National Student Survey 2020

Dear colleagues,

The National Student Survey (NSS) opened on Monday 6 January and runs until 30 April 2020.  All colleagues who are teaching final year UG students have been asked to attend an NSS briefing session. Other interested staff are also welcome to attend and find out how they can support this important campaign. The sessions will be brief, and will take place on the following dates and times:

Bedford: Wednesday 8 January 12.00-12.30, P0.33

Luton: Wednesday 8 January 14.30-15.00, A004

Staff can use materials found on the NSS in.beds page when talking to students about the NSS and to monitor progress of the campaign. It is important to be aware of the marketing guidelines and what may constitute inappropriate influence, so please read the Help Cards available.

Our role in the campaign

We are responsible for ensuring that our students understand the importance of their participation in the NSS and are supported to do so.

We have a schedule for all final year lectures, where our NSS Student Ambassadors will attend to support you in promoting the NSS in the classroom and/or at final year photo events. But the role of lecturers is crucial, and we ask you to take an active role in promoting participation, with support from our Student Ambassadors. Here’s how the sessions will work:

• The respective Student Ambassadors will join the lecture/photo event (the timing will have been agreed with you)
• Each lecturer will take the lead (and this is critical) in explaining the role and importance of the NSS
• Student Ambassadors will provide iPads for NSS completion there and then and offer assistance in completing the NSS
• Student Ambassadors will explain the incentives on offer for completing the NSS
• Student Ambassadors will take an informal ‘Class of 2020’ photo if desired, which will be emailed to the lecturer following the event.

Alongside this, Institution-wide “You Said, We Are Listening and Responding” and “Did You Know” messages are being promoted and I would encourage you all to stress local "You Said" and “Did You Know” actions undertaken locally at a course and departmental level.

Weekly response rates will be produced and circulated to enable staff to target action in terms of boosting participation rates. They will also be uploaded to the in.beds site from 16 January.

#CelebrateBeds events

To increase student engagement and awareness with the NSS, as well as other key student experience initiatives, we will be holding fun-filled #CelebrateBeds events. Please encourage all students to attend.

Luton: Monday 13 January, Campus Centre Ground Floor

Bedford: Monday 3 February, Gateway Ground Floor

Contacts

If you have any queries relating to the NSS, please contact either your respective Student Experience Faculty leads, Scarlett Dawson (NSS Project Manager), or the Student Experience team (via studentexperience@beds.ac.uk) who will be very happy to help.

NSS Signature

You will see attached our “NSS Signature”. I strongly encourage all staff to add this to their Outlook email signatures by copying and pasting from the below - further guidance on this can be found on the in.beds site. 

Thank you for your continued effort and commitment to the NSS.

Best wishes,

Mary Malcolm

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)