18 August 2010 Last updated at 05:22 ET

Student satisfaction rate stalls at 82%, survey finds

By Katherine Sellgren BBC News education reporter

Students were asked about every aspect of their university experience for the NSS

UK students' satisfaction with their undergraduate courses has stalled, the National Student Survey has found.

Overall, 82% of finalists at UK universities in 2010 were satisfied with the quality of their course, the same percentage as last year.

Universities warn satisfaction ratings could deteriorate as funding cuts bite.

The NSS, in which 252,000 students took part, is published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) to help maintain standards.

"The survey provides vital information to inform young people's choices and helps universities and colleges maintain learning and teaching that meets their students' needs," Hefce chief executive Sir Alan Langlands said.

Students are asked about every aspect of their university experience, including questions on teaching, assessment, support and resources.

This year's survey found 81% of students in England were satisfied with their course, the same percentage as last year.

Students at Buckingham University, a private institution, were happiest with their course, giving an overall rating of 95%.

The Open University (registered as an English institution), Oxford University and Medway School of Pharmacy received top overall satisfaction ratings of 93%. A total of 91% of students taught at Cambridge University were happy with their courses.

In Scotland the overall satisfaction rate was 86%, the same as in 2009. St Andrew's University was given the top satisfaction rating of 93%.

The overall satisfaction rate for students in Wales was 82%, down from 83% in 2009. Aberystwyth University got the highest satisfaction rating of 92%.

And in Northern Ireland the overall satisfaction rate for undergraduates was 83%, down from 84% last year. St Mary's University College was given the top satisfaction score of 94%.

'Punitive cuts'

But universities warn that tighter budgets ahead will make it harder for them to ensure high student-staff ratios and good quality resources in the future.

Funding levels will be revealed in the Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn, but ministers have said departments could face budget cuts of up to 25%.

David Willetts says the survey gives prospective students information

Labour had hugely expanded spending on higher education until its last year in office, when it cut the projected budget for universities in England for the academic year 2010-11 by £449m.

An independent review of university fees and funding is being carried out by the former BP chief executive, Lord Browne, and is expected to report back in the autumn.

The director general of the Russell Group, which represents 20 leading universities, said that despite the "challenging funding environment", its members had provided students with an overwhelmingly positive experience.

"However, Russell Group universities are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a high quality learning environment and high student satisfaction rates, particularly in light of the past year's spending cuts," Dr Wendy Piatt said.

"Any further cuts would severely impede efforts to drive up quality of teaching and research."

"It is essential that the government enables universities to access more funds - by lifting fee caps after the Browne review - so they can concentrate on providing a world-class learning experience," she added.

The general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), which represents lecturers and academics, said: "What the coalition government needs to quickly understand is that you cannot make the kinds of cuts it is planning and expect no consequences.

"If the coalition government pushes ahead with its punitive cuts agenda, we will see teachers on the dole, students in larger classes and a higher education sector unable to contribute as much to the economy or society," Sally Hunt added.

'Wake-up call'

The National Union of Students (NUS) said the survey showed university vice-chancellors had failed to improve the student experience in England despite tripling tuition fees.

NUS president Aaron Porter said: "This year's National Student Survey is a wake-up call to university vice-chancellors. They must buck up their ideas and do far more to improve the experience they offer students."

Universities UK chief executive Nicola Dandridge said: "Clearly, there is more to be done and student feedback has a vital role to play."

Universities Minister David Willetts said: "This latest National Student Survey tells a broadly positive story about our universities.

"I want to ensure prospective students have comprehensive, up-to-date and comparable information about what is on offer."

The results of the NSS are published on the Unistats website.

