Thank you once again to any student who completed one of our surveys – we really do appreciate you using your student voice to have your say.  

Take a look at the some of the actions we’re taking or changes we’re planning to make across the University in response to your feedback from last term’s student surveys.  

Don’t forget, you can find more responses from last term’s surveys here.  

• Catering

• LIS

• Wellbeing and Mental Health

• Disability and Inclusion

Catering  

• We always appreciate feedback on our catering services and can assure students that we work hard to design our food menus taking many factors into account including quality, nutrition, allergens, ethical considerations, and diversity. Additionally, we collaborate with third parties to ensure adherence to strict food safety measures and regular auditing to refine and enhance our monthly food safety policy.  

• We welcome any ideas for menu items and encourage students to meet with our chefs to discuss potential additions that could become menu staples. 

• If anyone wishes to raise concerns, issues, or provide general feedback, they can contact use one of our comment cards found in our catering outlets for anonymous feedback or they can contact Dan Hultum (Catering Operations Manager) or Paula Martindale (Head of Hospitality and Events) via email at d.hultum@chester.ac.uk or p.martindale@chester.ac.uk. 

Learning and Information Services (LIS) 

UoC app/timetables

LIS are currently working on a project to fully replace the current UoC app with a bespoke solution, designed to remediate the issues highlighted by the survey.  

• Timetable updates will be communicated more quickly and more accurately via the mobile app.  

• Timetable changes will update into the app timetable instead of just sending a notification (that can be missed).  

• We will be implementing improved logging to allow us to troubleshoot issues.  

• We will eliminate the common fault that requires students to log out and back in (or reinstall) in order to view attendance correctly.  

Improvements to the Portal timetable and the integration between timetable and the app are a key part of this development:  

• This will significantly improve the data quality and reliability of the timetable.  

• This will address the discrepancies between the UoC app and Portal timetables.  

• The timeframe between changes being made in the timetable and their display on Portal will reduce.  

• Lecturers will be able to update timetable data to remove students that are incorrectly timetabled to the wrong sessions.  

• There will be major changes to the look and feel, and usability of the timetable. This will impact functions such as searching for sessions.  

Portal/Moodle

LIS are working collaboratively on a major project with a number of partners throughout the University in order to significantly improve the usability and reliability of Moodle.   

This project will deliver a new version of the Moodle VLE, which has been configured to improve the use of this important tool, including an improved student journey through modules, better accessibility, standardisation of module design and a visual update to match university branding.  As part of this project, we will be replacing the Portal-based Moodle welcome page.

WiFi

Over the past 18 months Wi-Fi in all student areas has been upgraded to the modern Wi-Fi 6 standard which brings a range of improvements such as increased availability of bandwidth, and device capacity. Surveys were completed before the new Wi-Fi access points were installed to ensure good coverage across teaching spaces, communal areas, and student accommodation.  

Although this upgrade will bring general improvements, there will always be fluctuations to Wi-Fi speeds depending on the number of devices in an area and interference from competing Wi-Fi devices and appliances. With many people having multiple devices using the same Wi-Fi access point simultaneously, busy areas will often see the quality of Wi-Fi dip due to congestion. This is a limitation of the technology and a factor outside of our control.  

Outside of peak times, Wi-Fi connectivity and speeds should be good, but should a problem ever persist, please log an incident with the LIS Service Desk at the time and the problem can be investigated.  

IT Support

Support with audio-visual (AV) and IT issues is available at all sites, with Digital Workplace Services (DWS) technicians physically based over several sites.  

Since the formation of the DWS team in September 2023 the team has looked to develop their remote support capabilities so that support can be provided more quickly to staff and students anywhere. Similarly, the Network Infrastructure and Network Services teams have excellent remote support capabilities and can support students with a range of issues at any location, for example with MFA, or Wi-Fi problems.  

Lapsafe laptops are available at many locations for students to borrow and support with their use is available from DWS. Software support is available from the Digital Capabilities & Technologies Team (DCTT) but support for any specialist software should be from the relevant Faculty. For all general IT support issues, please log an incident on the LIS Service Desk and the relevant IT support team within LIS will be able to support.  

Learning Resources

Each Faculty has its own academic liaison library team providing specialist support for teaching and learning. The team support a range of opportunities to help students make the most of university learning resources.  Whether it is the discovery of resources through the eLibrary, which is a gateway to a browsable list of resources to help you with module learning, through to offering embedded research skills sessions into the curriculum, drop in sessions for students at our library locations, interacting with our library skills channel, or through to  bespoke 1-2-1 appointments to explore your resource needs further – our library team can help you to make the most of library resources on your academic journey.   

