Is There a Magic Link between Research Activity, Professional Teaching Qualifications and Student Satisfaction?

32 Pages Posted: 9 Jan 2016 Last revised: 6 Jun 2016

See all articles by Adrian R. Bell

Adrian R. Bell

University of Reading - ICMA Centre

Chris Brooks

University of Reading - ICMA Centre

Date Written: June 2016

Abstract

This paper examines the key drivers of the satisfaction of UK students, as measured by the National Student Survey, using the entire database of students who completed it in 2014. We employ a wide range of factors that may potentially affect contentment, including both university-wide variables that capture the reputation of the university and the quality of its research, and school-specific measures incorporating the demographic and ethnic profiles of the teaching staff. We find overall that students are happiest when taught by staff with the following characteristics: white, full professors, holding doctorates, and on fixed-term contracts - although there is no link between satisfaction and the gender mix of the teaching faculty, or with the contractual designation of the staff as teaching intensive or teaching and research. In terms of the broader characteristics of the institutions as a whole, when we allow for a range of factors simultaneously, students are happiest at pre-1992 universities outside the Russell group with high degree course completion rates and where the amount of top-rated research is lower. We find no link between student contentment and the percentage of faculty holding formal teaching qualifications.

Keywords: National Student Survey, student satisfaction, professional teaching qualifications, teaching quality

JEL Classification: C52, I21, I23

Suggested Citation

Bell, Adrian R. and Brooks, Chris, Is There a Magic Link between Research Activity, Professional Teaching Qualifications and Student Satisfaction? (June 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2712412 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2712412

Adrian R. Bell

University of Reading - ICMA Centre ( email )

Whiteknights Park
P.O. Box 242
Reading RG6 6BA
United Kingdom

Chris Brooks (Contact Author)

University of Reading - ICMA Centre ( email )

Whiteknights Park
P.O. Box 242
Reading RG6 6BA
United Kingdom
+44 118 931 82 39 (Phone)
+44 118 931 47 41 (Fax)

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