How UC Leeds topped the charts in National Student Survey

Where everyone knows your name - the vibrant University Centre meeting the needs of students and industry

A great education is a thing experienced as well as learnt. When it comes to education in Yorkshire, the region is home to some of the jewels in the country’s crown. But for the past two years, it’s been one particular Leeds provider that has had the most impact on its students.

In both 2020 and 2021, University Centre Leeds (UC Leeds) received the highest student satisfaction rates of all higher education providers in Leeds. The college-based university centre, which has campuses in the city at Park Lane and Quarry Hill, plus provisions at Harrogate College and Keighley College, is a popular choice for students of all ages thanks to its employer-led curriculum and emphasis on work-ready skills.

Including undergraduate, postgraduate and teacher education courses and qualifications, UC Leeds programmes offer a blend of academic knowledge, employability skills and practical experience. With this focus on skills expertise, coupled with a personalised approach to learning that includes smaller class sizes and an open-door culture where every student is supported, it’s understandable why UC Leeds has received such outstanding results.

Learning without limits - the University Centre boasts 100% student satisfaction in some of its courses. 100% student satisfaction, it doesn’t get better than that

The satisfaction rates were posted by the annual National Student Survey (NSS), which gathers the opinions of nearly half a million students across the UK. The 2022 survey is underway and the full results will be revealed in summer, with UC Leeds hoping to top it for the third year in a row.

The results show that UC Leeds is clearly doing something right: it received an overall student satisfaction level of 80.6%.

Of the main categories, there was an 86% overall satisfaction rate with teaching, 86.2% overall satisfaction with learning opportunities, 80.2% overall satisfaction with assessment and feedback, and 82.8% overall satisfaction with academic support. Not only do the results highlight what students most value in their learning, but they also put UC Leeds above the sector average.

Reflecting on last year’s results Janet Faulkner, Dean of University Centre Leeds, said they were particularly pleasing given all of the extra challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said: “The results show how much UC Leeds values the feedback from students and how it has helped us continually improve their experiences.

The University Centre has integrated effective online teaching and resources to ensure they get the best out of their courses

“Though students had to adapt to a new way of studying, the University Centre has integrated effective online teaching and resources to ensure they get the best out of their courses.

“The survey statistics are a reflection of the hard work staff have put in. This has immensely contributed to these impressive scores and bodes well for the future direction of the University Centre.”

Individual subjects scored particularly high; both Sports (PE) and LLB scored 100% overall student satisfaction, with computer games achieving a 95.5% overall satisfaction, and 100% for student satisfaction with teaching. Film and Screen Media scored 92.3% overall, and Leadership and Management scored 95.8% overall student satisfaction.

Dr Jo Tyssen, Head of WP, Outreach and Projects at UC Leeds, added: “We are incredibly proud of how satisfied our students are, particularly after a challenging time of tiers, lockdowns, blended learning and fully remote learning.”

Janet added: “We know every one of our 1400 students personally; we know their backstories and how to support them. That’s why UC Leeds is a preferred choice for students in Yorkshire.”

If you want to find out more about UC Leeds, the courses on offer for 2022/23 and any events they have coming up, visit https://ucleeds.ac.uk/