Bachelor’s Graduate Survey 2023 results published – Psychology, Industrial engineering and management and Process engineering students recommend their education the most
The Kandipalaute – Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey is a national university student feedback survey that examines students’ satisfaction with their university and studying experience. The survey consists of 90 questions, of which 13 are connected to the funding model of the universities.
In the comparison between universities, the University of Oulu is ranked 8th. Among the faculties of the University of Oulu, in the scale 1-5, the Faculty of Education and Psychology (3.84) gets the best evaluations from students, and the Faculty of Humanities (3.79) and the Faculty of Technology (3.79) are tied for second place. Among the degree programmes, the best results for all questions are obtained by the Degree Programme in Industrial Engineering and Management (4.04), the Degree Programme in Early Childhood Education (3.94), the Degree Programme in Educational Sciences (including learning sciences) (3.85) and the Degree Programme in Health Sciences (3.85).
According to the survey, students at the University of Oulu are confident in their study skills. The students gave the best rating (4.20) for the “Self-efficacy beliefs” theme. The theme asks, e.g. whether the students are sure that they can learn the skills required in their field well, whether they expect to succeed and do well in their studies. Also "Working during studies" (4.10), "Deep approach to learning" (3.99), "Working life competences" (3.98), "Peer support" (3.89), and "Interestingness of studies" (3.89) received good ratings in the survey. The students gave the weakest ratings for the themes "Transferable skills" (3.50), where entrepreneurial competencies in particular were assessed to have developed only a little thanks to the studies (2.23) and "Constructive feedback" (3.53), where especially the claims "The feedback given on my assigned work has helped me to clarify things I had not fully understood” (3.23) and "The feedback I received from the teaching staff has helped me with my studies" (3.16) received weak evaluations from the students.
Regarding the questions connected to the funding model, the students gave the best ratings for the statements " When needed, I have found a person whom to ask for help" (4.04), "I feel comfortable at my university" (3.95) and "The teaching has been, to a large extent, of good quality" (3.89). The weakest evaluations The University of Oulu received claims from its students that "The feedback I received from the teaching staff has helped me with my studies" (3.37) and "There has been sufficient guidance available for the organisation of my studies" (3.53).
In the open-ended answers to the survey, the most expressed wishes from the students were that they would receive more and more diverse feedback from the learning tasks than at present. Students also needed more support and guidance for their studies. In addition, more practical training was hoped for in the studies. Studies were felt to have been delayed e.g. for reasons related to personal health issues (15.52%, 160 mentions), working during studies (13.87%, 143 mentions), low study motivation (13.58%, 140 mentions), lack of study skills (7.86%, 81 mentions), incompatible schedules of the courses (6.01%, 62 mentions), insufficient study guidance (4.27%, 44 mentions), difficulties to find a topic for a bachelor’s thesis work (3.01%, 31 mentions), and other matters related to a bachelor's thesis work, such as a delay in the review of the thesis (4.17%, 43 mentions). The corona pandemic was also mentioned as having slowed down the progress of studies and weakened adherence to studies.
At the University of Oulu, a total of 1427 students responded to the Bachelor’s Graduate Survey in 2023, with the total number of respondents being 12 426. The response rate at the University of Oulu in 2023 was a total of 97%. The average response rate at Finnish universities was 93%. At the university Oulu answering the survey is connected to the graduation process, i.e. students who have completed a bachelor's degree answer the survey in an individual schedule when making a degree application in the Valo graduation service.
The results of the Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey have been discussed at the meetings of the Education Management Group on April 18, 2024. The Education committees and Degree programme committees of the faculties analyze the results and make decisions on development measures, which are carried out based on the results.
Annually, the Ministry of Education and Culture allocates 3 % (approx. EUR 50 million) of the universities' basic funding each year based on the Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey.