Predicting the Future Understanding what the students of the future want from their union. Ian McCartney, CEO, University of Strathclyde Students’ Association Charlotte Lawley, Development Manager, NUS Scotland

The Future Students’ Research 5 minutes

Why? A number of students’ associations were undertaking a strategic planning process and it was important to gauge the views and aspirations of future students. We knew virtually nothing about what the students coming to study at our universities in the next 1-5 years wanted or expected from their association. We need to remain relevant and useful and continually innovate and improve.

Research aims To understand the aspirations and ambitions for the future of those aged 14-17 in key locations in Scotland Underlying research aims included: Gain an insight into the understanding of HE and students’ associations to provide insight into early engagement strategies Provide insight into the next steps for movement in targeting those across demographic and location in terms of who will most benefit from information about students’ associations, and support transition to HE Identify opportunities for students’ associations in providing for their future members.

Who was involved? NUS Scotland University of Strathclyde Students’ Association Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association University of the West of Scotland Students’ Association Heriot-Watt University Students’ Union Queen Margaret University Students’ Association University of Stirling Students’ Union

Methodology Online survey of school students aged between 14-17 Focussed on schools in the central belt Students’ Associations committed time to contact schools NUS Research provided a project officer to coordinate resources, create survey and analyse results A part-time assistant was recruited by the associations and based in Stirling to carry out the fieldwork in the final stage of the research

Publicising the survey Schools were contacted and if interested, leaflets were sent out direct to the school for students to take home and, where under 16, gain parental consent. The survey link was included on the leaflets Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament promoted the survey and the link on their website Where possible schools publicised the survey to students’ school email addresses The survey was live for 8 months

Summary of main results

Age Base: 259 respondents.   A1. How old are you?

Qualifications Base: 259 respondents. A2. Which of the following best describes the qualifications you are currently studying for?  

Highest level of qualification Base: 6 respondents. Balance:  Those either finished education or currently taking a break   A2a. Which of the following best describes the highest level of qualification you have?

Place of study Base: 250 respondents. Balance:  Those currently studying for their HND   A3. Which of the following best describes where you are studying for these qualifications?

Region Base: 259 respondents.   A4. And where do you live? 

Gender Base: 259 respondents.   A10. Which of the following best describes how you think about yourself? 

Ethnicity Base: 259 respondents.   A11. To which of the following ethnic groups do you belong?

Intentions for the future Base: 259 respondents.   B1. Which of the following best describes your ‘next steps’ in life?

Likelihood of going to university at some point in the future Base: 60 respondents. Balance:  Those who know they want to go to university B2. How likely, if at all, is it that you would want to go to university at some point in the future?

Intention to go to university straight from school or college Base: 195 respondents. Balance:  Those who know they want to go to university B4. Do you intend to go to university straight from school or college?

B6. Have any of your close family members been to, or are going to, university? Base: 257 respondents. Balance: No answer B6. Have any of your close family members been to, or are going to, university? By close family, we mean your parents or guardians, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins

Activity: In groups, list the 5 most common answers to the question “what do you think the biggest challenges, if any, you will face in the move between what you are doing now to attending university?”

B8a. Now thinking about going to university, what do you think would be the biggest challenges, if any, you will face in the move between what you are doing now to attending university? Base: 196 respondents. Balance:  Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university B8a. Now thinking about going to university, what do you think would be the biggest challenges, if any, you will face in the move between what you are doing now to attending university?

B7. Thinking about university, what barriers, if any, do you think exist for people who may want to go to university but don’t? Base: 197 respondents. Balance:  Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university B7. Thinking about university, what barriers, if any, do you think exist for people who may want to go to university but don’t?

B8b. Thinking about people at your school or college who may go on to university. What do you think would be the biggest challenges, if any, they would face in the move from school or college to university? Base: 59 respondents. Balance:  Those who know they want to go to university B8b. Thinking about people at your school or college who may go on to university. What do you think would be the biggest challenges, if any, they would face in the move from school or college to university?

C. Focus on university (For those who do intend to go to university)

C1a. What are your main reasons for wanting to go to university? Base: 195 respondents. Balance:  Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university C1a. What are your main reasons for wanting to go to university?

C1b. What are your main reasons for wanting to go to university in the future? Base: 26 respondents. Balance:  Those who plan to go to university straight away C1b. What are your main reasons for wanting to go to university in the future?

C2. Thinking about which university you would like to study at, how important are the following in your decision? Most important Average base: 175 respondents. Balance:  Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university / don’t’ know C2. Thinking about which university you would like to study at, how important are the following in your decision?

C2. Thinking about which university you would like to study at, how important are the following in your decision? Less importance Average base: 175 respondents. Balance:  Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university / don’t’ know C2. Thinking about which university you would like to study at, how important are the following in your decision?

C3. Which of the following best describes where you will intend to live whilst at university? Base: 192 respondents. Balance:   Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university C3. Which of the following best describes where you will intend to live whilst at university?

C4. And why will you choose to live at home or with extended family? Base: 62 respondents. Balance:   Those who say they plan to live in student accommodation C4. And why will you choose to live at home or with extended family?

