On Tuesday the 25th of April Student Voice was Unleashed! Students both in person and online had a unique opportunity to voice their opinions directly to University Leaders on a variety of topics. The event brought together students and the executive team, including Vice Chancellor Kathryn Mitchell, to discuss issues such as quality of teaching, student support, and opportunities for career development.
The event was a success, with 31 students attending and actively participating in the discussions. The interactive nature of the event allowed for a meaningful exchange of ideas between the students and the University Leaders. The questions and responses from this event can be found below:
Quality of Teaching
- One student online asked: “What’s happening with staff strikes, are they continuing and are students being supported in this time?” Professor Kathryn Mitchell responded by saying that the impact of staff striking has been quite minimal at the University of Derby however that doesn’t mean the university won’t be supporting students who are affected. Keith McLay stated “the most important thing for this moment in time is all students feel confident that they will be able to progress or graduate at the end of this year” he also later stated “we have regulations in place to ensure that the students will be able to either progress into the next academic year successfully or graduate if they happen to be a final year student so we can give that assurance to our student community that that will happen and that will be the case.”
- When a student asked about the impact of the hiring freeze on the quality of teaching and any updates on its removal, the University's response was while there is currently a hiring freeze in place, it's worth noting that the University actually has more staff now than it did before the pandemic. That being said, they recognise that quality teaching depends on having the right people in the right positions. They have not stopped hiring altogether and are continuing to fill critical vacancies as needed.
Out of the session a Student Representative claimed that he had sent several emails representing student issues to their Programme Leader and has received no replies. Response from Andrea Ward Deputy Dean of CBLSS: The ML has been having on-and-off problems with his inbox - resulting in him not being able to see a number of emails due to laptop issues from the recent allocation of a new laptop. This transition to the new laptop has not been smooth and has required several visits to the DS&S team. This is noted and has been report back to DS&S re the issues relating to transitions to new laptops which is affecting the staff across the College. It can be confirmed this has now been resolved and the ML has contacted those students who have emailed him. The module leader (ML) was made aware of this issue during the weekly MSc student Coffee chats, during which he did communicate the webmail issues to those students and the reps present and they were asked to share it around. We are now discussing the use of BB Discussion Boards to support this in the future and to avoid any other issues.
Student Support
- A student enquired about the availability of financial support for those facing difficulties in these challenging times, particularly international students. The panel responded by acknowledging the impact of the current cost of living crisis and directed the audience to the International Student Hub at the University of Derby, where international students can seek advice and assistance.
The panel emphasised the University's commitment to helping students find employment to alleviate financial pressures, which can be found on the UniHub Login careers hub (This can be found on the careers hub UniHub Login (derby.ac.uk) ).
To mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, the university has implemented measures to regulate bills for students residing in halls of residence, ensuring that students living on campus will feel less of a financial burden from the increasing energy costs.
Moreover, the Office for Students has recently awarded additional funds to the university to assist with the cost-of-living crisis, which will be distributed through their hardship funds. The panel urged students to reach out and ask for support if needed, emphasising that they are available to provide assistance but students need to contact them first.
- Later on a student raised concerns about the restrictions imposed on the online library resources and queried whether the university would waive overdue payments for international students facing financial difficulties due to limited finances in their home countries.
The University duly acknowledged that the existing income collection process may pose challenges for some students and said they would be reviewing the process to make it more manageable for students to handle their finances.
Furthermore, the University emphasised that every student's financial situation is unique, and they will review each case individually to ensure that students receive the necessary support they require to pursue their studies.
To address financial issues affecting international students, students were directed to liaise with the international hub who can provide valuable advice and guidance. Additionally, students were encouraged to get the assistance offered by student services where they have trained financial advisors who can provide support on a diverse range of financial issues.
- The final student who spoke in this section voiced their concern about not having a personal academic tutor (PAT), to which Professor Keith McLay responded by stating that it was not an acceptable experience and that all students should have a PAT. He expressed his great concern and offered to speak with the student afterwards to address the issue. The details of a student joining online, who also said that they did not have a PAT, have also been passed to Professor Keith McLay’s team.
Response from Andrea Ward Deputy Dean of CBLSS: all students have been allocated a PAT and have been invited to meetings. The students without a PAT were January starts and have been invited to a PL/student group meeting in the early weeks of the programme following induction, also there were weekly coffee and chat conversations online and then the invite to the PAT meeting individually. It is acknowledged that the feedback from this event prompted the final allocation of PAT tutors to Jan students which is now all complete, but noting that the students have not been without support. All Sept students already had been allocated in September. The delay for January starts was an oversight. Unfortunately, a consequence of our current staffing freeze.
Support for a diverse student population
- A student who is also a parent and studying online expressed their financial struggles, as their loan does not cover their bills. Sarah Richardson, the Head of Student Services, advised the student to contact her team for assistance. The team offers advice on managing studies, juggling different priorities, coping with financial difficulties, as well as emotional and mental health concerns. They also have access to internal and external services to help address the student's needs.
Kathryn Mitchell expressed regret that bursaries were necessary, but was proud to announce that their institution offers the highest number of bursaries in the UK. Additionally, the Student Employment Agency can assist students in finding flexible working options at the university, which can help alleviate financial concerns. The agency's website can provide further information on available opportunities.
- During the meeting, Owen Marques, the President of the Union of Students, spoke on behalf of several international students who expressed not feeling welcomed in lectures. He asked what the university was doing to address this issue.
