’s survey, as it changes from being a voluntary to compulsory requirement in 2017.

The Unistats website will be updated with the 2016 NSS results in September. Unistats is the official site to search for and compare data and information on university and college courses from across the UK.