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Overall student satisfaction falls The independent voice of Newcastle students
Sidney Pinsent News Editor
2%
decrease has been shown in regards to overall student satisfaction in comparrison to 2017
For the second year running, overall student satisfaction at Newcastle University has fallen. Feedback showed a 2% decrease in 2017 compared to the previous year. This is alongside a host of other targets which have fallen between 2016 and 2017. The Universities Executive Board and Senate has put in place a series of actions to address issues raised by the results, particularly the ‘Student Voice’ and ‘Assessment and feedback’ results which stand at just 68% and 71% satisfaction respectively. In each of the sectors the University has seen a decrease in positive student responses to questions on their experiences at Newcastle University. Students responded with a 5% fall in teaching satisfaction, declining from 90% in 2016 to 85% in 2017. The University still hold a Gold Award in the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). But despite this, other measures of student satisfaction have also fallen. Satisfaction in ‘Organisation and Management’ fell by 7% to 80% in 2017 while ‘Academic support’ fell to 82%, 4% less than the previous year. The overall decrease in student satisfaction was not limited to Newcastle University alone, as the overall national percentage of students satisfied with their university course has also fallen for the second year in a row. Ongoing industrial action could be speculated as one of the reasons for this continued decrease in satisfaction, as planned disruption of teaching as part of the UCU pension strikes took place over four weeks in the 2017/18 academic year.
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The University has also seen a fall in the percentage of undergraduate students in graduate level outcomes six months after graduating, falling from 82.6% to 80.7%. The University has stated this drop is due to a reduction in the number of medicine and dentistry graduates and “changes in the makeup of our graduate population”. This comes with the news that there has been a huge decrease in international students between 2016 and 2017. Newcastle saw a 9% fall in international student numbers while overall student numbers have increased by 7%. This is because of increased international tuition fees and ‘greater competition within the UK.’
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However, decrease in student satisfaction was not limited to Newcastle University alone
This is after universities and businesses called for a change to International Student Visas. Currently students who have come from outside of the EU are only given four months after their graduation to secure an employer sponsorship and a minimum salary of £20,800. The new visa would allow international students to work in the UK for up to two years after they graduate. Vice-Chancellor Chris Day has not officially supported the propositions but has previously stated: “The North East economy benefits significantly as international students generated £514m in export earnings, and expenditure from these students supported 2,032 fulltime equivalent jobs. “One in every 66 international students in the UK is studying at Newcastle University and the city is a richer and more vibrant place due to their valued contribution.”
Monday 22 October 2018 Issue 1374 Free
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Image: Sheila Burnett
Newcastle volunteers on mission to save gorillas
Carl Smith Valdez
Third year Newcastle University Biology and Media students are looking forward to volunteering at The Cross River Gorilla Project this year. The Cross River Gorilla Project aims to preserve the critically endangered Cross River gorilla and support local rainforest communities in Cameroon. Michael Fatouros, a third year Media, Communications and Cultural Studies student is partaking to develop his employability skills. He said: “I hope I gain some experience on how non-governmental organisations operate in terms of responsibilities, duties and
workload –and get some hands-on experience in relation to PR and Marketing.”
There are currently 300 cross-river gorillas remaining worldwide, it has been estimated that by 2030, they could become extinct
These beneficial effects have been echoed by Ramona Slusarczyk, a Global Public Relations lecturer in Newcastle University and an associate of The Cross River Gorilla Project.
She said: “Charities offer their time to our students and facilitate their hands-on work which can serve as a showcase for students’ future employment.” “Students feel more accountable for the outcomes of their work as they are answerable to a real client and face real challenges such as working on a low budget, while organisations gain much-needed PR advice.” “I’m very inspired and impressed by Newcastle University’s students, whose drive and dedication makes me feel enthused and motivated as an educator.” There are currently 300 cross-river gorillas remaining worldwide, and it has been estimated by researchers that by 2030, they could become extinct if no action is taken. Recently, The Cross River Gorilla Project
has been facing a challenging situation due
‘I’m very inspired and impressed by Newcastle University’s students, whose drive and dedication makes me an enthused and motivated educator.’
Ramona Slusarczyk, a Global Public Relations lecturer in Newcastle University
to the unresolved conflict between the An-
glophone minority and the Cameroonian government. This resulted in civilians fleeing to towns and building camps in the forest, which adds more strain on the gorilla’s survival, as civilians need food and shelter. The Cross River Gorilla Project is a Newcastle-based charity founded in 1999 by John Daniels, a retired headteacher from Northumberland, after witnessing the devastations in Cameroon for himself. Last year, The Cross River Gorilla Project held a dinner and silent auction event at the Great North Museum, raising £3,000. This year The Cross River Gorilla Project are organising a fundraising gala at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London on 29th March, with high-profiled guests from the UK and Cameroon.