Learning and teaching

The initiatives being developed and the feedback gathered from our community are key in shaping a more effective and engaging approach to education and student experience. 

Results from the National Student Survey (NSS) were released in July 2024, an important measure for us and the sector. Our overall satisfaction score is 70.4%, slightly down from 70.8% last year. These results highlight that there are several areas where we need to improve. However, our response rate this year was 71%, compared to 65% last year, and we continue to perform strongly in teaching, learning resources and academic support. Areas we need to continue to prioritise include assessment and feedback and student voice. Students highlighted the importance of receiving timely feedback, receiving feedback that helps them improve their work, and clarity on how student feedback has been acted upon. This is a priority for the entire University and we know colleagues are actively working across every School to improve the feedback responses and quality for our students. 

Excellence in learning and teaching is also recognised and celebrated at the University. The Edinburgh University Students’ Association Teaching Awards are now in their fifteenth year, celebrating the very best in teaching and support at the University. Almost 2,000 nominations were submitted by students. 

Winners included Inga Ackermann, Online Learning and Leadership Coordinator for the MasterCard Foundation Online Scholars’ Program. Inga won the Outstanding Commitment to Social Justice and Sustainability award for showing dedication to commitment to the learning, wellbeing, and sense of community for students studying online in Africa. Nominees appreciated her deep understanding of the African context that her students exist in and the issues that affect them, continuously working to mitigate these issues as much as possible. Inga was described as not just a member of staff, but also a role model and friend to many of her students. She also sits on the University’s Refugee, Asylum, and At-Risk Advisory Group and coordinates the University’s annual Refugee Week. 

Dr Simone Ferracina’s course, Radical Harvest, won the award for Outstanding Course. Dr Ferracina’s course was praised for the opportunities for students to create projects for social enterprises and charities across Edinburgh using repurposed and reclaimed items. Alongside this, the course was credited with being a comfortable space for students to share ideas and get support in a collaborative environment.   

The Curriculum Transformation project is ongoing and is implementing the first batch of Challenge Courses for academic year 24/25. This is a core priority for the University, with further plans being developed for co-creation between staff and students. A Postgraduate Taught Framework for Curriculum Transformation is also in development, and has been met with widespread positivity. It is critical to the continuing success of our students and our institution that the curriculum prepares them for the future and produces graduates who can not only answer big questions but ask even bigger ones.