Booming positivity: National Student Survey reveals praise for University of Sunderland

A diverse range of courses at the University of Sunderland(@sunderlanduni) have received 100% positivity scores from delighted students.

Results from this year’s National Student Survey (NSS) today show the University is developing in all areas measured by the survey, including teaching, support for students, and developing skills for the future.

The NSS is the biggest survey of final-year students’ views in the UK. The main questionnaire provides widely published data that informs university league tables.

And this year’s results proved a big winner for Sunderland.

The survey revealed 100% positivity ratings for the academic support available on programmes including Film Production, Social Work and Physical Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), while the ‘teaching on my course’ theme on the Professional Policing course also scored top marks.

Overall, students praised the University’s professions-facing curriculum, with 90.92% reacting positively when asked if their course developed the knowledge and skills they would need for the future – 8.04% above the sector average.

Students also welcomed the University’s success in communicating the array of mental health support services on offer, with an 85.39% positivity ranking – compared to a sector average of 78.58%.

The University achieved impressive scores in a number of other areas, with students rating ‘teaching on my course’ with an 88.4% positivity rate – 2.97% above the average. While 88.4% of students praised the Learning Resources on offer at the University – again well above the sector average.

The University’s commitment to putting students at the heart of everything they do also proved popular, scoring an 89.81% positivity score when it came to students expressing their ideas, options and beliefs.

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University said:

“For the University of Sunderland, the National Student Survey is one important indicator as it gives us direct insight into the views and experience of students.

“While surveys cannot give us all the information we need, they are important in offering feedback from students which will help us to identify what we do well and highlight areas where we could make improvements.”

This year’s survey also revealed a 100% ranking for the learning resources available to students on courses including Law and Games Development, while in the Student Voice category, Performing Arts received a top rating.

Sunderland Students’ Union was highlighted for representing the academic interests of the University community, coming in 81.55% positivity – 8.64% above the sector average.

Dola Dada, President: Education at Sunderland Students’ Union, said:

“The results of this year’s NSS are very pleasing and encouraging. We have made excellent progress as an organisation in many areas over the past 12 months, and we’re excited about the areas where there is room for us to develop further.

“We look forward to continuing to make the student experience the best it can be, working to achieve this aim alongside the University and its departments.

“At the Students’ Union, we are passionate about helping to positively and meaningfully shape students’ lives for the future, empowering them to make their time at the University of Sunderland as successful as possible, and ensuring that their feedback is heard, valued and addressed.”

There was more good news for the University this week when it was revealed in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025 that it had retained its rank of 10th in Europe and 2nd in the UK for International Student Diversity. Overall, the University ranked 442nd this year, up three places on the previous year.