2-Stage Examinations

Two-stage exams can turn assessment into a formative learning moment when individual accountability is protected and the group stage is designed with care.

Active Learning Strategies

Active learning helps STEM students participate when it is paired with structure, fair opportunities to speak, and clear preparation before class.

Everyday community contact shapes international student wellbeing

From the paper: International student wellbeing and everyday community engagement experiences: an Australian study. Why universities should treat everyday welcome, local interaction, and community contact as part of student wellbeing evidence.

Feeding-Forward

Feed-forward turns feedback into a future-facing planning process when students reflect on comments and connect them to their next piece of work.

Group work assessment best practice

Group work assessment is more credible when contribution, process and final output are assessed separately and explained before the work begins.

How Pretesting Students Helps Retain Their Attention

Short pre-questions can help students stay focused in online lectures by giving them something specific to listen for before the explanation arrives.

Improving student experience and learning through peer review feedback

Peer review improves feedback when students are taught how to judge work, give usable comments, and act on advice before final submission.

Increasing Student Engagement in Online Modules

Online modules keep students engaged when tutor presence, structure, peer contact, and timely feedback are designed into the course rather than left to chance.

Inverted learning: turning traditional teaching methods upside-down

Inverted learning works best when pre-class preparation and in-class practice are joined into one clear learning sequence.

Research Project Assessments and Supervisor Marking

Research project marking stays credible when supervisor judgement is moderated through a clear reconciliation process, not left as a private assessment decision.

Student Remediation Programmes in Higher Education

Remediation programmes support at-risk students when teachers combine clear diagnosis, structured follow-up and a relationship that keeps students engaged.

DfE franchise arrangements guidance raises the stakes for student feedback evidence

DfE's updated franchise arrangements guidance links OfS registration to student finance eligibility, raising the pressure for clearer student feedback evidence.

Friendships and collaborative study shape belonging more than extracurricular activity

From the paper: The power of friendship and study collaboration on the development of students' sense of belonging: A three-year longitudinal study at Russian universities. Why UK universities should treat peer connection as part of course design, not only campus life.

Jisc Online Surveys adds a 'None of the above' option, and why it matters for student feedback data quality

Jisc Online Surveys has added a 'None of the above' option for multi-answer questions, helping universities collect cleaner, more reliable student feedback.

Time poverty creates hidden inequality for low-income students

From the paper: Time as privilege: exploring the intersection of social class and temporality as sources of invisible inequality in higher education. Why timetable structures, attendance rules, deadlines, and fee schedules can quietly penalise low-income students.

Cardiff's QER review says student voice mechanisms need clearer purpose and wider reach

QAA's Cardiff review says student voice mechanisms need clearer purpose, consistent rep support, and stronger engagement with the wider student body.

Student evaluation systems earn trust through fair process, not just fair scores

From the paper: Justice and the legitimacy of student evaluation systems in higher education: a systematic review. Why universities should treat SET fairness, process, and legitimacy as governance design problems.

Advance HE's TEF analysis shows student voice evidence still misses part of teaching excellence

Advance HE's TEF analysis shows many providers still underuse NSS and internal feedback when evidencing how technical staff shape teaching quality in practice.

Students' feelings about AI reveal trust and belonging risks universities miss

From the paper: Feeling AI: Circulating emotions, institutional climates, and moral boundaries in student use of AI. What this study shows about trust, guilt, and belonging in student responses to Generative AI.

Cambridge study shows why AI marking in higher education still needs human judgement

Cambridge researchers found frontier AI models still grade university essays inconsistently, reinforcing the case for human judgement in AI marking decisions.

Students use assessment feedback better when universities create space for questions

From the paper: The feedback cafe: Creating opportunities for dialogue between students and staff regarding assessment and feedback. What a UK mixed-methods study shows about assessment literacy, feedback uptake, and low-workload dialogue.

Future alumni giving starts with student-centred teaching and stronger campus experience

From the paper: Creating future alumni donors: exploring critical aspects of an enriched undergraduate experience. Why student-centred teaching, careers confidence, and social experience matter long before fundraising begins.

Jisc's AI marking and feedback pilot says formative feedback is the right place to start

Jisc's 2026 AI marking and feedback pilot suggests universities should start in formative feedback, with consent, oversight, and evidence before rollout.

LSE's Undergraduate Survey 2026 shows how internal survey evidence can sharpen student voice action

LSE's Undergraduate Survey 2026 combines NSS-style scores and AI-tagged comments, showing how internal surveys can sharpen student voice action for institutions.

Students find AI feedback useful, but not personal enough to trust on its own

From the paper: Lacking the ‘personal touch’: students’ perceptions of generative artificial intelligence in assessment feedback. What this study shows about accuracy, trust, dialogic feedback, and why students still want human expertise.

Loughborough's PTES 2026 shows how postgraduate feedback can support faster action

Loughborough's PTES 2026 links national postgraduate benchmarking to mid-module feedback, clearer assessment guidance, and stronger survey governance for action.

QAA's National Review of Awarding Arrangements raises the bar for Scottish student voice evidence

QAA's Scotland-wide awarding arrangements review brings student meetings into deep-dive quality checks, raising the bar for clearer student voice evidence.

Student Academic Experience Survey report shows what still drives student value, belonging, and attendance

HEPI's 20-year Student Academic Experience Survey analysis shows teaching quality, belonging, feedback, and attendance still shape student value and action.

Students value AI feedback most when teacher judgement stays in the loop

From the paper: The potential of AI-generated feedback from the students’ perspective: a systematic review. What this review shows about why students welcome AI feedback, where they still prefer teachers, and what UK universities should test before scaling it.

York's semester changes show how student feedback can reshape assessment timelines

York will shorten the winter break and move summer resits earlier from 2026/27 after student consultation, showing how feedback can reshape assessment timelines.

UCL's final-year Annual Programme Survey fills NSS gaps in student feedback evidence

UCL's final-year Annual Programme Survey adds module, dissertation, and placement questions beyond NSS, giving quality teams fuller finalist feedback evidence.

Jisc's Know Your Student survey shows why feedback and engagement data need one student view

Jisc's May 2026 Know Your Student survey finds universities still lack a single student view, raising the stakes for joined-up feedback and support evidence.

Paid student voice roles can make representation more accountable

From the paper: Accountable and Empowered - Professionalising Student Voice. What this UK case study shows about paid student voice ambassador roles, clearer accountability, and stronger departmental decision-making.