C5. Now to think a little about finances C5. Now to think a little about finances. Where do you think you will get the money to fund your cost of living (but not including your accommodation or course costs)? Base: 192 respondents. Balance:   Those who don’t plan to, or don’t know if they will, go to university C5. Now to think a little about finances. Where do you think you will get the money to fund your cost of living (but not including your accommodation or course costs)?

C6. Thinking about course costs now, we’d like you to think about the tuition fees that students going to university in England have to pay. Which of the following statements best describes the impact, if any; paying tuition fees would have on your intentions to attend University? Base: 218 respondents. Balance:   Those who don’t plan to go to university C6. Thinking about course costs now, we’d like you to think about the tuition fees that students going to university in England have to pay. Which of the following statements best describes the impact, if any; paying tuition fees would have on your intentions to attend University?

C8. Thinking to beyond university graduation, what are your long term expectations from having attended university? Base: 216 respondents. Balance:   Those who don’t plan to go to university C8. Thinking to beyond university graduation, what are your long term expectations from having attended university?

D. Intentions for the future (For those who do not intend to go or do not know if they will go to university)

D1. Which of the following best describes your reasons for not wanting to go to university? Base: 17 respondents.* Balance:   Those who plan to go to university at some point. * Note very small base size D1. Which of the following best describes your reasons for not wanting to go to university?

D4. Which of the following, if any, are barriers to you attending university? Base: 32 respondents. Balance:   Those who plan to or may go to university in the future D4. Which of the following, if any, are barriers to you attending university?

E. Information seeking behaviours

E1. Thinking about making these decisions about your future, which of the following, if any, would you like to speak with or use for help? Base: 245 respondents. E1. Thinking about making these decisions about your future, which of the following, if any, would you like to speak with or use for help?

E4. And which of the following, if any, have you spoken with, or received advice from to help you make your decisions on what to do next? Base: 240 respondents. E4. And which of the following, if any, have you spoken with, or received advice from to help you make your decisions on what to do next?

E5. What kinds of information or support do you think would be useful for you and your friends to receive to help make the decision about whether to go to university or not? Base: 243 respondents. E5. What kinds of information or support do you think would be useful for you and your friends to receive to help make the decision about whether to go to university or not?

F. Communication

F1. Which of the following statements, if any, best describes your thoughts towards the amount of information or advice you have received? Base: 250 respondents. F1. Which of the following statements, if any, best describes your thoughts towards the amount of information or advice you have received?

F3. When do you think it would be best to receive information, if at all, about attending or applying to university? [Title] Base: 247 respondents. F3. When do you think it would be best to receive information, if at all, about attending or applying to university?

Activity: In groups, list the 5 most & least common answers to the question “which services would you expect a students’ union/association to provide?”, and provide a percentage for how important these were rated.

H2. Which of the following services would you expect a Students’ Association or a Students’ Union to provide? Base: 240 respondents. H2. Which of the following services would you expect a Students’ Association or a Students’ Union to provide?

H2. Which of the following services would you expect a Students’ Association or a Students’ Union to provide? Base: 240 respondents. H2. Which of the following services would you expect a Students’ Association or a Students’ Union to provide?

H3. How important, if at all, do you think it is that a Students’ Union or Association provides the following services? Most important Average base: 213 respondents. Balance: don’t’ know / no response H3. How important, if at all, do you think it is that a Students’ Union or Association provides the following services?

H4. And how important, if at all, do you think it is that a Students’ Union or Association provides these services? Least important Average base: 213 respondents. Balance: don’t’ know / No response H4. And how important, if at all, do you think it is that a Students’ Union or Association provides these services?

H5. Thinking about those who are at university, how involved do you expect students to be in opportunities to shape their university education, similar to the opportunities you get at school? Base: 182 respondents. Balance: those not intending to go to university H5. Thinking about those who are at university, how involved do you expect students to be in opportunities to shape their university education, similar to the opportunities you get at school?

H6. Please use the scale below to let us know how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement. Base: xx respondents. H6. We would now like you to think about something called the ‘student movement’. Please use the scale below to let us know how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement.

Conclusions

Social factors clearly as, if not more, important than academic issues Conclusions Low response rate and nature of respondents means we have to be careful, but: Social factors clearly as, if not more, important than academic issues Future Students are not as interested in the kind of services we assume they would be Future Students inherently understand what the Student Movement is about BUT They don’t see NUS or their SU as a “go to” destination for decision-making info

Lessons learned Understand what communication method is most appropriate for school students who do not have school email addresses. Work with partner agencies from the beginning to utilise their membership and reach. Develop stronger ties with local schools as a matter of course in order to engage more schools with the survey and gain more respondents.

Audrey Burns Chief Executive, University of Stirling Students’ Union Next steps - Case study Audrey Burns Chief Executive, University of Stirling Students’ Union

Next steps Utilise the research to feed into strategic planning and to shape development of services over the next 3-5 years. Approach institutions to ask for their support, whether resource or capacity, to publicise the survey and capitalise on its existing relationships with schools. Have a longer lead in time for schools and clearer strategy for collecting parental consent and responses. Incentivise the survey for schools. Increase the number of associations involved in the survey.

Next steps for NUS Scotland Planning to run the survey again next year in Scotland Possibility of unions across the UK being involved Developing partnership with youth organisations to support the survey

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