St Andrews University voted best for student experience

Students benefitted from the Can Do scheme.

The National Student Survey (NSS) named St Andrews the UK’s top mainstream university, the 13th time in the past 15 years that the Scottish university has been at the very top of the comprehensive analysis.

More than 93 per cent of St Andrews final year students surveyed gave the university top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience. St Andrews was the only mainstream multi-faculty institution to achieve above 90 per cent satisfaction rating.

Vice-principal education (proctor) Clare Peddie said: “Today’s results are great news for the Scottish higher education sector, with St Andrews among five institutions in the top ten.

“I am delighted by the positive feedback from our student community. This result reflects our commitment to the very highest standards of learning, teaching and student experience at what has been a particularly difficult time for us all.

“By working collaboratively with our students, we continue to develop and deliver an experience that, while it may differ from previous years due to the pandemic, still offers our students the highest quality support, innovative learning and direct contact with some of the best researchers in the world.

“While it may not have been the student experience many hoped for, our academic and professional service staff have worked tirelessly with our student community to deliver the global learning and teaching experience St Andrews is renowned for.”

St Andrews was the first university in the UK to launch an innovative Can Do initiative, a collaboration with the Students’ Association to support students and staff with creative solutions and resources to attend and develop educational and extracurricular activities in a safe way.

Lottie Doherty, president of the Students’ Association, said: “This brilliant news is a credit both to the dedication and collaborative approach of the staff at the university, the Students’ Association, and our unique student community who have worked together more than ever to deliver the complete St Andrews experience in difficult circumstances.”