Hybrid community spaces work better when students co-design them

From the paper: Amplifying Student Voice in the Creation of a Hybrid Community Space. What this Manchester case study shows about belonging, co-created social spaces, and the limits of relying on digital channels alone.

Advance HE's pre-arrival questionnaire pilot puts AI readiness into transition planning

Advance HE's pre-arrival AI findings show why universities should use early student data to shape induction, guidance, and support around generative AI.

Jisc Online Surveys adds drag-and-drop editing, and why it matters for student feedback survey design

Jisc Online Surveys has added drag-and-drop editing and in-page item insertion, making local student feedback surveys easier for universities to build and refine.

Student members in quality assurance panels need status, training, and evidence

From the paper: Extended collegiality? The role of students in external quality assurance panels in Europe. Why universities should treat student panel members as trained partners with broader evidence, not symbolic attendees.

Mandatory placements can damage wellbeing when cost, safety, and support are ignored

From the paper: The impact of mandatory work-integrated learning placements on university student wellbeing in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: a scoping review. Why UK universities should treat placement cost, safety, and support as core student voice issues.

OfS sexual misconduct survey analysis shows why sensitive student feedback needs more structure

OfS's May 2026 sexual misconduct survey analysis shows why universities need more granular, better-governed student evidence on reporting, support, and risk.

Loughborough's Future Makers show how student voice can move from feedback to co-design

Loughborough's Future Makers scheme puts student voice into focus groups, co-design sessions, and live E&SE projects, offering a practical feedback model.

Student councils work better when quieter students can contribute too

From the paper: Case study: Engaging Students, Elevating Voices: The Role of a Student Council in Education. Why student councils become more useful when anonymous feedback, co-creation, and visible follow-through widen participation.

Cardiff's Student Experience Partners show how student partnership can move beyond consultation

Cardiff University's Student Experience Partners update shows how paid, trained student partnership can turn lived experience into student voice evidence.

Midsemester course feedback is most useful when it leads to visible in-term change

From the paper: Midsemester course feedback from students as reflective practice: A pilot exploratory study on instructors' and students' insights. Why fast reporting and visible follow-through matter more than collecting feedback alone.

NSS 2026 has closed, and what universities should do before the July results

OfS says NSS 2026 has closed and results are due on 8 July, giving universities a short window to prepare how they will read and act on student voice evidence.

End-of-unit surveys miss the moment when feedback can still change the course

From the paper: Is it time to move away from end of unit surveys? Why this UK case study argues for earlier, multi-channel student feedback that current cohorts can still benefit from.

Jisc Online Surveys adds Slider questions, and why it matters for student feedback survey design

Jisc Online Surveys has added Slider questions, giving universities a new way to collect rating-scale feedback in local student surveys more consistently.

International PGT support works better when students co-design it

From the paper: Stepping Up, Standing Out: A Case Study on engaging with international student voices through co-creation. What this three-year Leeds case study shows about international PGT support, co-created resources, and closing the feedback loop.

Portsmouth's assessment regulation changes show how student feedback can reshape assessment rules

Portsmouth's 2026 assessment changes include earlier referrals shaped by student feedback, offering a practical example of acting on assessment concerns.

Assessment practice improves when students can review it as partners

From the paper: Empowering students as partners in enhancing assessment practice, using the research-informed EAT framework. Why a structured review framework helps students and staff improve assessment design, literacy, and feedback together.

DfE's DSA support research shows why disabled student feedback needs earlier action

A new DfE report on Disabled Students' Allowance support shows where disability support breaks down, and why universities need clearer disabled student feedback.

Peer review of teaching works better when students help shape the review

From the paper: Students as Partners in Peer Review of Teaching: A Collaborative Model Involving the Students' Union. What this UK case study shows about bringing student voice into teaching review more directly.

Queen Mary's EduMark AI pilot tests AI-supported assessment feedback at scale

Queen Mary's EduMark AI pilot expands AI-supported assessment feedback across the university, testing speed, consistency, staff oversight, and student trust.

Student voice builds trust when students can see what changed

From the paper: ‘My input was actually being listened to and could lead to real change’: Developing trust through student voice in student-staff partnerships. Why trust in student-staff partnerships depends on clear expectations, shared power, empathy, and visible impact.

UCL's Annual Programme Survey shows how postgraduate feedback can connect modules, dissertations and placements

UCL's Annual Programme Survey 2026 asks taught postgraduates about modules, dissertations and placements, showing how programme feedback can stay joined up.

Student voice gets stronger when representation, partnership, and policy are designed together

From the paper: Revitalising student voice through a trilateral partnership approach: How a university and students’ union sought to refresh practice and re-boot student engagement and representation. What this case study shows about formalising representation, clarifying expectations, and widening participation routes.

York's digital module evaluation system shows how faster feedback loops make student comments more usable

York's spring 2026 digital module evaluation system standardises questions, speeds up responses, and gives quality teams a clearer action trail from comments.

QAA's Aberdeen review links student voice to clearer assessment feedback and stronger evidence use

QAA's 2026 Aberdeen review praises embedded student voice, but calls for clearer assessment feedback, clearer criteria, and better use of student review data.

Student feedback only works when universities show what changed

From the paper: Enhancing Student Voice: Developing the Student Feedback Loop, a practice-based case study. Why Glasgow's four-stage framework matters for closing the loop on course evaluations, SSLCs, and NSS feedback.

Glasgow's assessment and feedback tool shows how universities can act on student voice

Glasgow's latest assessment and feedback tool shows how one university is turning student-voice evidence into staff development, governance, and change.

Student engagement depends more on institutional design than student background

From the paper: What drives Student Engagement in higher education? Exploring key demographic, institutional and personal variables. Why UK universities should look beyond student background and improve the parts of the student experience they control.

Universal design helps international students only when culture stays in view

From the paper: The sociocultural context of international students' experience in the UK: exploring the merits and limits of Universal Design for Learning. Why UK universities should pair inclusive design with culturally responsive teaching when interpreting international student feedback.

Wonkhe's AI assessment report shows how late feedback drives student AI use

Wonkhe's March 2026 report links late assessment feedback, unclear AI guidance, and weaker learning, giving universities a sharper student voice brief for action.

