From promise to pragmatism: Delivering a better student experience
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System planning and design
Engagement and co-design
Service redesign and integration
Monitoring and evaluation
Results from Nous Group’s inaugural student experience study
Student expectations relate not just to on-campus social activities and general wellbeing but also to what students learn, how they are supported to undertake that learning, and how they apply that learning outside university in day-to-day life and the world of work. Student experience relates to the academic experience, administration services, support services, and the level of engagement and connection the student has with the institution. It includes on-campus and online experiences.
To meet these expectations in an increasingly competitive market, many universities have sought to understand how they can deliver not just a ‘good’ experience but an ‘outstanding’ one. A university’s competitive edge will come through creating and curating a leading experience for all students.
This report is based on a Nous Group study exploring different approaches to improving student experience at universities. It also looks at contemporary students’ expectations of higher education and how confident institutions are in meeting them.
About the REPORT
OUR FINDINGS ARE DISTILLED INTO SEVEN OBSERVATIONS:
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Start with understanding
Historically, many universities took a one-size-fits-all approach to student experience. However, our study found unequivocally that universities realise this no longer works. They recognise that the student group is becoming more diverse, and that expectations are shifting accordingly. As a result, it is increasingly vital for universities to understand who contemporary university students are and what matters to them. Only then can institutions make the improvements necessary to create outstanding experiences for all.
OBSERVATION 2
There has been a shift from elite to mass education. With increasing number of students comes greater diversity.
Director of student experience, Australian university
3
Technology is a cornerstone
2
Approach the experience holistically
4
Initiatives must be right time, right place
70 university
operational
leaders ACROSS
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Approach the experience holistically
Study participants said the student experience needed to be understood holistically. Many student experience leaders noted that students don’t see academic experience as separate from student support services or student life – they see all three elements as part of the one package. Measuring this end-to-end experience, while difficult, is critical to ensuring universities get the most from the investment being made.
Delivering an outstanding student experience is a whole-of-institution activity.
Head of Academic and Student Engagement, Australian university
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Technology is a cornerstone
Leaders involved in the study emphasised the way in which technology, digital tools and process automation are critical to translating universities’ ambitions for outstanding student experience into practice.
How institutions prioritise and implement these approaches will depend on where a university needs to focus, such as student retention or lead-to-conversion.
We are aiming to move to a more bespoke/tailored experience for our students so that we can meet their diverse needs more easily.
Director of Student Services, UK university
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Initiatives must be right time, right place
University leaders noted in the study that their institutions need to better understand how their services can be better tailored and delivered to different students cohorts in a more targeted manner. With fewer resources and less appetite for a wholesale redesign of student experience, study participants were looking to invest in more targeted initiatives. In fact, targeted initiatives were considered among the most effective approaches and critical for creating an outstanding student experience in the next few years.
Keeping up with student changes makes it very challenging to measure student satisfaction.
Director,
Canadian university
Jessica Weereratne
Director
jessica.weereratne@nousgroup.com
Australia
New Zealand
UK
Canada
IRELAND
Get the latest insighst from our University COO Survey report.
The study involved preliminary discussions with university student experience leaders responsible for student experience and success; a survey of more than 180 student experience leaders at universities across Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK); workshops and roundtables with staff and students to test and validate findings; in-depth interviews with leaders to further explore the emerging themes; and Nous’ experience working with universities across Australia, Canada and the UK and research into leading global practice.
Davina McArthur
PRINCIPAL
davina.mcarthur@nousgroup.com
Zac Ashkanasy
PRINCIPAL, GLOBAL HEAD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
zac.ashkanasy@nousgroup.com
AUTHORS
OBSERVATION 3
OBSERVATION 4
Additional contributions provided by Robbie Saul-Georgel and Rebecca Sullivan.
What approaches have been most effective in improving your current student experience?
Which of these student academic support services is the most important for an institution to deliver an outstanding experience?
Undergraduate
Postgraduate taught
Postgraduate research
How well does your current model support an outstanding student experience for the following groups?
OBSERVATION 1
1
Start with understanding
We are pleased to share the results of the inaugural Nous Group Student Experience Study. This groundbreaking research is the first of its kind to tap into the sentiments of university leaders responsible for student experience at institutions across Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. It combines surveys, interviews and group discussions involving more than 180 student experience leaders.
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Historically, many universities took a one-size-fits-all approach to student experience. However, our study found unequivocally that universities realise this no longer works.
