Student Voice
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Student Voice Resources

Open Day Categories

Coming up with a clear categorisation structure for open day feedback is always a challenge, and something we are constantly working on at Student Voice. Open day comments can span everything from the course content and employability to the quality of tours, the welcome on the day, and practicalities like accommodation, travel, and queues.

Below we share a categorisation structure for open day attendee comments that encompasses 14 categories. We can adopt a detailed set of categories at Student Voice because our machine-learning powered classifiers automate the process, but even if you are labelling by hand then hopefully the below will give you some inspiration.

  • Course Information

    Feedback about the course itself and what attendees learned about it, including how clear, detailed, and useful the course information was and any positive or negative impressions formed during the course session.

  • Careers And Employability

    Comments relating to employability, career pathways, placements, industry links, accreditation or professional registration, and perceived graduate outcomes or job prospects discussed during the open day.

  • Talks, Tours And Sessions

    Feedback on the content, delivery, and format of scheduled sessions at the open day—talks, taster sessions, interactive elements, and tours—including engagement, informativeness, pacing, and how well sessions were focused on a single subject.

  • Staff

    Mentions of interactions with staff or lecturers, focusing on helpfulness, approachability, and the quality of support and answers provided.

  • Welcome And Atmosphere

    Perceptions of how welcoming the event felt and the overall atmosphere or vibe of the university community during the open day.

  • Current Student Engagement

    Experiences of engaging with current students, hearing first-hand perspectives, and seeing examples of student work or projects.

  • Facilities & Resources

    Comments about teaching and learning facilities and resources, including specialist spaces and equipment and impressions of their quality.

  • Accommodation

    Feedback on student accommodation, including tours, quality and suitability, and practical considerations such as availability, cost, or waiting and queuing.

  • Location

    Impressions of the university’s location and physical setting, including campus layout and the surrounding city or environment.

  • Travel

    Travel and access considerations such as transport, parking, directions, and ease of getting around, as well as mentions of travel- or language-related opportunities where relevant.

  • Social Life

    Information and impressions about student social life, including clubs, societies, and social events.

  • Organisation & Overall Management

    Operational aspects of the open day such as organisation, scheduling, queues and waiting, time management, and whether activities felt rushed or ran too long.

  • Comparisons With Other Universities

    Explicit comparisons to other universities’ open days or offerings, including relative strengths and whether Portsmouth was perceived as better or worse.

  • On-the-day Extras & Materials

    Feedback on event extras such as refreshments and the availability or usefulness of printed information and take-away materials.