You said:

Students were not aware of the support offered by the Undergraduate Administration Team.  

We did: 

• A ‘Meet the Team’ area of Canvas and a list of supports was created.  
• Team introduced to all students at Level 1 Induction  

You said:

Students requested support for Joint Honours as they felt there was confusion over home schools and personal teachers.  

We did: 

• The AHSS Faculty established a working group to focus on key joint programmes across languages, HAPP and Liberal Arts to help create an increased sense of cohort identity for students. 
• Deliver an induction and welcome event targeting students on joint pathways so students can meet others on the same courses.
• Staff and students reviewed the academic calendar - to ensure semester start dates for students in different Schools (e.g. AEL and HAPP) are aligned to assist joint students.

You said:

Students want their Personal Tutors to be more visible and accessible.  

We did: 

• AEL are in discussions with IT to get your PT information on the Queen’s App. 
• Creation of an online booking system for you to book appointments with them.
• Ensure that every first-year student has met their Personal Tutor within their first two weeks of starting university.

You said:

Student wanted to know more about Supports available   

We did: 

• Social media campaign to highlight school supports and Professional Services including Wellbeing and Accessible Learning.
• Additional information on transition to University – including access to our quiet and sensory rooms, and the transgender policy for students.  
• Create a ‘Getting Started’ page on Canvas which will link to information on My Queens, like budgeting and finance advice and registering for a local GP  
• Highlight areas of advice and support around moving to a new country and settling into life in Belfast for International students.  

You said: Attendance monitoring was an issue because of QR code problems.  

We did: Lecturers actively recorded the names of students unable to register in class and promptly notified the relevant department to ensure accurate attendance tracking.  

You said: Students asked for a means to stay in touch during Placement on the IB programme.  

We did: We proactively consulted with the IMBL Programme Director to explore the creation of group chats for placement students, enhancing communication and support.    

You said: Student Reps felt that reduced tutorials negatively impacted engagement, making it harder to focus during longer lectures. 

We did: Feedback was communicated to the Director of Undergraduate Education and Programme Directors for BM and IBML, ensuring student concerns were addressed.  Staff were encouraged to make lecture content more engaging and interactive, as well as schedule sufficient breaks, in longer classes.

You said: International Business on Module MGT2011 Students found the three individual assessments and a group element challenging.  

We did: QBS promptly reported this feedback to the Module Coordinator, highlighting the need for a more balanced assessment structure. The assessment structure has been reviewed and refined for the 2024-2025 academic year.

You said: Student fed back that Timetabling issues meant there was clashes and sometimes back-to-back sessions without breaks.

We did: Feedback was conveyed to the Programme Director. Suggestions were also made to foster community within the IBML cohort, including introducing a business-focused cursillo.   The issue of clashes only impacted a small number of students and this has now been resolved.

You said: Students raised concern about the short time gap between the Accounting exam and the Finance module.  

We did: The Accounting teaching team and PGT office successfully rescheduled the exam, improving student balance. Updates were communicated to students. 

You said: Disruptions during class tests were reported.   

We did: The Programme Director coordinated with the PGT office and module coordinators to address the issue. It was escalated to the Director of Postgraduate Education to prevent future disruptions.   

You said: You wanted more choice and flexibility in your degree  

We did:  New optional modules introduced across all programmes to address current global issues, and debates - increased curriculum flexibility for both single and joint students. 

You said: The School Winter programme needs to be flexible and take account of the issues facing students when they start the new year 

We did: A revamped Winter Programme facilitating virtual participation, combining School-wide events (film documentaries and discussions, sessions on wellbeing, navigating the cost-of-living crisis, safety on campus, and other issues) as well as discipline-specific catch-up sessions with your Advisors of Study. 

You said: Canvas modules were hard to navigate and confusing about the minimum requirements for passing a module 

We did: A significant improvement and redesign of Canvas modules, taking into account student feedback on ‘Minimum Requirements’ in our virtual learning environment. 

You said: The procedure for applying for extensions and ECs was confusing 

We did: Created a more user-friendly and accessible procedure of applying for extensions and exceptional circumstances. 

You said: You would like additional accessible information on how to write essays and better support for completing coursework and implementing feedback 

We did: Additional module-based training on coursework skills, academic writing and referencing. 

You said: You would like additional support and information from Student Skills Assistants 

We did: An enhancement of the ‘Student Skills Assistants’ and ‘Digital Champions’ schemes, employing students to provide subject-specific content (both recorded and live) and digital educational support throughout the year. 

You said: Communication on School events needs to improve and that too much information is conveyed via email 

We did: An improvement of communication, by conveying important information on events and opportunities in lectures 

You said:  You had trouble contacting and engaging with subject-specific societies and would like additional opportunities to engage with cohorts of students in each discipline, to help build a sense of community.  

We did: A revitalisation of subject-specific societies that organise social and educational events 

You said: You wanted more opportunities to connect with your peers 

We did: Additional peer to peer support via the UG Peer Mentor coffee mornings and associated social events 

In 2023/24, we have worked hard to improve Student Experience in SSESW. Here’s a snapshot of some of the improvements we’ve embedded as a result of student feedback through surveys and our Student Voice Committee: 

• We have invested significantly in our buildings and have recently secured funds to refurbish all our facilities including a complete overhaul of the reception in 6 College Park to increase the sense of an SSESW community.
• We have worked at avoiding bottlenecks at assessment hand in times.
• We have offered the opportunity to know your grade average mid-semester, so you know what to do to get an increased degree classification.
• We have increased our consultation methods to ensure we are aware of student issues in real time so that we can respond more agilely.
• We have diversified the choice of modules we offer and assessment methods.
• We have worked to further develop our SVC and to be more responsive to the Student Voice. 

You said: You asked us to provide more opportunities to socialise with other students. 

We did: We organised a range of social activities for students this year, including a coffee morning for mature students and students with caring responsibilities, a networking breakfast for criminology students and a sociological cinema event. 

You said:  you wanted us to help build a sense of community. 

We did: We formed a criminology study group to help students develop relationships with each other as well as enhance their academic skills and employability. We also delivered workshops for first year criminology students during their first week to help build connections with their peers. 

You said: You asked us to increase awareness amongst students of existing services and support available at QUB. 

We did: We have used lecture shoutouts, Canvas announcements and regular email communication to promote Queen’s services and supports to students. Personal tutors, Advisors of Studies and the School’s Student Support Administrator have also promoted services directly to students in 1-to-1 support meetings. 

You said: You said you found it difficult to know where to go for support. 

We did: We created easy to read slides pointing students to support services available to them in One Elmwood. We also embedded links to key wellbeing and student support services on our Student Hub, and in our new Canvas information module, EDU4000. 

You said: You said you wanted more opportunities for feedback. 

We did: We have been making students aware of the different types of informal feedback. In SPY1005, we trialed a new portal on Canvas where students can submit work and receive individual feedback, which has helped to increase student engagement in formative assessments.  

You said: You asked us to improve student attendance and engagement 

We did: We revised our teaching delivery and assessment methods to better promote student attendance and engagement. We have increased attendance monitoring and provided extra support, including 1-to-1 meetings, with students struggling to attend and engage in their classes.