DEPARTMENT FOR
INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release (012/2009) issued
by COI News Distribution Service. 28 January 2009
Government
ministers are going online to directly interact with university
students on the issues that are of most importance to them Tony
Young, Minister for Students revealed today.
Presenting the Government's response to the National Student
Forum (NSF) report, Lord Young and Ministers from the Department
for Innovation, Universities and Skills will look to develop more
innovative and immediate ways of listening and talking to students.
Measures will include developing online discussions and a blog
which will allow students to keep up with what students are saying
when Ministers visit campuses across the country, as well as
linking to the issues being discussed at the National Student Forum.
Lord Young said,
"We want to hear directly what students think about their
university experience and how their institutions can help prepare
them for the future. Ministers regularly get out to universities
to hear what students are saying on the ground but we want to give
them the opportunity to raise their concerns online as well.
"Many students are part of the 'Facebook'
generation and we need to find new and more immediate ways of
talking and listening to them as they talk to each other."
In its report to government published last October, the NSF
identified a number of key issues affecting students and produced
recommendations to help improve their everyday experience.
Recognising that it is essential in today's economic climate
that students have the right information and support - so they can
make the most of their time at university the Government's
response includes the following commitments:
* DIUS will ask UCAS to look at the ease of navigation and
whether applicants can readily access key information to help them
choose the right courses for them when they are looking for
information online;
* The Student Loans Company will give direct reports to the Forum
on its planned improvements to Student Finance England.
* To help the forum access the expertise they need to further
develop their proposals to improve the experience of students with
specific needs. For example, the Equality Challenge Unit will work
directly with the Forum on proposals to help disabled students.
* Lord Young will write directly to all university and college
heads and student unions to ask them to look at ways they can
engage more with students and improve information and support for
them. This will be followed up by a seminar in the spring, where
the NSF will be able to discuss their proposals directly with
university and college leaders and key national partners.
Commenting on the response Maeve Sherlock said,
"I welcome the Government's response to the National
Student forum Report. The forum was established to amplify the
student voice, and it is encouraging that the response has
highlighted that there is already some progress being made on many
of the issues that the forum looked at over the last year.
"But there is still scope for the work of the forum to drive
these issues forward and encourage universities to engage more
with their students on the issues that matter to them."
Notes to Editors
1. For a full copy of the National Student Forum report please go
to http://www.dius.gov.uk/policy/nsf/
2. A full copy of the government's report can be found at http://www.dius.gsi.gov.uk
3. The student listening blog can be found at http://talk.dius.gov.uk/blogs/studentlistening
The blog will be regularly updated with reports on Lord
Young's and David Lammy's 'student listening
visits' to HE institutions, the activity of the National
Student Forum and any policy news that relates to the student experience.
4. The Forum is part of the wider Student Listening Programme and
has been developed in partnership with the National Union of
Students, the National Postgraduate Committee, the Mature
Students' Union, the Open University Students'
Association, Skill - the national bureau for students with
disabilities and the British Council. Each of these organisations
has worked closely with DIUS to nominate students to be Forum
members. And they have worked very closely with DIUS to ensure
that the Forum accurately represents the diversity of our student population.
5. The Student Listening Programme ensures students are able to
make their views and ideas heard with Ministers responding to
specific issues raised. In addition to the National Student Forum,
the Listening Programme includes,
* Ministerial visits to university campuses across England with
Ministers meeting students face-to-face to hear their experiences
first-hand; and
* Five 'student juries' made up of students from across
the country held in early 2008 looking at high profile issues that
matter to them such as student finance, widening participation and
learning support.
6. For further information, please contact Emma Griffiths in the
DIUS press office on 020 3300 8093, emma.griffiths@dius.gsi.gov.uk