Leading article: Student groans

On the face of it, this year's National Student Survey showed students overwhelmingly satisfied with their courses: 80 per cent expressed satisfaction. But a closer examination of the statistics showed worrying signs of dissatisfaction with feedback and assessment. Universities should be concerned that 49 per cent of students thought the feedback they received from lecturers was slow and unhelpful and that almost one quarter felt that the marking criteria were unclear. In the new world of top-up fees the universities will have to start making sure that students are given the information they need otherwise they will find their customers taking their custom elsewhere.