In general, students are satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching at Avans University of Applied Sciences. The inclusivity, the atmosphere of the student’s study programme and the expertise of the instructors remain significant assets. This emerges from the results of the National Student Survey 2023 (NSS). On virtually all topics Avans has a better rating than comparable universities of applied sciences.
Among students at universities of applied sciences the satisfaction figures are somewhat lower than last year. At Avans too there is a slight fall, but the overall rating remains above average.
Strong points
Research has shown that satisfaction with the study programme is linked strongly to three topics: content and setup of the programme, commitment and instructors. Students say that Avans is doing well on these three topics. The teaching is in line with current developments and the level and challenges of the study programme get good ratings. Students are also happy with the expertise of the instructors and their knowledge of professional practice. They feel that the atmosphere is inviting, allowing questions to be asked.
Of all the components on the survey, Avans scores highest on inclusivity. All in all, students are very satisfied with the atmosphere in general. They feel safe and at home at Avans.
Fine results
Jacomine Ravensbergen, vice-chair of the Executive Board of Avans, is proud of the results: “It’s great that students once again value the content and organisation of the teaching at Avans so highly and that they experience the relevance to professional practice as well. I’m also pleased to see that inclusivity gets such a high rating and that the students feel safe and at home with us. It’s a question of give and take; together we create a safe and trusted environment in which students and lecturers feel comfortable. These are important preconditions for continuing to learn and develop, both now and in the future.”
Development opportunities
Just as last year, Avans gets low ratings for testing and assessment. This topic remains a point of concern for our teaching. The testing does not always match students’ expectations. The clarity of the assessment criteria and the usefulness of the feedback are also below par.
The only aspect on which Avans scores below the national average is the extent to which our students work on their course material outside of their studies and apply it in everyday life. As a result, they are missing opportunities to deepen and broaden their knowledge, independently of the study context.
Highest ratings at Avans
The two-year associate degree programmes at Avans generally get a high overall satisfaction rating. The top associate degree programmes are Communication in Den Bosch and Engineering in Roosendaal.
Among the part-time study programmes, Industrial Engineering in Tilburg once again gets the highest rating. Stand-up Comedy and Electrical and Electronic Engineering, both in Den Bosch, rate most highly again among the full-time programmes.
About the NSS
The NSS is conducted annually on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This year, Avans asked extra questions on the topics of international aspects, international students and arts education. The NSS is an important basis for the rankings of the Keuzegids HBO guide and Elsevier’s Beste Studies, which appear in October.
Viewing the results
All the information has been incorporated in the NSS dashboard. You can compare all the higher education study programmes there. This summary shows the results across Avans in comparison with the average at universities of applied sciences.