International Student Barometer 2017

About the International Student Barometer Survey

The International Student Barometer Survey is an annual survey conducted by i-graduate.

The International Student Barometer Survey specifically provides universities with an understanding of the motivations, expectations and experience of international students.

At Teesside University, we use the Survey to gain insights into the experience we offer to our international students, to identify the things we are doing well and to understand where we need to make improvements.

It is divided into four sections learning, living, support and arrival with a series of specific categories within each section.

Participation in the International Student Barometer 2017

In the most recent survey, 120 universities around the world were benchmarked in the survey. 31 of those were UK universities.

409 international students at Teesside University responded, so the selection of results below are based on opinions from those students.

You can see the full list of all the universities who participated in the 2017 survey, and also find details of how to verify the results below on the i-graduate website.

2017 results by ranking:

Of 120 global universities which participated in the International Student Barometer 2017, Teesside University is ranked:

- Number one in the world for overall average satisfaction

- Number one in the world for performance feedback

- Number one in the world for overall average satisfaction with the living experience

- Number one in the world for living costs

- Number one in the world for social facilities

- Number one in the world for its Accommodation Office during the arrival process (82 univerisities were ranked in this category)

- Number one in the world for welcome (107 universities participated in this category)

Of 31 UK universities which participated in the International Student Barometer 2017, Teesside University is ranked:

LEARNING CATEGORY	UK RANKING
Average satisfaction with our learning experience	1
Assessment	1
Performance feedback	1
Marking Criteria	1
Course organisation	1
Quality lectures	1
Topic selection on postgraduate courses	1 (30 universities participated in this category)
Careers advice	1
Physical library	1
Technology	1
Laboratories	1
Online library	1
Learning spaces	1

LIVING CATEGORY	UK RANKING
Overall average satisfaction with the living experience	1
Living costs	1
Accommodation costs	1
Social facilities	1
Social activities	1
Campus buildings	1
Financial support	1

SUPPORT CATEGORY	UK RANKING
Average satisfaction with support	1
Careers Service	1 (28 universities participated in this category)
Students’ Union	1
Catering (on campus eating outlets)	1 (30 univerisities participated in this category)

ARRIVAL CATEGORY	UK RANKING
Average satisfaction with arrival	1
Accommodation office during the arrivals process	1 (28 universities participated in this category)
Social activities on arrival	1 (30 univerisities participated in this category)
Registration	1
Welcome	1 (28 universities participated in this category)
First night	1
Institution orientation	1
Internet access on arrival	1 (30 univerisities participated in this category)
Accommodation condition on arrival	1

2017 results by percentage satisfaction, based on the views of 409 students

LEARNING CATEGORY	% SATISFACTION
Average satisfaction with our learning experience	93.3
Expert lecturers	96.1
Performance feedback	95.2
“Good teachers”	94.9
Learning support	94.4
Quality lectures	93.9
Course content	92.4
Research	90.5
Language support	94.8
Physical library	97.4
Technology in the learning environment	96.6
Laboratories	95.3
Online library	95.0
Learning spaces	94.6
Virtual learning	92.9

LIVING CATEGORY	% SATISFACTION
Overall satisfaction with the living experience	90.0
Sport facilities	92.5
Social facilities	92.5
Social activities	91.6
Campus buildings	95.8
Eco-friendly attitude	92.4
Campus environment	92.3
Visa advice	92.2
Worship facilities	91.5

SUPPORT CATEGORY	% SATISFACTION
Average satisfaction with support	95.6
Careers Service	100
IT support (ITACS)	98.9
Students’ Union	97.5
Counselling Service	97.5
University Clubs/Societies	97.3
International Student Advisers	96.8
International admissions/compliance	94.9
Halls Welfare Wardens	94.9
Catering (on campus eating outlets)	94.8
Personal tutors	94.0
Finance Department	90.2

ARRIVAL CATEGORY	% SATISFACTION
Overall satisfaction with arrival	91.9
Accommodation office on arrival	100
Social activities on arrival	94.7
Meeting staff on arrival	94.6
Registration	94.2
Welcome	93.8

OVERALL	% SATISFACTION
Overall satisfaction	94.4

How we used the results of the International Student Barometer Survey 2016

The feedback we received in 2016 resulted in the following developments at the University.

Students said:
They would like more opportunities to make friends with UK students and better signposting to things to do in the local area.

We have:
Appointed an Events Co-ordinator in the Department of International Development, to

• Organise social events
• Work with the Students’ Union on subsidised events and excursions to you meet local people and discover the region
• Integrate UK and international orientation activities where possible

Students said:
They wanted to know what we are doing to ensure they feel happy, healthy and safe at Teesside.

We have:

• Created a new publication for international students on being happy, healthy and safe at Teesside University
• Introduced SafeZone, a new personal safety app for staff and students on campus www.safezoneapp.com
• Continued our work with Cleveland Police, with two permanent Police Community Support Officers on campus

Students said:
They thought our accommodation needed updating.

We have:
Refurbished and redecorated our university-owned housing. New student accommodation is part of our £300m campus development master plan.

For more information about International Student Barometer and Teesside's results, please contact Sam Bull, Account Executive, Continuous Surveys, i-graduate, Sam.Bull@i-graduate.org

---