Chichester becomes a top-25 UK university for student satisfaction

• Chichester named UK’s 25th-best university in National Student Survey 2021
• Results show satisfied students among happiest in UK
• Psychology and teacher-training rated the third and fourth best respectively for overall student satisfaction

THE University of Chichester has been named in the UK’s top-25 in a national ranking out today.

Results from the National Student Survey 2021, known as the NSS, placed the West Sussex institution in 25th position out of 155 others – based on its high satisfaction rates.

Its degree courses also performed well across the board, with psychology, teacher-training, and early childhood studies all rated among the top five for overall satisfaction. The University climbed 26 places on last year’s survey, which is measured on the ratings of its final-year students.

The results reflect staff’s deep commitment to our students during one of the most challenging periods of our 182-year history, said Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane Longmore.

She added: “Receiving high scores from our students off the back of an extremely demanding year highlights our dedication to creating an inclusive community of care that leaves no one behind.

“Becoming a top-25 UK university is a powerful statement for Chichester. To rise 26 places shows that students value the community which has supported them throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The NSS survey, which is commissioned by the Office for Students, polls final-year students about their time spent in higher education through 27 core questions.

Chichester’s courses performed well across the board with eight departments in the UK’s top 20 in their respective subjects, while its Musical Theatre Performance and Early Childhood Studies degrees achieved 100 per cent overall satisfaction scores.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Mark Mason, who oversees student experience at the University, added: “Throughout the pandemic we provided as much face-to-face tuition and personal support as possible, working within the government guidance.

“These results illustrate our dedication to sustaining and strengthening a learning community that has supported our students through a particularly difficult period and which remains committed to providing a positive, life-changing, and enriching university experience.”

The NSS results come off the back of a successful year for Chichester, which was also named a top-30 UK university by the Guardian league rankings.

Students’ Union president Gemma Hopwood said: “This is an absolutely exceptional result for our University. I was lucky enough to experience a high-quality education during the global pandemic.

“The University of Chichester ensured that we were on campus at every opportunity and this showed in the results we achieved. I am ecstatic and I hope we can maintain this progress and student satisfaction in the coming year.”

To read the NSS results in full go to www.officeforstudents.org.uk/nss.

For more on the University of Chichester’s inclusive community and its history of providing an enriching experience at www.chi.ac.uk/about-us.