Student wellbeing at university depends on connection, space, and culture

From the paper: Student perceptions on community well-being in Higher Education: social capital and connection, place, and culture. Why universities should treat social connection, campus spaces, and institutional culture as core wellbeing evidence.

University of Surrey warns AI feedback in higher education still needs human trust

University of Surrey research warns that AI feedback can weaken learning if universities prioritise speed over trust, care, and human judgement at scale.

Manchester's course unit surveys show how in-class time improves module evaluation response rates

Manchester's April 2026 course unit survey launch shows how in-class time, QR access, and quicker reporting can strengthen module evaluation evidence quality.

Belonging grows in phases, starting with safety and recognition

From the paper: Reimagining belonging: a post-pandemic exploration of student perspectives. Why UK universities should treat belonging as an evolving mix of safety, recognition, connection, and transition, not a single survey score.

City St George's module evaluation system shows how merged universities can keep student feedback usable

City St George's March 2026 module evaluation update shows how a merged university can collect, route, and act on module feedback more consistently.

International students' digital transition shapes belonging, not just convenience

From the paper: Charting the initial digital journeys of students in a new digital environment: a qualitative study. Why universities should treat apps, platform usability, and digital guidance as part of student experience design.

QAA's Edinburgh Napier TQER report, and why student voice evidence needs a clearer action trail

QAA's Edinburgh Napier TQER report highlights strong student partnership, but also flags the need to close the feedback loop more visibly and systematically.

Lecturer rapport matters more than GenAI use for student learning

From the paper: Does GenAI truly support student learning? Examining the impact of lecturers’ pedagogical vs. technological skills. Why lecturer rapport, clarity, and expertise matter more than lecturer GenAI use.

Belonging works better as connection across the student life course

From the paper: Beyond belonging: connecting across the STEMM + B student life course. Why UK universities should treat belonging as changing patterns of connection, not a single stable score.

Brief self-reflection improves feedback satisfaction for lower-performing students

From the paper: Perceptions of feedback: the use of self-reflection to improve student satisfaction. Why a short reflection task before releasing comments may matter most for lower- and medium-performing students.

Care-experienced students need reliable relationships, not only bursaries

From the paper: The ethics of love and care in higher education: Perspectives of students with care experience. Why relational support matters alongside formal provision for retention and belonging.

Disruption and Transformation via Lecture Recordings

Can teaching staff weather the disrupting effects of technology and incorporate lecture recordings into their existing pedagogies?

Module Evaluation, Likability and The Case For Free-Text Comments

From the paper: The student evaluation of teaching and likability: what the evaluations actually measure

QAA Subject Benchmark Statements, and what they mean for student feedback evidence

QAA's revised Subject Benchmark Statements give course teams a timely prompt to test curriculum, assessment, and AI changes against student feedback evidence.

QAA's GenAI assessment focus groups show why student voice on AI needs more structure

QAA's April 2026 GenAI assessment focus groups show why universities need structured student voice on AI, not staff-only guidance, when reviewing assessment rules.

Social Media: Its Use, Overuse and Academic Impact

Social media usage has been associated with academic procrastination in students. A recent study examines how grades are affected by this usage.

Student behavioural profiles in blended learning courses

What can instructors do to enhance engagement? Mirriahi et al. investigate the behaviours shown by students in blended learning courses.

Students disclose AI use when governance feels fair and trustworthy

From the paper: Beyond the syllabus: How the fidelity of GenAI governance implementation shapes student trust and transparency behaviours. Why enacted governance, procedural justice, and trust matter for student disclosure of AI use.

Teaching award nominations reveal what students value, and when praise rewards overwork

From the paper: Lecturers on demand: Student perceptions within Student-Led Teaching Award nominations. What UK universities can learn from award comments about teaching excellence, student expectations, and staff workload.

Teaching evaluation surveys work better when students and staff help design them

From the paper: Redesigning student evaluations of teaching: integrating faculty and student perspectives. How a six-stage redesign process identified the teaching qualities students and staff most want evaluation surveys to measure.

The Academic Benefits of Adding Exercise to University Lectures

Preventing mind-wandering in students during long lectures can be challenging. Getting them up and moving may be the key, say researchers at McMaster University, Canada.

The Academic Reader as a Pedagogical Device

A recent study has shown that invoking the academic reader can help international students understand the needs of their audience

Welcome week attendance boosts peer belonging, but not staff belonging

From the paper: Sense of belonging in higher education: The effect of early introductory activities. What a longitudinal study suggests UK universities should measure after welcome week.

What 3,070 misconduct reflections reveal about academic integrity policy

From the paper: Examining student reflections on academic misconduct: insights for academic integrity in higher education. What 3,070 student reflections suggest about integrity literacy, assessment design, and support.

What ethnic-minority students mean by belonging, and what surveys often miss

From the paper: Sense of belonging defined: how ethnic-minority students conceptualise belonging in the university. Why universities need broader belonging measures and richer student voice data.

When are student evaluations of teaching actually reliable?

From the paper: The reliability of student evaluations of teaching. Why student evaluation scores are only moderately stable even in the best case, and what UK universities should do before using them to judge teaching quality.

Who Actually Fills In Student Evaluations? New Evidence on Non-Response Bias

From the paper: Can student evaluations be made more representative? Testing alternative strategies. What a randomised experiment reveals about which students complete teaching evaluations, and how to close the gap.

A validated employability scale can sharpen student surveys and careers support

From the paper: Measuring students’ self-perceived employability capital attainment: the development and validation of a scale. Why earlier, better employability measurement matters for survey design and careers support.

Belonging is weaker when students feel they must hide part of themselves

From the paper: Fitting in, feeling true: student experiences of sense of belonging and authenticity. Why universities should ask not only whether students belong, but whether they can do so without self-editing.

First-semester belonging changes around key moments, not in a straight line

From the paper: Stories of transition: sense of belonging in the first semester at university. Why universities should track belonging across key moments, not treat transition as one settled phase.

Induction can build mature students' belonging, but only if universities design beyond the default student

From the paper: Mature undergraduates' experiences of a UK university induction programme: accruing social capital, evolving habitus and developing a sense of belonging. How UK universities can use transition feedback to improve belonging for mature students.

International students' learning practices are an asset, not a deficit

From the paper: Tracing pedagogy from below: an affirmative account of international students' learning practices in higher education. Why universities should look for practical, relational, and care-based strengths in international student feedback.

