Hi there, 

Welcome to the April edition of our Student Voice Bulletin! Each month, we’ll share key student insights and feedback, aiming to improve how we communicate and work together to enhance the student experience. In this month's bulletin, you'll find:

·         Highlights from our international student experience focus group

·         Highlights from our sports & physical health focus group

·         Key themes from term two Staff-Student Action meetings

We hope you find this useful!

Student Voice Team @ RHSU

International Student Experience Focus Group

As part of our research project exploring the international student experience, we conducted a focus group with 9 international students who gave us some really useful insights into their experience at Royal Holloway. The key headlines were:

• Arrival support was varied. Experiences ranged from seamless to unsupported and many weren’t aware of the airport pickup services.
• There were lots of challenges surrounding accommodation, with it often being inaccessible or unprepared upon arrival and the process being unclear.
• Visa delays impacted studies with late CAS numbers and visa approvals leading to missed classes and late enrolment.
• PGT students struggled to meet curriculum expectations, found they didn’t settle until the winter break, and felt socially isolated – only making friendships with other international students.
• The students felt they were expected to know how to use UK systems with minimal guidance and that subjects assumed A-Level or UK based knowledge. British academic and cultural terms were often misunderstood.
• Many couldn’t register or access care e.g. NHS and healthcare due to logistical barriers (phone numbers, addresses etc).
• Lack of UK-based guarantors, forwarding addresses, and compatible bank accounts created significant stress.
• Teaching quality was praised, but support services and infrastructure failed expectations. Many felt the university cared more about revenue than student welfare.
• They reported that it was clear from other students and staff that there is an assumption that all international students are wealthy or self-funded.

Sport & Physical Health Focus Group

We are currently working on an ongoing project exploring sport and physical health at Royal Holloway. As part of this we conducted a focus group with seven students to dive deeper into their experiences. The highlights were:

• Barriers to Participation: High costs for memberships, kit and travel deter involvement. Casual memberships often don’t include playing opportunities and students are unaware of financial support like the Access Fund.
• Communication & Advertising: They weren’t aware of active sessions and felt the app wasn’t user friendly. Students reported wanting more posters, Instagram posts and a central timetable.
• Casual & Recreational Sport: Free/low-cost sessions e.g. Volleyball active sessions are popular. There is interest in more beginner-friendly and flexible options. They would also like to see the option to join a team after term one.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing: Solo and social sport supports wellbeing and routine. Students value sport for friendships and stress relief.
• Accessibility & Inclusion: Commuters and postgrads struggle with late sessions and transport. Some feel anxious joining clubs alone or using the gym. Suggestions included a buddy scheme and quiet gym hours.
• Club & Gym Experience: There were frustrations over delayed kit orders and team inequalities. The on-campus gym was seen as good value but crowded at peak times.

Term Two Staff-Student Action Meeting Analysis

We’ve analysed the Staff-Student Action Meeting notes from term two and have identified the common themes across Schools:

• Assessment and Feedback: concerns about feedback clarity and consistency are common. Students want more structured and timely feedback. Assessment formats and changes were also a significant concern.
• Teaching Quality & Delivery: lecture engagement and delivery styles are frequently mentioned, with students commenting on the pace and clarity of lecturers. There were also requests for lecture recordings, pre-lecture materials and clearer slides across Schools.
• Communication and Organisation: Students want better clarity on module structures, timetables and Moodle organisation. There were also issues with late or inconsistent communication, especially regarding assessment details and deadlines.
• Curriculum and Employability: Students are keen on career-preparation modules and employability integration. There were requests for more optional modules, cross-department options, and workload balancing throughout the year.

What's going on at the SU: Awards and Recognition