University Students Not Challenged Enough: According to new research, released today by Which?, one in five graduates (18%) felt that university represented poor value for money – despite paying around a third of what current students pay. The research also found that more than a third (35%) would not have gone to university if they had had to pay higher fees.

University Students Not Challenged Enough Says Research

In terms of those currently studying, one of students’ key concerns about their university experience was that many did not feel challenged enough by their course. Fewer than half (49%) of those students who answered the survey felt that their degree was academically demanding – with only two in five (39) saying their course stretched them. A quarter of respondents said it was possible to still get high marks without having to take part in large amounts of private studying.

The report, which canvassed the opinions of more than 4,500 students at different stages of their degree, found that three fifths (58%) had experienced a change to the way in which their course was delivered – such as a change to module content or the location of teaching. More than one in ten (12%) had experienced a rise in tuition fees either part way through an academic year or when moving from one year to another. Of these, one in three (35%) felt it was unfair to have experienced these changes.

Among those who complained to their university, three fifths (58%) felt that the complaint was not deal with well and were dissatisfied, whilst almost half (48%) felt the complaint was ignored.

As noted in the first paragraph, a fifth of graduates felt that university did not represent good value for money. Some of the key reasons for this were teaching quality being perceived as inconsistent (53%), not enough support from the university to find a good job (53%), not enough contact hours with teaching staff (47%) and poor timetabling (45%).