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General information

How are the results used?

The NSS results are made publicly available to help prospective students make informed decisions of where and what to study. Institutions and students’ unions also use the anonymised data to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses to help effect change and bring about enhancements to improve the student experience for future generations of students.

Portsmouth has been participating in the NSS for all nine years and as a result of listening to what former students had to say, the following changes have been implemented:

• There has been a major refurbishment plan for many buildings.
• The Personal Tutorial system has been strengthened.
• The Library opening hours have been extended and for 2013 the Library will be open from January to May.
• More computers have been installed in the Library Open Access area and around the campus. In addition, two seminar rooms in the Library have converted into PC rooms and connected on to the Open Access suite on the ground floor. We will also be redesigning the ground floor of the Library during summer 2013 to provide more computer and study space.
• The University’s Assessment and Feedback Policy is being revised with input from your VP Education and Democracy.
• A new Timetabling Policy is being developed led by the Vice-Chancellor.

The National Union of Students (NUS) fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for students to shape the future of higher education. Liam Burns, National President of the National Union of Students, said: 'The National Student Survey is an important tool for identifying areas of concern amongst students. It is crucial that institutions work in partnership with students to make improvements where they have been shown to be necessary. 'The results show only very slight increases in overall student satisfaction, and at a time of severe funding pressures it is more important than ever that students are involved in shaping their curriculum to ensure progress is made in the future.'