Student Survey 2023

Survey summary

The EASTBIO Management Group invites all EASTBIO-funded students to complete the annual student survey anonymously by 5pm on the 28^th of May 2023. Although the survey is anonymous, there is an option, should you wish to take it, to provide your name/email to allow us to approach you with an invitation to provide more detailed information on your feedback (this can be on a specific area, for instance training; studentship; placements; wellbeing). This will allow us to deepen our understanding of the student experience of the programme and qualify the broad evidence, in case of a need for more local measures. We plan to run an annual survey each year from now onwards within the same terms of reference.

Purpose and context of the survey

This comprehensive survey has been developed as part of the DTP/BBSRC Mid-Term Review (MTR) aiming to develop “more transparent and diverse routes to gather feedback from students on the overall DTP performance and their experience”. As such, it forms a mandatory contractual DTP requirement and helps us to deliver the goals we specified in our Agreement with the funder. The survey is a key MTR action requesting feedback on all aspects of the programme rather than specific training and events we run – for example, awareness of the programme, placements and industrial partner collaboration, supervisory support, accessibility and inclusion, wellbeing. The questions were developed with input from the EASTBIO Training & Development and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committees, as well as support & expert teams in partner institutions. On the basis of this survey, EASTBIO will endeavour to make improvements as directed by you the students. The survey, therefore, primarily serves to generate recommendations on areas where adjustments or improvements are needed according to evidence collated.

How we will process the survey and communicate its results

All responses will be collected by the EASTBIO team and will be analysed and processed with a view to assessing the EASTBIO Training Programme in its entirety. Additional evidence will be drawn from feedback that we have been collecting on individual training events and activities that we run throughout the year, as well as focus groups and input from Student Representatives at scheduled meetings or raised by individual students with the EASTBIO team. The analysis of the survey responses will be discussed by the Training & Development Committee in the first instance, then by the Management Group/Advisory Board on its annual Training Review meeting (12 June 2023). Following discussion between the Management Group and its two subcommittees, EASTBIO will report a summary of your feedback and communicate a plan of action to all students and supervisors.