Jisc adds file uploads to Online Surveys, and why it matters for student feedback surveys

Jisc has added file uploads to Online Surveys, giving universities a way to collect richer student feedback evidence alongside comments, ratings, and examples.

Jisc: digital equity in transnational education, and what to capture in student feedback

Jisc highlights why digital equity in transnational education depends on strong student voice evidence, and what UK providers should capture in feedback.

QAA assessment literacy toolkit, aligning expectations to improve student feedback on assessment

QAA-funded assessment literacy toolkit gives universities practical student and staff guides to align expectations and act on feedback about assessment.

Retention work needs belonging evidence, not just a single score

From the paper: The implications of sense of belonging for student retention in higher education: a systematic literature review and research agenda. Why universities should pair belonging measures with richer student voice evidence when tackling continuation risk.

Student evaluation scores are not automatically comparable across departments, programmes, or time

From the paper: On the comparability of SET scores: measurement invariance across programs, departments, and time. Why universities should test whether student evaluation scores mean the same thing before benchmarking across departments or years.

Student evaluations improve when staff and students redesign them together

From the paper: Redesigning student evaluations of teaching: integrating faculty and student perspectives. What a six-year redesign project reveals about building better teaching evaluations.

Students judge AI-using teachers by care, not just technical competence

From the paper: 'If GAI has finished her job, why would I need her?': a mixed-methods study on students' perceptions of GAI-using teachers. What this study shows about teacher care, critical AI use, and student trust.

Students judge feedback comments as fairer when they are usable

From the paper: Fairly useful feedback: characteristics of feedback comments perceived as fair by students. Why students read constructive, actionable feedback as fairer than supportive wording alone.

Students judge teaching quality through expertise, care, and inspiration

From the paper: Rethinking teacher quality in Swedish higher education: insights from social sciences student perspectives and Q methodology. Why universities need more than one broad teaching-quality score.

Students turn to GenAI when assessment support feels private and instant

From the paper: Impact of text-generative artificial intelligence tools on students’ approach to assessment: a case study of a UK institution. Why students use GenAI to clarify concepts, start assignments, and privately bridge learning gaps.

Sussex opens module evaluations and PTES together, and why response-rate quality matters

Sussex's April 2026 launch of module evaluations and PTES shows how timing, access, and response-rate management can strengthen institutional feedback evidence.

What new students need to feel they belong, and stay well

From the paper: Factors affecting new students' sense of belonging and wellbeing at university. Why universities should listen for academic, social, environmental, and personal barriers in early student feedback.

When geopolitics shapes what Chinese international students feel able to say

From the paper: Politicized identity and language practices: Understanding Chinese international students’ language ideologies amid U.S.-China geopolitical tensions. What interview evidence suggests about self-censorship, tokenisation, and inclusive practice.

Why neutral students stay silent in teaching evaluations

From the paper: Students’ ‘fast and frugal’ heuristics in SET completion: a preliminary typology. What the study shows about in-class time, course experience, and the silent middle in teaching evaluations.

Advance HE's pre-arrival questionnaire shows where student feedback expectations start

Advance HE's April 2026 pre-arrival questionnaire pilot shows universities where feedback expectations, confidence gaps, and support needs start before term begins.

Bath's Be Well Survey outcomes push student feedback strategy beyond standalone surveys

Bath's student experience update shows how Be Well Survey outcomes, higher response rates, and lower survey fatigue can sharpen student feedback strategy.

DMU's block teaching evaluation links faster feedback with stronger student survey evidence

DMU's April 2026 block teaching evaluation links stronger survey results, a 15-day feedback turnaround, and better continuation into one student voice story.

OfS key performance measures, and what they signal for student voice evidence

OfS key performance measures now track TEF activity, quality investigations and student awareness, shaping what universities should evidence on student voice.

OfS student consumer protection proposals raise the bar for student feedback evidence

OfS's April 2026 consumer protection consultation would require clearer student protection information and stronger evidence that students are treated fairly.

QAA assessment feedback project shows why pre-grade feedback matters

QAA's April 2026 college-based HE project shows how pre-grade verbal assessment feedback can reduce anxiety and help students use comments sooner.

Bournemouth's PRES 2026 launch shows why response-rate governance matters for PGR feedback

Bournemouth's PRES 2026 launch ties a 40% response-rate target to incentives and action planning, showing how universities can strengthen PGR feedback evidence.

Algorithmic fairness in student performance ML models

How can at risk students be identified and supported in higher education whilst avoiding discrimatory bias?

Bath's 2026 student feedback system shows how to collect the right survey at the right level

Bath's 2026 student feedback system combines NSS, course-level, and postgraduate surveys, showing how universities can collect feedback by cohort and purpose.

Leeds Trinity's PRES results show what strong PGR feedback practice looks like

Leeds Trinity's 2026 PRES results now put it above the sector on postgraduate researcher satisfaction, showing why sharper PGR feedback analysis matters.

Newcastle Experience Survey 2026 shows how to collect and act on student feedback

Newcastle University's 2026 Newcastle Experience Survey shows how institution-wide student feedback can support faster, more visible action for quality leaders.

OfS asks students about harassment and sexual misconduct, and why student voice evidence matters

The OfS will discuss sexual misconduct findings with students, sharpening expectations that universities test awareness of policies, reporting, and support.

OfS quality assessment flags missing module evaluations and student surveys at King Stage Limited

An OfS quality assessment found no evidence of planned module evaluations or student surveys at King Stage, sharpening expectations for student voice evidence.

UKRI refreshes the new deal for postgraduate research, and why PGR feedback evidence matters

UKRI has refreshed new deal for postgraduate research, sharpening expectations for doctoral support and the PGR feedback evidence universities need to track

University of Nottingham opens PTES, showing how to close the feedback loop

University of Nottingham has opened PTES for taught postgraduates, linking survey collection to visible follow-up and stronger student feedback action.

What deaf and hard of hearing students say makes higher education accessible

From the paper: Accessibility and support in higher education: a case study of deaf and hard of hearing students’ perceptions. What this research suggests UK universities should prioritise in support, communication, and inclusive teaching.

3D Virtual Environments and Interdisciplinary Student Teams

University students may gain confidence and comfort from experiencing interdisciplinary teams first in immersive 3D virtual environments.

Appreciative inquiry as a student voice practice in HE

Appreciative inquiry promotes positive student voice and aims to create a collaborative community which inspires transformation.

