Higher Education
Ipsos MORI delivers higher education research which meets the challenges facing the higher education sector.
Students and researchers choose universities based on a host of practical and academic considerations. As fees increase and the labour market becomes more competitive, there is a sharp focus on the value of higher education and the qualifications it offers.
Institutions, funding bodies, students, parents, policy makers, industry stakeholders and other local, national and international stakeholders all need effective research to identify and understand the important criteria for success, and to measure and track performance.
We have extensive experience in working with a range of stakeholders including institutions, prospective and current students, graduates, alumni, academics, heads of industry and employers.
Our clients include every University and College (higher education institution) in the UK, funders, HE agencies and stakeholders. Our key HE customers and partners include the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Higher Education Academy, the National Union of Students (NUS) and UCAS amongst others.
We are experts in carrying out the full range of quantitative and qualitative studies. We offer a range of student, alumni and HE stakeholder research.
Ipsos MORI's most high profile higher education research project is the NSS, which we have conducted anually since 2005 on behalf of HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) and other key funders and partners. In 2010 we were appointed to run the survey for a further three years.
The NSS is an opportunity for students in their final year of a course leading to undergraduate credits or qualifications across the UK to give feedback on their academic experience.
The NSS is a complex mixed mode survey combining online, postal and telephone methods to achieve a final response rate of at least 50% from the 400,000 or so student eligible each year. Ipsos MORI achieve response rates in excess of 60%.
The results are published on Unistats to help future students make informed choices of what and where to study. The data are also made available to the participating universities, colleges and students’ unions via a dedicated Ipsos MORI website. Data from previous years of the survey can be found on HEFCE’s website.
Survey and reporting processes on the NSS are reviewed and enhanced every year, both to maintain a high response rate and to continually improve our offering to clients and stakeholders. In 2010 more institutions and students than ever before took part in the survey.
Bespoke research
To complement the NSS, we carry out bespoke surveys for individual HEIs and can bring our expertise to your own studies.
Higher education conferences
Ipsos MORI specialists are much in-demand at HE events across the UK. In 2010 Sami Benyahia's presentations have included those on the knowledege, experience and results from the survey at the "Meeting Student Expectations" conference and the "Engineering Professors' Council Annual Congress".