Issue 146

Eyes on the prize!

09th October 2006

Swansea University has been short listed for the Times Higher Education Supplement Award for the UK's Best Student Experience for the second year in succession.

Swansea University is the only Welsh institution to be included in the short list, which was published on Thursday 28 September.

Nine other universities also made the short list and include Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, Loughborough, Oxford, St. Andrews, Sheffield, Stirling, and Warwick.

Professor Richard B. Davies, Vice- Chancellor of Swansea University, said: "We are once again delighted that our students view the Swansea experience so positively. To have made the short list for a second year is further recognition of the life enhancing experience students have here - academic, social and sporting. It is also clear that Swansea's popularity as a place to live and study is on the rise.

"We have one of the best university locations in the world. It really isn't hard to see what sets the Swansea experience apart."

Last year a poll of 10,000 students found that The University of Wales Swansea came top in a five part questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed online with 6,931 full time undergraduates at 140 different institutions. The university received outstanding ratings for its facilities, prospects, social life and course satisfaction. Many students had also said that their experience at Swansea had exceeded their expectations.

Universities that received a mention from under 50 responses were eliminated in the run up for the award.

Stuart Rice, Swansea Students' Union Manager said that it was 'excellent that we won the first ever best student experience award. It is a credit to Swansea as a place, to the university, to the students and staff, and to the activities available from the Union."

Swansea University currently holds the 2005 Best Student Experience Award after managing to beat 170 other UK institutions pick up the award, identifying Swansea as the best place to be a student in the UK.

The 2006 questionnaire will be completed through an 'agree' and 'disagree' basis focusing on community, environment, facilities, security, work load and accommodation, to name a few. The questionnaire will also cover all aspects of university and community life.

The 2006 winner will be announced at an awards dinner on 15 November, at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London

Owen Morgan, President of Swansea University Students' Union said that "it's great to hear Swansea University has been short listed for a second year. Any student here would agree that Swansea is the place of work, study and to be a student."

Jason Sannegadu