King’s Wellbeing Survey, and why joined-up student feedback matters

King’s Wellbeing Survey shows how a university can combine local wellbeing feedback with NSS and PTES to build a joined-up student voice system for action.

Student voice in the context of marketized higher education

Explore how the marketized higher education system impacts student voice in curriculum design and the challenges of student-as-consumer roles.

Can a ‘flipped classroom’ approach help students succeed?

A recent US study has demonstrated an approximate 50% reduction in failure rates by employing a ‘flipped classroom’ approach to science lectures.

King's PTES 2026 shows how visible action can strengthen postgraduate feedback

King's PTES 2026 links a national postgraduate survey to visible evidence of action, showing how universities can build trust in taught postgraduate feedback.

Muslim students’ belonging is shaped by faith provision, religious literacy and peer care

From the paper: Navigating sacred and secular: the dynamic evolution of Muslim students’ sense of belonging in UK higher education. How faith provision, staff religious literacy, peer support, and policy climate shape belonging over time.

Adapting Traditional Lectures into Online Video Content

Adapting traditional university lectures for online delivery can be extremely challenging. A lecturer at the University of Pretoria shares her experiences.

Advance HE spotlights student experiences of GenAI in UK universities, and what it means for student voice

Advance HE has spotlighted StudentXGenAI survey findings from 10 UK universities, giving institutions fresh evidence on student trust, use, and AI literacy.

Belonging surveys need better validation before universities benchmark them

From the paper: How to measure belonging in higher education: a systematic review. Why UK universities should check the validity of belonging measures before comparing cohorts or tracking change.

Post-pandemic flexibility can widen access while weakening belonging

From the paper: Navigating student engagement and belonging post-pandemic: A case study from a post-1992 university. Why UK universities need hybrid models that protect connection as well as convenience.

Student evaluations help teaching improve when staff can discuss them

From the paper: Teachers' continuing professional development: using student evaluations to start a dialogue. What this study shows about turning SET feedback into staff learning and teaching improvement.

Student satisfaction tends to be higher in smaller universities

From the paper: Student satisfaction as a function of student and staff sizes in higher education. What the study suggests about institutional scale, student support, and why scores alone cannot explain satisfaction gaps.

Students feel hopeful about AI, but worry and guilt shape how safe it feels to use

From the paper: Feeling AI: Circulating emotions, institutional climates, and moral boundaries in student use of AI. What a national survey and focus groups reveal about trust, anxiety, and AI policy in higher education.

Could ranking teachers work better than rating them in student evaluations?

From the paper: From ratings to rankings: A complementary approach for student evaluations of teaching in higher education. Why direct rankings may reduce rating-scale noise in teaching evaluations, but still need qualitative context.

Jisc Online Surveys switches Insights to median response time, and why it matters for student feedback surveys

Jisc Online Surveys now reports median response time in Insights and adds new question types, helping universities review survey burden and feedback quality.

Jisc will retire Digital experience insights, and what it means for student feedback benchmarking

Jisc will retire Digital experience insights on 31 July 2026, pushing universities to review how they benchmark and act on digital student feedback data.

Non-Traditional Immersive Seminars

Researchers have shown that adding simple physical exercises to a university lecture can significantly improve long-term knowledge attainment.

OfS student insight report on graduate preparedness, and why it matters for careers support

OfS's March 2026 student insight report finds only half of graduates felt prepared after study, pushing universities to collect better careers support feedback.

QAA Assessment & Feedback Roadshow outcomes, and what they mean for student voice

QAA's assessment and feedback roadshow highlights AI-resilient design, clearer feedback, and student partnership priorities for UK university teams in 2026.

University of Bath acts on student feedback with a new neuroinclusive study space

University of Bath has opened a neuroinclusive Woodland Lounge shaped by student feedback, showing how institutions can turn student voice into visible change.

UUK's five quality principles put student feedback evidence at the centre of efficiency decisions

UUK's five principles for quality in financially constrained times push universities to use student feedback evidence, co-design, and stronger quality governance.

Westminster's PTES 2026 launch shows how survey incentives and confidentiality shape postgraduate feedback

Westminster's PTES 2026 launch pairs a £15 GiftPay incentive with clear confidentiality rules, a practical lesson in postgraduate survey design.

Ensuring Academic Integrity during COVID-19 pandemic

Innovative assessment practices in the University of Glasgow and the University of Greenwich for assessing students’ skills instead of exams

Jisc learning analytics for wellbeing, and what it means for student support evidence

Jisc’s March 2026 Newcastle case study shows how learning analytics can support student wellbeing, and why universities need clearer student support evidence.

Jisc Online Surveys changes question types, and why it matters for student feedback survey design

Jisc Online Surveys has split single and multi-answer question types, helping universities build clearer, more reliable internal student feedback surveys.

Staff-student partnerships to enhance assessment literacy

Exploring the weakest links in learning and teaching and most significant contributors to student dissatisfaction

Supporting the Less Adaptive Student

Discover how blended learning and dispositional learning analytics help students from diverse backgrounds adapt to problem-based learning environments.

The use of blended learning from the perspective of students

Instructional best practice recommendations for the use of blended learning from the perspective of students to improve their learning experiences.

Viewing Introductory Videos Prior to Lectures Aids Student Learning

A Malaysian university has found that introductory pre-lecture videos can lessen the demand on students’ visuospatial ability while increasing comprehension.

Active learning and clear goals are linked to stronger student resilience

From the paper: Fostering resilience among university students: the role of teaching and learning environments. What a mixed-methods study suggests universities can do to strengthen resilience through learning design and clearer expectations.

Belonging can rise in first year, but survey comparisons across time can mislead

From the paper: First-year students’ sense of belonging in higher education: examining measurement invariance and longitudinal development across migration background and generation status in HE. What this research implies for interpreting belonging survey trends and equity gaps.

Belonging is not fixed: how ethnic-minority students build it over time

From the paper: Invisible threads: how ethnic-minority students weave belonging in higher education. What a longitudinal study shows about belonging trajectories, student agency, and practical support.

Campus climate predicts interfaith learning, safe spaces and challenge matter in UK surveys

From the paper: How can universities support students’ interfaith learning? Findings from a longitudinal survey of students in the UK. What the research suggests about pluralism, safe spaces, and insensitive or coercive experiences.

Digital Clinical Assessment – The New Normal?

