Gathering Student Voices through Course-Level Questionnaires: Findings from a Student Advisory Group

Module Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQs) have previously been administered at the end of modules at the University. However, challenges relating to poor response rates and a lack of clarity about their purpose meant that the approach struggled to meet its intended goals. This prompted a consideration of alternative approaches to gathering student voices. Course-Level Evaluation Questionnaires (CLEQs), which allow students to provide feedback at the end of each semester/trimester, were piloted as a replacement for MEQs in three Schools and Institutes in the 2025/26 academic year. This brief report summarises findings from one key component of a wider evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of CLEQs. This component involved establishing an advisory group of 17 student representatives, who were supported and paid to contribute to the evaluation. The advisory group helped to shape the overall evaluation, share evidence and ideas, and reflect on findings and recommendations. Several challenges with CLEQs were identified that related to response rates and students’ awareness and perceptions of the questionnaires. These insights contributed to a wider institutional review, which led to a decision to move away from centrally administered student voice questionnaires and instead give Schools and Institutes greater flexibility to design approaches that reflect the needs of their courses and students.