Library teams work with lecturers to align the purchasing of resources to curriculum needs. Whilst the Library provides a range of resources within physical formats, we do pursue where possible a “digital first” approach for the purchasing of resources to add to our collections. Digital offers many benefits to students including anytime, anyplace access as well as meeting accessibility and inclusivity requirements. The University also provides access to One Drive for the individual storage of files. As this is cloud-based, this means you can access files from anywhere on any device.  

 Additionally, the Library also offers an on-demand service which can be accessed via Library Search for any articles and book chapters which we do not directly subscribe to, which you require to meet curriculum learning needs. We also offer a service if you require access to books we do not hold. Just fill in the details of the item you require, and we will source the item for you.  

Library Spaces

Learning and Information Services worked over summer 2024 to implement changes across university libraries with the School of Education and Chester Medical School changing locations. The main collection at the Seaborne Library is housed in the Reading Room with the oversized collection. Additionally, the School Experience collection has been added downstairs in Seaborne library and additional study spaces have been created through the relocation of the physical library collections. The postgraduate suite continues to be popular offering a range of study spaces but for security reasons the private study rooms are now closed during unstaffed hours.   

Learning and Information Services are happy to take on board feedback from students regarding access to library spaces via the LIS Helpdesks located across the University libraries or via email (lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk).  

Induction/ID cards – Remote/Distance Learners

Student ID cards are generally not required by remote/distance learners due to the nature of their attendance. However, Learning and Information Services have taken on board feedback regarding access to a student ID card and now offer a print on request service via the LIS Service Desk (lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk)  

University Centres

University of Chester students can access a wide range of e-books and wider electronic resources. Many of your module texts are already available to read online but, as some books are only available in print, as a replacement for the inter-site transport service and delivery of material from other sites, a free postal loan service is available for UCS students (sent to UK addresses only). Please enquire at the LIS Helpdesk for further information (lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk)   

Printing Services (UCS)  

LIS have set up a remote printing service for UCS via print@chester.ac.uk. Please quote UCS12345 in the subject heading so that we are aware the printing is for UCS. LIS utilise the current print credit system to manage printing costs for students. LIS will cover postage costs for students whilst they are studying at UCS locations and will deliver to their home address. The standard turnaround for requests in five days.   

Sports Village (UCS)  

In response to feedback, a local printer has also been ordered and is due for delivery at the Sports Village location shortly.   

Wellbeing and Mental Health 

• Since September we have promoted our services and given students the opportunity to get their quick queries answered in-person via Wellbeing & Mental Health, and Disability & Inclusion stands at key student events, such as the Welcome Fair, International Welcome and Enrolment Events, the Final Year Support Fair and the UniWell Fair. We will continue to provide in-person promotion to raise awareness throughout the rest of the year where possible.  

• We will continue to provide students with timely access to mental health support, at a time and location which students prefer, at all sites, via the Student Assistance Programme. This includes counselling, and in-the-moment mental health support.  

• We have and will continue to deliver monthly Look After Your Mate sessions, as well as timetabled sessions embedded into course delivery, to empower students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to support friends experiencing mental health difficulties, whilst looking after their own wellbeing.  

• To increase community, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging, we have developed student support networks. This enables students with shared experiences to come together for peer support.  

• We will continue to run our marketing campaign which is targeted at raising awareness of Wellbeing & Mental Health with posters, lecture slides, all-site digital screen content, social media promotion, Student Shout Out content, leaflets and multi-site in-person events. 

• We have worked hard to reduce the wait time for counselling to less than two weeks, offering six sessions of counselling, via our Student Assistance Programme. 

• We are delivering information sessions, with professional services and academic staff, to raise the profile of the Wellbeing & Mental Health, and Disability & Inclusion support available to students.  

• We have created new, dedicated University webpages promoting the range of Disability & Inclusion and Wellbeing & Mental Health support. This ensures this information is available for applicants, current students and parents/carers. 

Disability and Inclusion  

• We hosted multiple awareness and information sessions as part of Disability Awareness Month to raise awareness of the Disability and Inclusion Support available. 

• We are monitoring the take up of Disabled Students’ Allowance and creating bespoke communications to encourage eligible students to apply, with the offer of one-to-one support with applying. 

• We are holding accessible in-person drop-in events to support students with applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance. We have also supported the application process further by creating leaflets and sharing instruction videos.  

• To reduce waiting times and speed up the provision of reasonable adjustments for Disabled students, we have implemented Standardised Inclusion Plans.  

• We will continue to work with our network of Disability Link Tutors across the University to raise awareness of Disability & Inclusion. We are utilising their feedback to inform and develop our processes.