Will assessing postgraduate medical and surgical students online lead to more problems than solutions?

From student to customer: what changes in postgraduate feedback

From the paper: Student or customer? Mainland Chinese students’ self-identification and reflexivity in Hong Kong’s self-financed taught postgraduate programmes. How value for money and trust shape where students take their feedback.

Intersectional barriers disabled students describe — and how universities can respond

From the paper: An intersectional perspective on disabled students’ experiences in German higher education. What interviews reveal about stigma, disclosure, and support — with lessons for UK universities.

Students and educators prioritise different things in digital assessment quality

From the paper: Walking the tightrope of quality assessment: balancing perspectives and priorities of stakeholder groups. Why student experience, feedback quality, purpose, and technology all need a place in digital assessment design.

Tracking student belonging over time: why first-generation trajectories matter

From the paper: Dynamic belonging – how student belonging changes over time for first-generation students. What UK universities should take from a more time-sensitive approach to belonging, engagement, and student voice.

What Students Really Mean by Teaching Excellence

From the paper: The meaning of excellence in learning and teaching to students. A mixed methods study reveals that students define excellent teaching through support, student-centricity, and opportunities for growth.

Why assessment fairness does not feel the same to every student

From the paper: It’s (un)fair! undergraduate student self-construals, self-esteem, and perceptions of summative assessment fairness. Why universities should separate assessment process from assessment outcome when they interpret student feedback on fairness.

Advance HE highlights student-staff partnership in block learning, and why it matters for student feedback

Advance HE highlights how student-staff partnership in block learning can move student feedback from end-point surveys to continuous, actionable dialogue.

OfS research: student feedback during financial challenges, and what universities should monitor

New OfS research on student feedback during financial challenges shows what students notice first, and how universities can evidence and mitigate impact.

QAA targeted peer review at the University of Glasgow, and what it signals for student feedback evidence

QAA’s targeted peer review at the University of Glasgow flags assessment process risks, a prompt to strengthen student feedback evidence and follow-up.

QAA welcomes new student committee members, what it means for student engagement in quality assurance

QAA has welcomed new members to its student committee, a prompt for universities to strengthen student engagement in quality assurance with traceable feedback.

Students engage less with employability support when opportunities feel unclear, irrelevant, or badly timed

From the paper: Improving student engagement in employability development: recognising and reducing affective and behavioural barriers. Why students disengage from employability opportunities when confidence, relevance, and timetabling do not line up.

Students see accreditation work better when quality assurance is visible

From the paper: Accreditation processes and their impact on improvements in the organisation and management of Spanish university degrees: student assessment. Why students perceive accreditation more positively when they understand the process and can participate in it.

Trust and Active Learning

It can be challenging for lecturers to encourage trust from their students. A US study has explored the impact it may have on student performance.

AI detectors catch many LLM-assisted essays, but privacy and false positives remain major risks

From the paper: From AI to authorship: Exploring the use of LLM detection tools for calling on "originality" of students in academic environments. What student survey data and detector tests suggest about privacy, fairness, and trust.

Can Machine Learning Help Instructors Make Sense of Student Evaluation Comments?

From the paper: Understanding university instructor responses to machine-learning analysis of mid-semester teaching evaluations. How topic modelling can turn open-text student feedback into actionable insights for instructors of large courses.

Emotional Engagement in Online Forums: Three Patterns That Shape Participation

From the paper: Conceptualising Emotional Engagement in an Online Asynchronous Forum. What students' emotional engagement behaviours mean for designing online discussion spaces and interpreting student voice.

Faster feedback policies do not guarantee better NSS results

From the paper: Universities' policies on feedback speed do not meaningfully predict students' satisfaction with assessment and feedback. Why UK universities should look beyond turnaround targets when improving NSS assessment and feedback scores.

Jisc: building a business case for learning analytics, keeping student feedback in the loop

Jisc’s business case for learning analytics guidance highlights stakeholder buy-in, student transparency, and using feedback to improve interventions.

Low-SES Students Face Cultural Mismatch on Placements

From the paper: “They want people who are not me”: low socioeconomic status students' WIL experiences. What a qualitative case study suggests about cultural mismatch, confidence, and better placement support.

OfS publishes latest TEF data dashboard, and what it means for student experience evidence

OfS has published the latest TEF data dashboard, restoring current NSS student experience and outcomes evidence for English providers and quality reporting.

QAA launches the UK TNE Quality Scheme, what it means for student feedback in transnational education

QAA launches the UK TNE Quality Scheme for August 2026. What it means for collecting, analysing and acting on student feedback across TNE partnerships.

Student belonging declines over the first year, and first-generation gaps open later

From the paper: Dynamic belonging – how student belonging changes over time for first-generation students. What a mixed-method study suggests universities should measure beyond welcome week.

Student Voice as Partnership, Not Extraction

From the paper: Repositioning Student Voice and Agency: A Call for the Epistemic Expansion of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Inquiry. Why universities should treat student feedback as shared knowledge-making, not a one-way data collection exercise.

UCL's first Student Partnerships & Voice Conference, and what it means for student feedback strategy

UCL will launch its first Student Partnerships & Voice Conference in June 2026, signalling a more strategic approach to student voice and feedback action.

What gets students to fill in teaching evaluations? Evidence on incentives and messaging

From the paper: Motivating student participation in teaching evaluations: evidence from a hypothetical scenario experiment in China. What this study suggests UK universities should prioritise when trying to improve response rates.

Advance HE: PRES 2025 shows decade-high satisfaction, and how to act on PGR feedback

Advance HE’s PRES 2025 results show decade-high satisfaction. Here’s what institutions can do next to analyse PGR feedback at scale, including open-text.

Implications of initial teacher reaction to student voice

How do teacher reactions to student evaluations impact teaching practices and how feedback timing and presentation enhance student voice.

In hybrid classes, flexibility drives online participation, and social presence drives campus attendance

From the paper: Online and on-site participation in synchronous hybrid settings: reasons from the perspective of higher education students. What student questionnaire and interview data reveals about why students choose online or on-campus attendance.

OfS condition E10 tightens subcontracting requirements, and why student feedback evidence matters

OfS condition E10 tightens subcontracting requirements for English lead providers, raising expectations for complaints data, oversight, and feedback evidence.

OfS delays student outcomes and experience measures data dashboard update, what universities should do now

OfS has delayed the annual update to the student outcomes and experience measures data dashboard to spring 2026. Here is how to keep NSS benchmarking current.

