New Student Futures Commission report calls for action to reverse the damage caused by the pandemic

New Student Futures Manifestos to help reverse the damage caused by the pandemic

The UPP Foundation Student Futures Commission, convened in May 2021 and chaired by Mary Curnock Cook CBE  has called for joint action between universities and students to tackle problems caused by the pandemic. The Commission’s final report, published today (Monday 14th February) provides a blueprint for how universities and students can work together to develop Student Futures Manifestos, which set out concrete actions to improve students’ experience of university.

Public First acted as the secretariat for the Commission, supporting the research through as well as the publication of the final report. 

The Commission hopes that the production of the Manifesto will help give the sector a clearer focus on the priorities of students, and to better communicate and champion its commitments to successful student futures. The report includes results from a polling of more than 2,000 university students and recent graduates that demonstrate the scale of the challenges facing higher education institutions as they navigate out of the coronavirus crisis. 

• 73% of students reported that the pandemic had a very or somewhat negative impact on their mental health; 
• 57% of students said the pandemic had a negative impact on the knowledge they needed to succeed on their course;
• 52% of students felt they were somewhat or much below where they personally expected to be in their academic studies;
• 90% of students said they strongly or somewhat prefer in person teaching where content is also recorded.
• Only 33% of students said they were slightly or very satisfied with the support their university had provided to help them find a job or work experience over the last 12 months

The Commission report has called on universities to commit to developing and publishing a Student Futures Manifesto, with their students, by the end of the 2022/23 academic year.

Chair of the Commission, Mary Curnock Cook CBE said: “A Student Futures Manifesto, co-created and co-owned by students and their university, will be a powerful expression of intent about what students need to support successful lives and careers.  We acknowledge the tragedy and disruption of the pandemic but our proposals are resolutely optimistic and build on the extraordinary resilience and creativity demonstrated by colleagues and students across the sector during the crisis.”

Higher and Further Education Minister Michelle Donelan MP said: “Building back a better experience for students who have been affected by the pandemic is deeply important to me and I welcome the contribution that this report from the UPP Foundation Student Futures Commission makes to the discussion."

Professor Sir Chris Husbands, Vice Chancellor Sheffield Hallam University said: “The six themes in this  report are spot on: well thought out and crisply expressed.  They provide clear pointers for a sector thinking its way into what will be a very different future. I will cut and paste them for my own team as we continue to navigate our way forward from the pandemic”

Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK said: “The pandemic has had a profound impact on students. This important report is a call to action for universities to work with students to produce a Student Futures Manifesto – a powerful statement of intent that will embed collaboration between students and universities to take actions to support wellbeing, learning and employability. I hope it will provide a useful framework to bring more of the good work that is already going on in universities to the surface and celebrate a renewed focus on the student experience.”

Professor Malcolm Press CBE, Vice Chancellor Manchester Metropolitan University said: “I welcome the Student Futures Report; it is an excellent compendium of good practice and captures exactly what we should be doing for and with our students in any case”

Professor Lisa Roberts, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University of Exeter said: “It has been a privilege to have been part of the Student Futures Commission, which has led to the creation of a highly insightful, evidence-based report. The wide-ranging case studies demonstrate just how much the sector has risen to the challenges of the pandemic, applying ingenuity and innovation to safeguard the student experience and student outcomes during this challenging time.

Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal Queen Mary University of London said: “I welcome this report from the Students’ Futures Commission. There is a real opportunity, as we emerge from the pandemic, for universities to reset their ambition to co-create with their students the best education and experience possible, to ensure students can achieve their full potential in an uncertain world. At Queen Mary University, this is our foremost goal.”

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc CEO, said: “I wholeheartedly support today’s report by the UPP Foundation, which goes a long way to address the pandemic-related concerns and needs of students. I also welcome the Student Manifesto to help students rebuild their confidence, regain control of their studies and plan for a successful future after graduation."

The report also received widespread media coverage: 

Returning students need annual induction, universities told | The Times

Don’t stop listening to students when pandemic ends, v-cs told | Times Higher Education

Nine in 10 students prefer in-person lectures, study finds | Evening Standard

University students need clarity on post-pandemic learning | The Times

Focus on employment support for international students, universities told