French Studies at Lancaster University is best in the UK for teaching* and academic support**, according to students responding to this year’s National Student Survey (NSS).

100 per cent of French Studies students at Lancaster University rated their teaching and academic support positively, placing French Studies at Lancaster top in the UK. More than 93 per cent had a positive view of learning opportunities*** in French Studies.

95 per cent of Spanish Studies students at Lancaster University rated their learning resources positively****.

The Head of the Department of Languages and Cultures at Lancaster University Dr Derek Hird said: “It is wonderful to see our students rating our French Studies and Spanish Studies degrees so highly, our two largest categories in the survey. To be ranked top in the UK reflects the high-quality student experience that is provided day in and day out by our exceptionally talented and dedicated language and culture specialists.

“This year our students have picked out the world-class teaching, academic support, learning opportunities and learning resources that form the core of the student experience in the Department of Languages and Cultures, which offers an unusually wide range of undergraduate single honours and joint major degrees across Italian, Chinese, German, Spanish and French, including in combination with many other disciplines.”

The NSS is one of the largest surveys of its kind and this year considered the views of 339,383 students (71.5% response rate) across 528 universities, colleges and other higher education providers.

Students were asked 28 questions about a range of factors related to their academic experience, including the teaching on their course, assessments, feedback, how well the courses are organised and learning resources.

Among the 128 UK universities included in this year’s survey, Lancaster is ranked 5th overall for its learning resources and 9th for the organisation and management***** of its courses.

The recently reviewed survey provides information for prospective students and for stakeholders to support a high-quality learning experience.

A new additional question introduced this year focused on freedom of expression and Lancaster ranked 12th out of the 128 UK universities with 88.1% of its students responding positively that they felt free to express their ideas, opinions and beliefs.

Lancaster University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education Professor Wendy Robinson said: “The NSS is particularly important for us at Lancaster as it provides a measure of our student experience – which is at the heart of everything we do.

“We constantly strive to improve our campus, facilities and teaching so that our students get a world-class, holistic experience that they deserve, so we are delighted to see such positive feedback from them in so many important areas.

“It is great to see our students really rating our world-class facilities and award-winning library, which is a wonderful, inclusive space enjoyed by our community both on and off campus.”

Lancaster University is currently ranked tenth in The Complete University Guide 2024, 12th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, 14th in The Guardian University Guide 2023 and ranked 122 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, making Lancaster 15th out of the 101 UK universities in the table.

It has also risen 24 places in the QS World University Rankings 2024, listed 122 out of 1,500 universities worldwide and the highest-ranked non-Russell Group institution in England.

The NSS rankings referred to above measure Lancaster against 127 other UK universities but exclude further education colleges and specialist institutions.

*Teaching refers to questions: How good are teaching staff at explaining things? How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging? How often is the course intellectually stimulating? How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?

**Academic support refers to questions: How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to? How well have teaching staff supported your learning?

*** Learning opportunities refers to questions: To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas or concepts in depth? How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned? To what extent have you had the change to bring together information and ideas from different topics? To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study? How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?

**** Learning resources refers to questions: How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning? How well have the library resources (e.g. books,

online services and learning spaces) supported your learning? How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g. equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?

***** Organisation and management refers to questions: How well organised is your course? How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?