OfS escalates oversight of subcontracted provision, and why student feedback evidence matters

The Office for Students has imposed enhanced monitoring and a new ongoing condition following quality concerns in subcontracted provision, highlighting the need for robust, traceable student feedback evidence.

OfS quality assessment leads to enhanced monitoring at De Montfort University, and why student feedback evidence matters

An OfS quality assessment has triggered enhanced monitoring and Condition BB at De Montfort University, showing why student feedback evidence matters.

OfS student pulse survey results, what universities should do now

The OfS student pulse survey offers fresh term-time insight on support, finances and awareness in England, and shows how to strengthen your feedback loop.

OfS updates NSS promotion guidance, avoiding inappropriate influence in 2026

OfS refreshed NSS promotion guidance for 2026, clarifying inappropriate influence risks and what universities should avoid when promoting the survey fairly.

PhD competency confidence varies by research style: evidence from 1,105 doctoral students

From the paper: Do PhD students’ research styles predict their perceived competencies? We review a validated competency inventory and what it means for doctoral programme support and PGR survey design.

QAA launches Assessment & Feedback Roadshow, what it means for student feedback on assessment

QAA's Assessment & Feedback Roadshow runs 23 to 26 March 2026, spotlighting GenAI, assessment literacy, and feedback practice for UK university teams.

QAA research on student representation practices, and what it means for student feedback systems

QAA-backed research across 78 UK institutions shows how student representation, surveys, and qualitative feedback are evolving across higher education.

QAA's Strathclyde TQER report, and what it means for student feedback on assessment timeliness

QAA's Strathclyde TQER report flags delays in assessment feedback and highlights student voice that leads to timely action, a clear signal for quality teams.

Student survey data works better when universities benchmark and triangulate it

From the paper: Research institutions' perspectives on assessment and improvement efforts that contribute to college quality. What the study suggests about benchmarking, triangulation, and turning survey evidence into institutional action.

Students use Generative AI for feedback, but trust teachers more

From the paper: Comparing Generative AI and teacher feedback: student perceptions of usefulness and trustworthiness. Why students use both feedback sources, but trust teacher feedback more when the stakes are higher.

University of Glasgow launches a Student Voice Framework, and what it means for student feedback governance

Glasgow's new Student Voice Framework sets minimum expectations for surveys, committees, and responses, giving universities a clear student feedback model.

University of Glasgow's MyGrades rollout shows what a better student feedback system looks like

The University of Glasgow has rolled out MyGrades across the institution, showing how student feedback can reshape assessment visibility, access, and follow-up.

University of Nottingham opens student feedback on strategic change through Future Nottingham 2

University of Nottingham has opened formal student feedback on Future Nottingham 2, showing how universities can evidence student voice during change.

University of Westminster's Mid-Module Check-ins show what earlier module feedback can look like

University of Westminster's Mid-Module Check-ins show how earlier, in-semester module feedback can help teams respond before end-of-term surveys land.

Can Behaviour-Focused Evaluation Questions Reduce Gender Bias in Student Feedback?

From the paper: Rethinking bias in student evaluations: a multivariate analysis of observable instructional behaviors. How reframing evaluation questions around concrete teaching behaviours may eliminate gender bias in student feedback.

Conditional Belonging: What Minority Ethnic STEM Students Tell UK Universities

From the paper: ‘I deserve to be here’: minority ethnic students and their conditional belonging in UK higher education. How belonging becomes conditional — and what universities can do about it.

Revolutionising Student Evaluation Data Use in UK Higher Education

UK universities revolutionise student evaluation use, adopting new analysis methods to enhance teaching quality and responsiveness to feedback.

How can the success of a student voice initiatives be evaluated?

A broad range of student voice initiatives can be assessed by considering the reach and fitness of purpose of the project.

Improving HE quality through student voice

A range of student voice forms is vital for the improvement of higher education quality at an institutional scale

Combining podcast-based learning with exercise

Replacing traditional lectures with a combination of educational podcasts and physical exercise has received positive feedback from students in the US.

Enhancing Feedback in Higher Education

Enhance student performance using blended learning, merging face-to-face and online feedback for diverse and effective collaboration.

Question and answer sessions in online tutorials

Question and answer sessions are a great way for students to receive real-time feedback. However, retention rates for these sessions are commonly low.

Student Response Systems in Large Active-Learning Classrooms

Often in large university lecture theatres only a handful of students actively participate through the asking and answering of questions.

The disconnect on what makes good feedback

Examine the gap between students and educators on effective feedback in higher education, emphasizing quality, personalization, and actionable improvement.

Achieving transparency in dissertation supervision

Elements of doctoral supervision need to be implemented to undergraduate dissertation supervision in the UK

Oral Examination as an Online Assessment Tool

Although face-to-face examination is unfeasible in online learning, conducting an online oral assessment can make interactions and discussions possible.

Project-Based Learning in Engineering

A case study in the application of project based learning and the skills it aims to teach along with implementation strategies.

Collaborative learning: understanding students’ engagement

In the age of remote study, what tools can educators use to enhance student engagement and empower responsible, self-directed learning?

Modified Blended Learning in Engineering

AGH-UST adapted Building Automation Courses with blended learning strategies, balancing remote learning and hands-on experience during COVID-19.

Peer assessment in motivating student team-based activities

Research from a Columbian university suggests that continuous peer-assessment motivates lower-achieving students during group projects.

Rethinking models of feedback for learning - the challenge of design

Feedback is critical to education, yet the most heavily criticised aspect of courses in higher education.

Student voice is underpinned by student rights and respect

Explore how student voice in higher education is anchored in rights and respect, highlighting the need for genuine listening and valuing student perspectives.

The relationship between student voice and personal tutoring

A recent study explores student perceptions of personal tutoring and reflects on the relationship between student voice and personal tutoring.

Benchmarking Student Engagement in UK Higher Education

This post on UK higher education explores benchmarking to enhance student engagement and educational quality through student feedback and innovative practices.

Encouraging students to pursue postgraduate research degrees

Researchers at one US university have outlined the strategies they’ve used to address the concern of declining graduate student numbers.

Exploring the concept of student voice through four theoretical lens

Student voice in higher education can be conceptualised by considering theories dervied from compulsary education research, economics, philosophy, and human geography.

