four students smiling and walking past a brick building

Student Experience success for LSBU

15 August 2023

Two student surveys published reveal increased success for London South Bank University (LSBU) and demonstrate our commitment to the student experience.

In the revised National Student Survey (NSS) 2023, LSBU is ranked in the top ten of English universities for positivity in the following subjects and themes:

  • 1st for Forensic Science in six of ten themes: learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, organisation and management, student voice, free speech and student union
  • 5th for Biosciences in assessment and feedback
  • 8th for Performing Arts in academic support
  • 9th for Engineering in teaching
  • 10th for Nursing and Midwifery in learning opportunities

These results are testament to the hard work and talents of our staff and students who have won many national awards in the past year.

Our Forensic Sciences course, which came first in many themes in this year’s NSS, is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Our University has specialised facilities including its own crime scene flat, and an extensive range of analytical instrumentation dedicated to forensic science students. Our staff are experts in their respective fields including fingerprints, DNA, explosives, fire, fibres and sexual assault. LSBU student Jessica Farrell, tells us how her course is providing her with the knowledge and practical experience for a dream role as a forensic analyst.

In Biosciences, ranked 5th for assessment and feedback, our Biomedical sciences course modules use teaching and assessment methods that encourage students to consider and challenge the evidence with which they are presented.

In the field of performing arts, ranked 8th for academic support, four LSBU graduates won the Royal Television Society London Entertainment & Comedy Drama Award for their film, Tell Tyler. Read more about the project and our graduates Frankie Gommon, Jenny Richards, Jamie Oliver Lai and Joseph Elsen.

In Engineering, ranked 9th for teaching, student and staff successes include our School of Engineering School graduate, Thomas White, who won the Young Designer Award at the Plastics Industry Awards. Henrique Lagoeiro, Research Fellow, won the Institute of Refrigeration Ted Perry Award for Student Research for his PhD research on decarbonising heating and cooling, and Safia Barakzai, Associate Professor in the Division of Computer Science and Informatics, was placed on the Computer Weekly ‘Most influential women in UK tech: 2022 longlist’.

In Nursing and Midwifery, ranked 10th for learning opportunities, successes include Amba Morrell, Student Midwife of the Year, Tim Walsh, Student Nurse of Year at the Student Nursing Times Awards, and Associate Professor, Musharrat Ahmed-Landeryou, won a Royal College of Occupational Therapists Merit Award.

Professor Taraneh Dean, Provost of London South Bank University, said: “It is good to see that our commitment to the student experience is paying off through improvements in several subjects and themes in this year’s NSS.

“We will also continue to reflect on best practice in the sector and prioritise our work on the student experience to ensure we provide experiences that enhance university for our current students as well as supporting the needs of our future students.”

The NSS results follow the latest 2023 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey where LSBU has also received impressive results. This survey invites students to score the institutional environment for professional and career development, access to a community of researchers and quality of research supervision.

The findings of our postgraduate research students who participated in the survey, placed LSBU as:

  • 4th overall highest of 100 participating higher education institutions for the supervision students receive from our academic staff
  • 10th overall highest for research community, illustrating our outstanding research environment for doctoral learning, opportunities and development
  • 12th highest overall in the 2023 survey of over 100 institutions

Professor Rodney Day, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “The 2023 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey results demonstrate how highly our research students value LSBU’s postgraduate research environment.

“I am delighted that our outstanding, inspirational and highly expert staff have been recognised as providing amongst the very best doctoral supervision in the UK.”