FAU student survey 2020 starting now

Studierende im Kollegienhaus
Bild: FAU/David Hartfiel

One of the topics the survey focuses on this year is the coronavirus pandemic.

The FAU student survey (FAU-St) 2020 starts today. From 10 June until 2 August, students will once more be able to evaluate their studies at FAU, in either German or English. This year, the survey focuses on how satisfied students are with various aspects of studying at FAU as well as on their experiences of starting studying, whilst studying or shortly before graduating and the situation concerning the current pandemic. The questions are tailored to suit the students’ current situation. All participants will be entered in a prize draw with the chance to win one of 20 vouchers for the FAU shop worth 25 euros each.

FAU-St 2020 is the third survey, following on from those in 2016 and 2018, to cover topics relating to how satisfied students are with studying in general, allowing comparisons to be drawn over the years. ‘FAU-St has become an important and integral part of our quality management culture. It’s particularly exciting that we are now able to compare how central topics and results have developed over the years. Taking this perspective, we can see how FAU has progressed,’ explains Prof. Dr. Bärbel Kopp, Vice President Education. ‘The situation regarding the Covid-19 pandemic may, however, mean that some results vary considerably from those of previous years. We will of course bear that in mind when compiling our report,’ adds Nicole Froebus, FAU-St project manager.

Questions on Covid-19 pandemic

As well as the central topics in FAU-St, the survey this year includes special questions specifically concerning how FAU has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on all areas of university life and is continuing to severely affect the current study situation and conditions for teaching and studying. ‘We value the students’ point of view and it is important for us to hear how successfully they think they can study at FAU. However, we would also like to know how students have experienced the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, what their study habits are in the current situation and what fears and worries they may have about the future. This information will help us to react accordingly and alleviate their fears wherever possible,’ continues Prof. Kopp.

As well as FAU-St, the FAU e-learning monitoring survey is currently also underway. Whilst FAU-St focuses on life and work at the University in general, the FAU e-learning monitoring survey, which consists of several rounds, focuses predominantly on the ‘Coronavirus semester’. ‘As both surveys cover different aspects and provide different information, it is extremely important that students take part in both surveys,’ explains Prof. Kopp.

Dealing with results

The results of the student survey are discussed in university committees for teaching and studying and are taken as the basis for reflecting on and extending services offered in various areas. The Executive Board, the Faculties and those responsible for the various degree programmes as well as the University administration, the Office of Equality and Diversity and other central institutions at FAU receive tailored evaluations and reports aimed at improving study conditions at FAU. Distributing the results of FAU-St to such a wide audience, using them across several different departments and the growing interest in the results of FAU-St means that student feedback can be taken into account in many crucial processes throughout the university.

As a small thank you for taking part in FAU-St 2020, all participants will be entered in a prize draw with the chance of winning one of 20 vouchers for the FAU shop, worth 25 euros each.

Publishing results

The final report on the results is expected to be published on OPUS FAU at the end of the winter semester 2020/21. The final reports from the FAU student surveys from 2016 to 2019 are also available there, as are the previous surveys conducted as part of the FAU panel. Further information on the student survey, including details of content, use of data and data protection, is available on the following data protection information sheet.

Further information

Désirée Bender
Phone: +49 9131 8570861

Nicole Froebus
Phone: +49 9131 8570862

evaluation@fau.de