University of Sunderland

You said it, we did it

'You said it, we did it' is how we tell you what actions we've taken as a result of your student feedback.

The actions listed on this page are some of the bigger changes we've made in response to feedback received by students in the last year or so.

We collect feedback throughout the year in various ways:

• Module feedback
• Programme feedback
• Student / Staff Liaison Committees
• National Student Survey (final year students, 2010 most recent)
• Student Experience Survey (on campus students all levels, 2010 most recent)
• Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (2010 most recent)
• Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (2009 most recent)

You said it...

You wanted more social space for students

• The new Sciences Block opened in September 2010. This development includes the Quad, a landscaped outside social space.
• CitySpace, our award-winning sports and recreation centre opened in September 2009. It includes a restaurant/cafe and seating area.
• We've included social and meeting space in the new Ustudent Village at The Forge, which features a shop and a bar.

You wanted a Student Gateway at St. Peter's Campus
The Student Gateway at St. Peter's Campus opened in September 2009. Both this and the City Campus Gateway received 99% satisfaction ratings in our 2010 Student Experience Survey.

You wanted more access to University support services such as Counselling and Disability Support

• We now offer flexible access for early and late counselling appointments.
• A Disability Support Adviser is available at St. Peters Campus once a week.
• Disability Support also now provide advice, guidance and initial training for students who use Assistive Technology.

You wanted more information about support services for students

• We introduced Awareness Weeks in November 2009.
• We provide A to Z Guides to help University staff direct you to the right support.

You wanted an improved campus bus service

A new low carbon public bus service comes into operation in September 2011. The 49-person buses will run at 30 minute intervals and the route includes: both main University campuses, Clanny House, Sunderland football stadium / Aquatic Centre and main transport interchanges across the city.

Some students were unaware they could access employability support through our Careers & Employability Service.

This service was relocated to the ground floor of City Campus Gateway in September 2010.

Final year students wanted to pay online for graduation tickets and to share hospitality areas at graduations with friends

These changes were introduced in July 2010.

Postgraduate Research students wanted alternatives to formal lectures and improvement in the intellectual climate for Research students within the University

• Optional workshop and activity-based learning sessions are now available.
• The library service has improved the access to journals, books and online resources.
• An internal conference was held in January 2011 where students were invited to present their work. This will now take place annually.

Faculty of Arts Design and Media students particularly wanted us to improve how we communicate with you, how we organise courses and wanted better changing facilities for Performing Arts

• Optional workshop and activity-based learning sessions are now available.
• The library service has improved the access to journals, books and online resources.
• An internal conference was held in January 2011 where students were invited to present their work. This will now take place annually.

Faculty of Arts Design and Media students particularly wanted us to improve how we communicate with you, how we organise courses and wanted better changing facilities for Performing Arts

• New male changing rooms will be in place for 2011/2012.
• Texting is now used to tell students about unavoidable last-minute class changes.
• There is a new timetabling process.

Faculty of Applied Sciences students particularly wanted better course organisation, some changes in time spent in lectures or labs, more guest lectures, and quicker communications with academic staff

• There is a new timetabling process. This includes texting students about timetable changes or cancelled classes.
• Very long Pharmacy and Biomedical Science lectures are now being made shorter, or replaced in some cases with workshops and / or more lab content.
• More guest lecturers and external speakers are now involved with programmes, and there are more opportunities for students to make course-related external visits.
• Psychology academic staff now aim to respond to student emails within 48 hours.

Faculty of Business & Law students particularly wanted more academic support, clearer feedback on assessments and better library resources

• There is now a drop-in facility in Reg Vardy Atrium for additional advice and guidance sessions.
• An extensive re-induction programme is in place in certain areas to provide detailed feedback on semester 1 assessments in advance of semester 2.
• A new electronic journal / law report database has been purchased by the Faculty to supplement library resources for Law students.

Faculty of Education and Society students particularly wanted enhanced induction and employment opportunities in some areas, improved communications, more support for teaching placements and assessments, and more opportunities to mix with staff and students

• Comprehensive induction sessions have been arranged for BA (Hons) Social Work students.
• Texting is now used to tell students about unavoidable last-minute class changes.
• BA (Hons) Primary Education students are now informed about their level 2 teaching placements earlier than
before, to help them organise their own schedules more effectively. In addition, level 3 students on this course now have staggered hand-in dates for module assessments.
• Criminology students now have more tailored employment opportunities including volunteering with Northumbria Police and the Durham Tees Valley Probation Trust.
• There are more course-specific clubs and residential events to enhance student / staff networking and shared subject interests.

Other changes we have made to improve your student experience

Murray Library is currently undergoing refurbishment. Find out what students thought about the level 1 refurbishment, which took place in summer 2010.