Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
96. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has any input into the types of questions posed by “Student Survey”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44896/23]
View answerI firmly believe that learners should be enabled to flourish, personally and professionally, during their studies and afterwards. Achievement of this vision requires hearing from learners themselves, a need first set out in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which recommended that institutions establish student feedback mechanisms.
The Student Survey collects information directly from students, through an annual undergraduate, taught postgraduate and, since 2019, a biennial research postgraduate survey. It provides valuable insight into how students experience higher education and how institutions support students in their learning journey.
The results of the survey are available to the individual institutions to provide direct feedback on student experience within and across the institution. At a national level, data are collated to provide key insights on student experience to inform decision making.
The survey is managed as a collaborative partnership between HEA, IUA, THEA and the Union of Students in Ireland, with significant input from institutions and students representatives. My Department does not sit on the project Steering Group, however it works closely with relevant aegis bodies - who are members – to ensure that the survey will continue to develop and contribute to the evidence base for broader tertiary policy.
A robust review process has been established with the last review of questions in 2021. A strategic reflection on both surveys is currently being finalised, marking 10 years since the first survey in 2013. The results of this reflection are expected to be published in November 2023.
