Student expectations of university services rise with increase in fees

With the sharp rise in university fees, student expectations of the services and credentials of a university have risen too. According to the results of the 2014 Sodexo University Lifestyle Survey – a representative survey of over 140 universities and 2,000 students throughout the United Kingdom – improvement of the university’s social spaces and its catering outlets rank as the top two student preferences, accompanied by an expectation for a solid sustainability strategy.

Despite their dependence on online resources, when it comes to choosing a university, 50% of students surveyed still rely on their first-hand experience of a campus, gained at an open day – 38 per cent mentioned the attractiveness of the university’s estate as a prime factor in making their choice. Interestingly, just over half of students surveyed said that a university with a ‘friendly atmosphere’ helped influence their choice.

The allure of a campus university has increased slightly in the era of £9,000 a year tuition fees with some 38 per cent of students indicating that having teaching, accommodation and social areas, such as bars and clubs, in one area, i.e. on a campus, was a key factor in their choice of university.

More students are choosing to live on campus in self-catered accommodation (17 per cent up from 15 per cent two years ago) with university-run halls (seven per cent) and university-owned flats (seven per cent) remaining just as popular as before.

This choice, however, is conditional on having reliable and easy access to the Internet. Some 24 percent of students in this type of accommodation listed Wi-Fi connection as their number one priority, ahead of cleanliness (22 per cent) and the existence of an en-suite bathroom (18 per cent). Security was the main concern for 15 per cent, while 8 per cent said study space was key.

Reflecting a more general acceptance of the need for sustainability measures, students were also insistent that their institutions prove their green credentials. More than twice as many – 56 per cent – said their university’s sustainability strategies and efforts to reduce waste or cut power usage mattered to them opposed to those who said it did not (25 per cent).

Paying a higher price for education has led to an expectation for better service and improvement by universities. Some 28 per cent wanted improvement to the catering facilities with 22 per cent of students wanting to see social areas, such as bars, cafes and clubs run by the university improved, and 21 per cent want better IT facilities. Student accommodation was another area where students wanted improvement, with 18 per cent demanding better facilities, with this number increasing to 28 per cent among non-EU students.

Despite a focus on catering facility improvement, 54 per cent of students said they never buy lunch from catering facilities on campus. They cited budget concerns as the overwhelming reason for not doing so. In addition, more than three-quarters (77 per cent) said it was cheaper to bring their own food to campus or eat at home, while 49 per cent said meals or snacks on campus were too expensive and 33 per cent said they couldn’t afford to.

Only 22 per cent cited poor value for money and 11 per cent mentioned long queues, with just 10 per cent unimpressed by the lack of healthy eating options and only 9 per cent preferred high street chains.

There was a decrease in the number of students who thought sports facilities on campus required improvement (16 per cent), which reflects the millions of pounds already poured into state-of-the-art university fitness centres in recent years. Despite such efforts, a worrying divide could be observed in students’ fitness habits, with 45 per cent saying they do no exercise at all, while some 51 per cent said they devote an hour or two in a typical day to sport. In addition, 19 per cent of students requested enhanced library services – an interesting finding, as the vast majority of students (92 per cent) barely spend 10 hours a week in the library or resource centre.

These findings reflect an expected rise in student expectations of universities’ facilities with the increased financial commitment of receiving higher education. As competition between universities increases, institutions will have to be more responsive to students’ needs in order to remain desirable destinations.

Peter Taylor, Strategic Development Director at Sodexo, commented: “Though this year’s UCAS statistics show that the number of admissions to UK universities has not decreased as predicted, the findings of the 2014 Sodexo University Lifestyle Survey suggest that students are being more discerning and prudent in their choice of establishment. It will be vital for universities to take into consideration the holistic experience and environment they offer alongside its academic performance so as to ensure they appeal to students. This will be particularly important as competition increases between institutions.

Those universities, and their FM providers, that know what students want will be best placed to deal with the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

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