Prof Stephen Wordsworth, the Deputy Dean for Health, Psychology, and Social Care, mentioned that their department, which has a significant number of growing international students, has been striving to adopt a less UK-centric approach. They have also decolonized their reading lists to make their curriculum more inclusive.
Keith McLay highlighted that all colleges have been implementing similar measures to support international students. He stressed that while students come from diverse backgrounds, he wants them to identify as University of Derby students.
Alex Molasiotis, the PVC Dean for Arts, Humanities and Education, reported that the Institute of Education has introduced programmes to help students learn English, which will improve their language skills and reduce language barriers.
Sarah Richardson, the Head of Student Services, acknowledged that loneliness and isolation are prevalent issues among international students. To address this, the University has invested in the TalkCampus app, which is available in 26 languages. The app provides a platform for students to communicate with each other from multiple universities across the world and access professional support, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Opportunities and Careers
- Another student asked what the University can do to provide opportunities for postgraduate and international students. They were advised to connect with industries, whether by attending job fairs or speaking with the careers and employability team. By doing so, they can gain exposure to potential employers and learn about available job opportunities that align with their career goals.
- Another international student raised a concern about restrictions on international students doing internships. The university representatives addressed the issue by mentioning two points:
- Firstly, the university would need to have contact with the Home Office to ensure that international students are eligible to undertake internships as per their visa regulations.
- Secondly, depending on the visa that international students hold, they may be permitted to work during term breaks for a limited number of hours. The student was advised to consult the international hub for guidance on their specific visa and any associated restrictions.
Organisation and administration
- A student raised a recurring issue where many students face problems with their timetables every year. In response, June Hughes (University Secretary and Registrar) acknowledged the issue and stated that the timetable team will be reviewing the process of sorting timetables and working to address this concern. A student attending online stated that January starters have not got their September timetable yet. This has been passed to June Hughes’ team.
- A student who is currently on a course that involves placements expressed their concern that many students struggle to cover their expenses during placements due to spending their allocated funds on rent. In response, they were informed that there is support available for such students and that they can seek advice from their student centre for further assistance.
Out of the session a student rep stated that their programme’s description indicated that students are to be supported with placement, but this did not happen and in fact the programme leader stated that the University did not provide such support any more. Response from Andrea Ward Deputy Dean of CBLSS: Following a thorough search in all programme specifications and/or relevant handbooks, the PL of many years, has confirmed there is nowhere in these that state or hint that there is a placement. Students are supported through and directed to the careers hub for this but as has previously been discussed with the CES team we are in need of more targeted PGT and International focus for our students. The programme specs says "This delivery mode allows students time over a summer break without study to gain full time work experience to enhance their career progression." There could be some cultural interpretations around these phrases too before arriving for the induction and support that happens through this programme. The extended PG programmes were originally marketed on the web, we were guided by marketing on the phraseology on this and at the time highlighted there could be misinterpretation. Even with this potential misinterpretation the website said students could use the summer period on the extended degree to work full time, get internships/placements or travel. It did not say that they were supplied or supported with placements. Following previous student complaints (circa 2021), marketing did change the statement on the web page to improve this clarity. No current material for any PG MSc programme state that they are supported with a placement or that students will get a placement. These extended programmes are now closed. We can confirm that the Programme Leader does tell them there is no placement, the programme was validated without one, the documents whilst inadvertently could have been misleading this was corrected before the current cohort intake so there could be some misunderstanding at the recruitment stage that may need further exploration with either our team or the agents.
In response to the question about when students will get their September timetables: Response from June Hughes’ Team: the team have advised that these timetables will be available when all timetables are released at the end of July/beginning of August.
Learning resources
- A student inquired if the university had considered ways to reduce the cost of resources. The university library is currently investigating this issue, however University representatives at the event were keen to emphasise that students should be able to access texts needed for their programmes for free through the library.
- Another student asked if the university could collaborate with international libraries to allow them access to a greater amount of resources. Professor Keith McLay said that he would discuss this with the library, but the possibility would depend on the associated costs.
- Finally, a student raised concerns about the difficulty in locating and accessing resources. The university representatives mentioned that during induction week, information is provided to students regarding accessing resources. However, they acknowledged that it may be overwhelming for students to receive all the information at once and therefore, they plan to spread out this information to make it easier for students to understand where to access resources.
Estates
- During the meeting, a student raised the issue of the inadequate lighting in Markeaton Park, which becomes a safety concern for many students who have permits to park their vehicles there during winter. The student highlighted that walking in the park after dark becomes dangerous due to the lack of lighting, and many students feel unsafe.
The University is working with Derby City Council to improve the lighting in the area. In fact, better lighting has already been installed between Markeaton street and Britannia Mill, and further improvements are currently being discussed with the council. Additionally, the university has been invited to co-write the city's bid for funding from the Home Office on a scheme called Safer Streets. By participating in this initiative, the university will have the opportunity to work closely with the council and other partners to identify the best ways to use the funding to make the area safer and more secure for everyone.
- A student, who is a keen bird watcher, raised a concern about Sturgess Fields. The field has been gated off and is in disrepair. It was mentioned that there are some constraints regarding the matter. The university is exploring various options such as greening the area or utilizing it for academic research. In addition, there are numerous plans for Derby's urban sustainable transition.
Overall, Student Voice Unleashed was a big success. It provided students with a platform to voice their opinions and concerns, and the University Leaders were receptive and committed to addressing these issues. The event demonstrated the University of Derby's commitment to providing an exceptional student experience and ensuring that all students feel valued and supported. It is events like these that truly demonstrate the importance of student engagement and the power of student voices in shaping the future of higher education.