UEA celebrates continued improvement in National Student Survey 2026 results
By: Communications
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has recorded another year of improvement in the National Student Survey (NSS), with positive scores rising across all seven themes of the survey.
The results demonstrate continued year-on-year enhancement in students’ experience of learning and teaching at UEA.
The University's average score across the seven NSS themes increased from 83.5% in 2025 to 85.6% in 2026, with both years’ results well above their benchmark scores of 82.6% and 84.2%, respectively.
The improvement represents a rise of 2.1 percentage points in overall performance since last year and a further increase in performance above UEA’s Office for Students sector benchmark, reflecting the impact of ongoing work to enhance the student experience across the University.
Commissioned annually by the Office for Students, the National Student Survey invites final-year undergraduate students across the UK to share feedback on their university experience, covering areas including Teaching, Learning Opportunities, Academic Support, Assessment and Feedback, Organisation and Management, Learning Resources, and Student Voice.
Particularly strong improvements were seen in Student Voice, and Assessment and Feedback, while UEA achieved scores above benchmark in six of the seven themes and in 20 of the 27 survey questions.
Notable strengths highlighted by the results include:
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Organisation and Management including course organisation and communication
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Learning Resources including our library
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Student Voice including students feeling that their opinions are valued by staff
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Initial analysis of student comments highlights continued positivity about teaching quality, course content, practical learning experiences, campus facilities and the UEA community
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Students frequently praised the support provided by academic and professional services staff, while placements, fieldwork, laboratories, internships and study abroad opportunities were regularly identified among the most valuable aspects of their experience
Subject-level analysis also revealed particularly strong performance in areas including Children’s Nursing, Adult Nursing, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, and Journalism, with a significant number of results materially above sector benchmark.
The results also show UEA continuing to strengthen its position relative to comparator institutions, with improvements against both Wesley Group and Russell Group averages in several areas.
Professor Claire Pike, UEA’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education and Experience, said: “I am delighted to see another year of progress in our National Student Survey results. The continued improvement across virtually every area of the survey demonstrates that the work taking place across UEA to enhance the student experience is making a real difference.
"Particularly encouraging is the progress we have made in Student Voice, showing that students increasingly feel heard and that their feedback is valued and acted upon. We have also seen strong improvements in Assessment and Feedback, reflecting the focused work that has taken place across the University.
"While we are proud of these results, we remain committed to continuous improvement. The NSS gives us invaluable insight into our students' experiences and will help to inform the next stage of our enhancement work.
"I would like to thank every student who took the time to complete this year's survey. Their feedback is incredibly important in helping us understand what we do well, where we can improve, and how we can continue to deliver the best possible experience for current and future students."
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