Reviewing teaching behaviour through classroom observations

Discover the importance of advanced teaching behaviors in higher education and how institutions can support lecturers to enhance student success.

Audio and Video Feedback in Online Learning Environments

With increasing student numbers, video feedback is an opportunity to improve relationships with students and their perception of feedback

Feedback and Feedforward in UK Higher Education

The future of undergraduate assessment – The realities of audio feedback and novelties of feedforward for engagement undergraduate students

Empowerment and transformation through student voice

Choice and freedom of expression in student voice allows students to authentically express their views and promote meaningful change.

Exploring the depths of student dissatisfaction in UK higher education

Exploring student dissatisfaction in UK higher education, focusing on the impact of surveys on policies and rankings.

Face-to-Face Feedback

With rising student numbers in further education, face-to-face feedback offers an opportunity to personalise feedback

Is student voice focus harming participation in HE?

Is the student-as-consumer model in higher education causing participation fatigue despite the increased emphasis on student voice?

Lexicon and Software Choice in Education Text Analysis

From the paper: Making sense of student feedback using text analysis – adapting and expanding a common lexicon

Quectures - Flipped Classrooms and Polling

Pre-lecture material and engagement allows students to overcome their own misconceptions about topics

The importance of distinguishing student voice practices

Investigating the differences between student voice practices by considering student responsibility and access, and exploring why this important

The role of student voice role in equity in higher education

Exploring the limitations of student voice and the role of listening to promote equity within higher education

How do economics students rate their university libraries?

Learn how university libraries boost the academic success of economics students, from resources to study spaces.

Gender Stereotypes in the Text of Teaching Excellence Submissions

From the paper: Gender stereotyping in student perceptions of teaching excellence: applying the shifting standards theory

Detecting hate speech online using machine learning models

A new study compares the challenge posed in the detection of offensive and hate speech online in the context of both majority and minority languages.

Simulation-Based Learning in Higher Education

Discover simulation-based learning for skill development in higher education, overcoming real-life practice challenges.

The Benefits for Students of Problem-Based Learning

Implementations of the problem-based learning approach can have a positive impact on students' learning - boosting motivation as well as results.

The value of involving students in curriculum redesign

University students struggle to find an appropriate work-life balance. To help address their concerns, researchers have involved them in curriculum design.

Video Improves Learning in Higher Education

Video can be an effective tool to convey distilled information whilst giving students control over When, Where, and at Which pace they want to learn.

Why is it important to 'close the loop' in student voice initiatives?

The lack of systematic processes in place to facilitate action in response to student feedback is limiting the success of student voice initiatives

An economic view on the impact of student voice on education

As universities operate as businesses and students take on the role of consumers, student voice becomes a powerful tool.

Architecture students' perspectives on communication

An analysis of architecture students' education experiences, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and course structure.

Exploring student experience of formative assessment

Using various formative assessment types to help students to cope with workload of their course and their degree

Flipping the Classroom for Small Group Settings

How can the flipped approach to teaching be adapted to suit small class sizes and tutorial style teaching?

Student Feedback on Flipped Teaching

Flipping the classroom gets better results but how does it effect student feedback on, and performance in, their classes?

The current understanding of student voice in assessment and feedback

A recent literature review explored the key benefits of student voice in assessment and feedback and identified methodology used within research.

The Effect of Instruction on Learning- Case Based Versus Lecture Based

A study at the American University of Beirut suggests that case-based learning may provide an effective alternative to traditional lecture-based learning.

Agile Manifesto for Teaching and Learning

Embrace Agile in higher education for student-centered learning, collaboration, adaptability, and enhanced teaching experiences.

Navigating the storm - the impact of student voice on UK academics

Learn how UK academics use student feedback for better teaching, focusing on text analysis to handle challenges and improve education.

Reducing Bias in Natural Language Processing Systems

Machine learning-based language systems should be fair and unbiased. A recently published paper has proposed a novel test procedure.

OfS corrects TEF data dashboard calculations, what institutions should check in student experience evidence

OfS corrected TEF data dashboard calculations after a benchmarking error; here is what universities should check in NSS-derived student experience evidence.

What do UK anthropology students need from learning resources?

Learn how UK anthropology students use resources to enhance their learning experience, both online and offline.

Using machine learning for automated language analysis

A recently published paper has outlined how AI automated text analysis may be used in a range of applications.

Do fieldwork and placements improve history education?

An exploration of how fieldwork and placements enhance history education in the UK, preparing students for the future.

Impacts of peer tutoring on academic performance

Researchers at a US university have demonstrated significant improvements in student grades through the introduction of student-led tutoring.

Student voices in evaluation - motivations and perceptions

This post explores UK students' views on evaluations, emphasizing the need for clarity and actionable feedback to enhance education.

The important role of student voice in curriculum design

The involvement of student voice in curriculum design leads to greater student engagement and academic outcome

Halo Effects in the Student Voice: Unwanted Correlations

From the paper: Quantifying halo effects in students’ evaluation of teaching. We look at how correlated questions become less useful in student voice surveys

The challenges of engaging students in student voice

A case study excploring the challenges associated with encouraging student participation in higher education evaluation

Gamification in Statistics Teaching

A recent study has shown that adding challenge-based games to the teaching of statistics increases student test scores by almost 35%.

How to enhance student voice in university governance

The effectiveness of student voice in university governance can be enhanced by considering the experiences of student representatives.

AI and Education - Equity Challenges and Opportunities

This post explores AI's role in UK education, focusing on equity opportunities and challenges, highlighting both the potential benefits and risks of AI in creating or exacerbating disparities.

Key elements of team teaching

Important elements to be considered for a successful team-teaching experience (in Higher Education).

Respect is key for successful student voice as co-creation practices

Respectful and self-respecting dialogue between staff and students is essential for the development equitable higher education practices

Student voice in the development of assessment practices

How can student voice be utilised through assessment development to increase student motivation, learning outcomes, and equity in higher eduction?

Obstacles to students voice in curriculum design

Explore the challenges and benefits of student voice in curriculum design and ways to overcome barriers to student participation.

Challenges of collaborative learning and its assessment

By having students learn and work together, they can develop a variety of soft skills, but how do we assess collaborative learning activities?

Definitions of fairness in machine learning explained through examples

A recent paper clarifies what fairness means in machine learning, showing why consistent definitions help institutions address bias more effectively.