Findings of the student surveys from 2019 to 2022

The annual student surveys conducted by the staff position Quality Development  offer some insight into the opinions and everyday experiences of students at the University of Stuttgart. "They are a very important indicator for finding out how students are doing and what topics affect them," says Carina Schwaderer, who is responsible for the student surveys at the University of Stuttgart. "That's why it's important that as many students as possible participate in the survey."

All students from the faculties 1, 2, 4, and 7 were sent a letter inviting them to participate in the student surveys in 2020 and 2022. In 2019 and 2021, students from the faculties 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 were surveyed. The most recent response rate was 28 percent. "In comparison to other universities in Baden-Württemberg, this represents a relatively high response rate," says Schwaderer.

An overview of the findings

The results of the surveys conducted over the past four years show that the transition to digital teaching in 2020 was largely successful. However, it usually involved an increased workload for the students. The students surveyed were relatively satisfied with how the return to in-person teaching was conducted. The majority of respondents, 65 percent, experienced little or no difficulties. Some students are still struggling with the aftermath of the Corona pandemic. For example, about 10 percent of the Bachelor's and Master's students surveyed said they had they found it difficult or very difficult to return to in-person teaching. The Quality Development Department views it as a very positive development that new initiatives have arisen at the University of Stuttgart, such as the digit@L project, in the context of which digital (support) services are being expanded at the University of Stuttgart.

The pandemic forced students to take more responsibility for structuring their daily work themselves in recent semesters. In 2021, 34 percent of respondents in Bachelor's degree programs found this either difficult or very difficult. Since the return to in-person teaching in 2022, only 25 percent of the students experienced such difficulties.

22 percent of Bachelor's students and 28 percent of Master's students say they rely on supplementary digital offerings to be able to follow their courses. Around 70 percent state that most digital offerings are sufficient and useful either as a supplement to in-person courses, or as an alternative. 

Not only is teaching becoming increasingly digital, but teaching content also increasingly relates to the handling of data. Students are aware of the necessity of understanding scientific data: Almost three quarters of the students surveyed consider the handling of data to be a necessary part of successfully completing their degree.

The student surveys conducted from 2019 to 2022 show that students’ satisfaction with their field of study and their university is high overall. More than two-thirds of the students surveyed say they would choose their degree program at the University of Stuttgart again.

The next student survey will begin in May or June 2023 and will address students from the faculties 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Next year, the survey will once again focus on students from the other faculties.