In this year’s National Student Survey (NSE), the University of Twente is ranked third of all universities in the Netherlands. The UT has again seen its performance improve compared to the previous year. The results of the large-scale, nationwide survey conducted by Studiekeuze123 were announced today. They reveal improved scores in almost all key areas surveyed. The scores also exceed the national average in all areas. The research forms the basis for the Keuzegids Universiteiten study guide, which will be published at the end of November of this year.
The UT reveal improved scores in almost all key areas surveyed and rises from the fourth to the third place of all universities in the Netherlands. Three key questions that the NSE put to the students were:
1. What is your assessment of your educational programme in general?
2. How do you feel about the atmosphere of your educational programme?
3. Would you recommend your programme to friends or family?
For all three questions, the UT achieved a score that is higher than last year. For the first question, the score has increased from 4.10 (on a scale of 1 to 5) in 2018 to 4.16 in 2019. The score for atmosphere has increased by 0.02 to reach 4.38. For the third question, the UT scored an average of 4.25: 0.01 up on 2018.
Not only does the UT scores high on the key areas, but also in terms of the level of participation. At the UT, 37% of students completed the questionnaire, ranking the institution second. On average, 30% of students completed the questionnaire.
The scores achieved by the University of Twente in the NSE have shown an upward trend for several years now. The improvement in student ratings is also evident in the Keuzegids Universiteiten study guide for both Master's and Bachelor's programmes, in both of which the University of Twente already ranks second among all Dutch universities
Key areas
The Keuzegids bases its questionnaire around 17 key areas. The additional focus that the University of Twente has placed on quality evaluation in recent years appears to have paid dividends in terms of improving the score. Educational programmes are continually engaged in discussions with students to analyse areas for improvement and implement appropriate measures. The score for ‘Quality evaluation’ is 0.35 points higher than the national average, making it the best-performing area.
‘Internationalization’ is another subject that is high on the UT agenda. The score for that improved by 0.19 to reach 3.58, above the national average. However, there is still room for improvement.
Of all the key areas, the scores for the themes ’Group size’ and ’Internship experience’ were the highest, at 4.22 and 4.11 respectively. This shows that students appear to greatly appreciate the relatively small groups in which they are taught and are satisfied with the opportunities available for internships.
About the National Student Survey
Every year, all students in higher education in the Netherlands are asked to give their views on the education they receive. This provides the participating educational institutions with valuable information for shaping their education: it is used for quality evaluation and as a subject for discussion between the institutions and students on how and where improvements are possible. Because all institutions ask the same questions, the results can serve as a benchmark. For example, they are also used for the Keuzegids, a valuable resource for prospective students in determining their choice of study, which will be published at the end of November of this year. The survey was conducted in the period January-April 2019.
