Anthology Survey Reveals the Top Motivations and Challenges of University Students in the United Kingdom

A Student's Perspective: Valuable Insights for University Leaders sheds light on the motivations and challenges of students, as well as what they believe universities can do to help them be more likely to complete their degree. The survey revealed there is misalignment between the students' needs and the priorities perceived by university leaders.

The report is being launched in conjunction with Anthology Together Europe, Anthology's annual user conference at the Hyatt Regency in Birmingham, UK, on 25-26 October 2023. 

Key findings highlighted in the report include:

Motivations
Students in the UK differ somewhat from peers in other countries when it comes to their motivations for enrolling in university.

While the top two reasons cited by university students were fairly common amongst their peers in other countries ("my field of interest requires a degree" and "higher earning potential" ranked one and two, respectively), there were a few motivating factors uniquely important to students in the UK.

Independence and uncertainty were strong motivating factors – much higher than their peers around the world.

Also unique to students in the UK is enrolling in university as a path to find a life partner. Sixteen percent said finding a life partner was one of their top three motivations, marking the highest percentage when compared to students in all other countries surveyed.

Challenges while at university
Mental health and anxiety are challenges for students around the world and the UK is no exception. While students in Spain and Australia were among the highest to be challenged with mental health and wellness concerns over the past year (59% and 52% respectively), a significant population of students in the UK were also affected.

The top four challenges they cited experiencing in the past year included:

Understanding student needs around mental health and wellness is an opportunity for university leadership. While 39% and 42% of students reported mental health challenges and anxiety, respectively, only 15% of university leaders consider mental health a priority for student retention and degree completion.

The priorities of university leaders don't align to the help students want

"One of the key goals of conducting the survey was to see how aligned student needs and expectations were with those of university leadership — and some of the findings were quite eye-opening," said Bruce Dahlgren, chief executive officer at Anthology. "We hope that the survey results will better equip universities to meet the ever-evolving needs of students, ensuring their retention, completion, and long-term success."

A Student's Perspective: Valuable Insights for University Leaders was produced as part of Anthology's commitment to fostering a supportive academic environment and providing innovative education solutions. The research offers a valuable resource for university leaders, educators, and policymakers who are dedicated to ensuring the success of students in today's higher education landscape.

Download a copy of the full report here.

Methodology

Data collection was conducted online among university leaders and students across eleven countries in August 2023, including Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States. Separate questionnaires with similar questions were utilised to enable comparisons. To qualify, student respondents had to indicate that they were currently enrolled at a higher education institution and pursuing a degree or diploma. University leader respondents had to indicate that they were currently senior leaders (dean, provost, rector, etc.) at a higher education institution. In total, 2,617 university leaders and 2,728 students qualified for and completed the survey.

About Anthology

Anthology offers the largest EdTech ecosystem on a global scale for education, supporting more than 150 million users in 80 countries. With a mission to provide dynamic, data-informed experiences to the global education community through Anthology Intelligent Experiences™, we help learners, leaders and educators achieve their goals by offering over 60 SaaS products and services designed to advance learning. Discover more about how we are fulfilling our mission for education, business and government institutions at www.anthology.com.

Media Contact:
Erin Mitchell
Anthology
[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1708867/4360703/Anthology_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/anthology-survey-reveals-the-top-motivations-and-challenges-of-university-students-in-the-united-kingdom-301966673.html