They recognise that the student group is becoming more diverse, and that expectations are shifting accordingly. As a result, it is increasingly vital for universities to understand who contemporary university students are and what matters to them.
The ability to collect and analyse data and partner with students is crucial if universities are to better understand their individual and collective needs.
OBSERVATION 2
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COVID-19’s timing has led to a geographic bifurcation of the financial fortunes of universities: the UK expects to rebound quickly while Australia and New Zealand will take longer. Most COOs see a return to financial sustainability within three years.
COOs have several levers available to improve financials, but the challenge is to ensure financial restructuring genuinely establishes long-term sustainability.Universities want practical solutions to help transform students’ experiences from good to great.
THEME 3
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Monitoring and reporting are critical to understanding student experience and the effectiveness of initiatives to improve it. But measuring student experience is also difficult, given it encompasses teaching and learning as well as student life outside formal learning contexts.
There are many ways a university can approach it,
but in any case, leadership involvement and accountability are key.
THEME 4
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Historically, many universities took a one-size-fits-all approach to student experience. However, our study found unequivocally that universities realise this no longer works.
They recognise that the student group is becoming more diverse, and that expectations are shifting accordingly. As a result, it is increasingly vital for universities to understand who contemporary university students are and what matters to them.
The ability to collect and analyse data and partner with students is crucial if universities are to better understand their individual and collective needs.
OBSERVATION 1
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INTRODUCTION
University students’ expectations have transformed significantly in recent years. Their expectations about the experiences universities can and should provide – and how they should be delivered – have changed.
Download the Nous Group Student Experience Study
Student expectations relate not just to on-campus social activities and general wellbeing but also to what students learn, how they are supported to undertake that learning, and how they apply that learning outside university in day-to-day life and the world of work. Student experience relates to the academic experience, administration services, support services, and the level of engagement and connection the student has with the institution. It includes on-campus and online experiences.
To meet these expectations in an increasingly competitive market, many universities have sought to understand how they can deliver not just a ‘good’ experience but an ‘outstanding’ one. A university’s competitive edge will come through creating and curating a leading experience for all students.
6
5
Make astute use of third parties
7
Capability and culture matter
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Make astute use of third parties
In the study, many universities identified that they are partnering with specialist third parties. They see these providers as integral to the delivery of an outstanding student experience.
OBSERVATION 5
Third-party providers are so important for doing the things that we don’t do as well… This then frees us up to be more focused.
Student experience leader, Australian university
For which services are you using third party providers? (Top 4 services selected)
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The shift towards centralised delivery is growing
The study found that increasingly, many of the most effective and cohesive student service operating models were the ones which had functions, activities and teams centralised around student experience and success.
The study identified a significant shift towards centralised operating models for student experience and student support services. Importantly, while the shift to centralisation is key, fully centralised is not ideal. Universities must determine the balance of what is centralised versus devolved.
OBSERVATION 6
What percentage of your student support services are centralised?
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Capability and culture matter
OBSERVATION 7
We want to do more co-design but many staff don’t have the required skills or capabilities to work in this way.
Student services leader, UK university
5
Make astute use of third parties
6
The shift towards centralised delivery is growing
7
Capability and culture matter
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Monitoring and reporting are critical to understanding student experience and the effectiveness of initiatives to improve it. But measuring student experience is also difficult, given it encompasses teaching and learning as well as student life outside formal learning contexts.
There are many ways a university can approach it, but in any case, leadership involvement and accountability are key.
OBSERVATION 4
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Monitoring and reporting are critical to understanding student experience and the effectiveness of initiatives to improve it. But measuring student experience is also difficult, given it encompasses teaching and learning as well as student life outside formal learning contexts.
There are many ways a university can approach it, but in any case, leadership involvement and accountability are key.
OBSERVATION 4
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Monitoring and reporting are critical to understanding student experience and the effectiveness of initiatives to improve it. But measuring student experience is also difficult, given it encompasses teaching and learning as well as student life outside formal learning contexts.
There are many ways a university can approach it, but in any case, leadership involvement and accountability are key.
OBSERVATION 6
A culture of student success is replacing the historical compliance culture. Study respondents noted that leadership involvement and accountability are key to driving this shift in culture.
What are the most important emerging skills for student support staff in delivering an outstanding student experience?
The shift towards centralised delivery is growing
AUTHORS