Institutions ranked by overall satisfaction	2008 (%)	2009 (%)	2010 (%)
University of Buckingham	96	92	95
St Mary's University College; A College of The Queen's University of Belfast			94
Open University	94	94	93
University of Oxford	92		93
Medway School of Pharmacy		97	93
University of St Andrews			93
Aberystwyth University			92
University of Cambridge	93	91	91
Central School of Speech and Drama	85	79	90
University of East Anglia	91	90	90
Institute of Education	90	93	90
University of Exeter	91	90	90
University of Sussex	86	86	90
University of Glasgow			90
Keele University	89	88	89
University of Leicester	91	91	89
Loughborough University	91	89	89
University of Sheffield	89	89	89
University of Warwick	88	88	89
University of Aberdeen			89
University of Stirling			89
University of Essex	88	85	88
University of Reading	88	87	88
Royal Academy of Music	94	83	88
Royal Agricultural College	78	81	88
University of Durham	89	88	87
University of Hull	88	87	87
University of Kent	90	87	87
Lancaster University	89	89	87
University of Newcastle upon Tyne	86	87	87
University of Nottingham	85	87	87
University College London	88	87	87
Hull and York Medical School		90	87
University of Dundee			87
Heriot-Watt University			87
University of Bath	88	87	86
University of Birmingham	85	86	86
King's College London	84	83	86
Queen Mary, University of London	84	85	86
Royal College of Music	81	69	86
Royal Holloway, University of London	85	85	86
University of Southampton	86	86	86
University of York	85	88	86
University of Edinburgh			86
University of Strathclyde			86
Bangor University			86
Cardiff University			86
Harper Adams University College	90	92	85
Imperial College London	85	85	85
School of Oriental and African Studies	85	86	85
Oxford Brookes University	86	84	85
University of Portsmouth	88	85	85
Brighton and Sussex Medical School		95	85
Queen's University Belfast			85
University College Birmingham	86	84	84
Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln	92	80	84
University of Bristol	83	84	84
University of Greenwich	81	83	84
Leeds Trinity University College	80	80	84
University of Liverpool	84	85	84
Newman University College	83	80	84
Royal Veterinary College	77	78	84
St Mary's University College	86	84	84
Robert Gordon University			84
Swansea University			84
Aston University	89	84	83
University of Bradford	79	83	83
University of Central Lancashire	82	82	83
University of Chichester	87	88	83
Courtauld Institute of Art	93	93	83
Edge Hill University	83	83	83
Guildhall School of Music & Drama	82	79	83
University College Plymouth St Mark & St John	80	80	83
Glasgow Caledonian University			83
Conservatoire for Dance and Drama	81	89	82
De Montfort University	83	82	82
University of Leeds	85	84	82
University of Lincoln	82	81	82
University of Northampton	81	83	82
University of Northumbria at Newcastle	84	80	82
University of Sunderland	83	82	82
University of Surrey	83	85	82
University of Teesside	83	84	82
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff			82
University of Ulster			82
Canterbury Christ Church University	83	84	81
Goldsmiths College, University of London	82	80	81
University of Hertfordshire	78	81	81
St George's Hospital Medical School	90	74	81
Staffordshire University	81	78	81
York St John University	81	80	81
City University, London	78	77	80
Kingston University	81	79	80
London School of Economics and Political Science	77	76	80
London South Bank University	75	80	80
University of the West of England, Bristol	83	83	80
Edinburgh Napier University			80
Bath Spa University	84	83	79
The Arts University College at Bournemouth	81	83	79
University of Brighton	81	80	79
Coventry University	79	78	79
University of Derby	76	79	79
University of Huddersfield	76	79	79
University of Manchester	81	77	79
Nottingham Trent University	83	82	79
University of Plymouth	82	80	79
Roehampton University	80	79	79
Sheffield Hallam University	80	76	79
University of Winchester	86	83	79
University of Bolton	77	77	78
University of Chester	80	82	78
University of Gloucestershire	79	80	78
University of Salford	80	77	78
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance	84	82	78
University of Wolverhampton	76	78	78
University of Worcester	84	80	78
University of Glamorgan			78
University of Wales, Lampeter			78
Trinity University College			78
Bournemouth University	79	79	77
Heythrop College	88	83	77
Leeds Metropolitan University	70	69	77
Liverpool John Moores University	78	79	77
Middlesex University	75	69	77
Norwich University College of the Arts	76	79	77
Swansea Metropolitan University			77
University of Bedfordshire	80	79	76
University of East London	73	72	76
University College Falmouth	76	80	76
Liverpool Hope University	81	78	76
School of Pharmacy	88	82	76
Rose Bruford College	79	71	76
Royal Northern College of Music	86	85	76
Southampton Solent University	68	72	76
Brunel University	77	77	75
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts	75	74	75
Manchester Metropolitan University	75	76	75
Glyndwr University			74
Birmingham City University	75	77	73
University of Westminster	73	71	73
Writtle College	72	72	73
Stranmillis University College			73
University of Wales, Newport			72
Anglia Ruskin University	65	69	71
Universities of East Anglia and Essex; Joint Provision at University Campus Suffolk		80	71
University of Cumbria	79	77	70
Buckinghamshire New University	69	72	69
Leeds College of Music	68	68	69
London Metropolitan University	72	68	67
Ravensbourne	81	73	67
Thames Valley University	76	72	67
Glasgow School of Art			65
University for the Creative Arts	67	64	64
University of the Arts London	63	63	62
Birkbeck College	92	90