University of Derby ranked in Top 10 for postgraduate student experience

The University of Derby has been ranked in the Top 10 nationally in the Advance HE Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2018 – the only UK higher education sector-wide survey to gain insight from taught postgraduate students about their learning and teaching experience.

As well as an overall ranking of ninth out of 105 higher education institutions (an overall satisfaction score of 88 percent, up from 86 percent in 2017), the University also scored in the top 10 in the following areas: 

• 9^th out of 105 institutions for student retention*  
• 10^th out of 104 institutions for assessment*
• 7^th out of 105 institutions for employability*
• For the discipline of Psychology, Derby was ranked 1^st out of 52 institutions for assessment and 1^st out of 54 for employability

The survey, which received over 85,000 responses nationally (including almost 1,000 from University of Derby students), reflects postgraduate students’ experience in the key areas of teaching and learning; engagement; assessment and feedback; organisation and management; and skills development.

The ranking comes on the back of the University’s win in the Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year Awards at the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards (THELMAs) in June, as well as ranking in the Top 30 in The Guardian University Guide 2019 in May.  

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “I’m delighted that the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey shows that our postgraduate taught students are positive about the learning and teaching they receive at Derby.

“Our teaching and learning strategy has strengthened our strong and longstanding commitment to high-quality teaching, student engagement and teaching staff development, and these results are testament to the positive outcomes it is providing for postgraduate students.

“We are delighted to receive this latest accolade, which further reinforces Derby’s position as an institution that delivers excellence for its postgraduate students.”

The PTES was launched in 2009 to provide the most comprehensive picture of the postgraduate taught experience, offering an indication of where national priorities for enhancing learning and teaching may lie.

*Measures based on the Advance HE frameworks for student access, retention, attainment and progression / transforming assessment / embedding employability.

ENDS

For further press information, please contact Sam O’Hanlon, PR Officer at the University of Derby, on 01332 592766 or email s.ohanlon@derby.ac.uk.