QAA response to NSS consultation outcomes

QAA is disappointed to hear that the Office for Students (OfS) intends to proceed with the removal of the summative question 27 in the National Student Survey (NSS) for providers in England - the only question that directly asks students whether they are satisfied with the quality of their course.

It is especially disappointing that the OfS is proceeding with this given the vast majority of respondents opposed the proposal, with only around a tenth of respondents supporting it.

As we stated in our response to the consultation earlier this year, QAA believes that prospective students will be at a disadvantage without access to the information provided by this question. We are also concerned that the removal of this question in England signals further divergence from a UK-wide approach to quality, which affects the global reputation of UK higher education.

QAA further believes that the purpose of the NSS ought to be viewed more broadly than as a regulatory tool in England, as the core survey criteria suggest. The NSS has wider value as a source of information for prospective students and for facilitating enhancement of the student academic experience.

QAA will continue to advocate for the use of high-quality quantitative and qualitative data that supports institutions in responding to the student voice for the enhancement of the student academic experience.