A quarter of surveyed students give their course a pass mark (just).
Students with poor mental health and wellbeing are up to five times more likely to seriously consider dropping out, but curriculum, teaching and study support make a difference, Chi Baik and Uni Melbourne colleagues explain in a new report.
“There is,” they report, “a strong relationship between students’ mental health and wellbeing and their course/university satisfaction, and perceived value of their degree.”
The analysis, based on a survey of undergraduates at six un-named universities, (described as medium and large metros and a large regional) found two resources were closely associated with wellbeing and academic success. Overall, 80% of responders felt academically capable but 49% said they recover quickly from “stressful situations at uni.” 60% felt overwhelmed by workloads while 41% said they felt their teachers did not understand their study difficulties, plus a third “lacked close peer connections.”
“Students’ broader sense of belonging, perceptions of university climate, and experiences of discrimination are closely associated with their wellbeing,” the analysts state.
As to specifics that universities can address; a “substantial minority” of students reported dissatisfaction with aspects of their course and university experiences:
- 9.9% of responders “were dissatisfied with the quality of their course’
- 40% “had doubts about whether their degree was worth the time, money and effort”
- 14.7% would not take their course if they could start again their time at university
- 26.2% “rated the quality of their university experience as either poor or fair.”
The take-out is that, “academic stress, teaching practices, peer connections, belonging and the accessibility and credibility of support systems all play a measurable role in shaping student outcomes. Strengthening these areas is not only a wellbeing initiative; it is fundamental to educational quality, equity, and student success.”