UCU responds to national student survey

However, the union expressed concerns that student debt and the prohibitive costs of study remain the biggest worry for students and warned that swathing cuts across higher education meant there would be fewer staff to teach students and maintain standards.

A report by UCU last month shows that nearly 6,000 job cuts are being threatened across higher and further education which would affect provision for over 100,000 students.

HEFCE's survey comes just a few weeks after the government announced plans for 10,000 extra university places and UCU today repeated its warnings that just cramming more students into universities while getting rid of staff would result in more trying to be delivered for less, with a damaging impact on the quality of UK education.

Key points from the survey:

• 83% of students said they were satisfied with the quality of the teaching they received at university.
• 74% of students said they got the necessary academic support – up 1% on the previous year.
• 79% of students said they were happy with their personal development.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We are pleased that the vast majority of students rate the teaching they receive. Students deserve to have the best possible experience at university. However, this is being put at risk by cuts to courses throughout the country and the pressure students face in having to work outside of teaching hours just to pay back debts. This isn't fair on staff or students.

'Cuts to teaching budgets and worsening student bursaries are going to make it much harder to sustain the current levels of satisfaction. The government has done a lot of soul searching on widening participation recently but the sad reality is that there are areas of the country where certain subjects are no longer available due to cuts and closures by universities. No-one should be forced to settle for second best because of where they live.

'It is good that the government is looking to increase numbers in higher education, but just cramming more students into universities while staff are being sacked will result in more trying to be delivered for less'.

The full survey is available from the HEFCE website