The 2012 PTES Survey results are now available. A BIG thank you to all students who participated.
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is an annual UK-wide survey of taught postgraduate students. PTES is really important to the University of Gloucestershire as it helps identify what we are doing well, as well as highlight areas for improvement, therefore enabling the university to make changes that will help make the experience better for students in the future.
PTES is run in association with the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the national body for enhancing learning and teaching in higher education in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ptes
The University of Gloucestershire participates in the PTES biennially. It was last run here in 2012, when 37% of postgraduate taught students completed the survey (compared to 25% nationally).
The next PTES survey
The PTES will be run again at the University of Gloucestershire in 2014. It is launched internally in March and runs until June. Results are analysed nationally and reported by the HEA. A summary of the institutional level results are available on these pages using links to the left.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I make myself heard?
The University of Gloucestershire participates in PTES every other year. When the survey is open, eligible students will receive an e-mail to their university connect account containing a personalised survey link. More details on how to participate will be released nearer the time.
When does the survey run?
The survey runs from early March until mid-June. The next chance for University of Gloucestershire students to give their opinions on postgraduate taught courses will be in 2014.
How does the PTES work and who is it run by?
PTES is a national survey organized by the Higher Education Academy (HEA). It is a service available to all higher education institutions across the UK that have postgraduate taught students. The survey first ran as a pilot survey in 2009, with 30 institutions and 14,421 respondents. Participation has increased dramatically since, with 83 institutions and 54,640 respondents in 2012.
The online survey is hosted by Bristol Online Surveys (BOS), and is managed locally within each participating institution.
What questions does it ask?
PTES 2010 is based on a core set of questions seeking students’ views on a range of aspects of their student experience. The questionnaire also includes open comment boxes, and institutions can add their own specific questions to find out views on areas of particular interest.
The core questions, which loosely follows the National Student Survey questions, are based on ten main topics:
Quality of teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Dissertation
Organisation and management
Learning resources
Skills and personal development
Career and professional development
Overall satisfaction
Further comments
Motivations
The full survey questions can be seen on the HEA website http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/postgraduate/PTES_2013_Questionnaire.pdf
How are the results used nationally?
Institutional and national results are collated, analysed and reported by the HEA. Recommendations on how to enhance the postgraduate student experience are made to the sector and funding bodies. Their reports are available on their website: www.heacademy.ac.uk/ptes
How are the results used by the University of Gloucestershire?
The market research team at the University of Gloucestershire analyse the results for UoG students both overall and by faculty. All results remain anonymous and comments are organised into subject areas to ensure anonymity. A cross departmental working group at the university disseminates the results and identifies key points.
Does the University respond to the questions and issues raised?
Yes. The university develops an annual Action Plan to ensure that any issues are addressed to help improve the student experience in future years.
What were some of the main concerns expressed by students?
These included limited library resources, issues with course organisation and the quality and timeliness of feedback on students’ work.
What were some of the main positive responses from students about the University?
These included praise for helpful and enthusiastic lecturers and the high quality of teaching.
If I have an issue while studying at the University, where can I go for help?
Our Student Helpzones offer a one stop shop for advice and support both personally and academically so are a good place to start. To find out more please visit http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/ss/Pages/default.aspx
Where can I find the results for Gloucestershire?
Right here! 2012 results 2010 results
How can I find out more about the survey?
For full details about the survey please visit http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ptes