Student Voice

NCI students have a range of formal and informal methods available to ensure their views and experiences inform programme development as well as our institutional policies, procedures and services. 

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As outlined in Chapter 7 of the Quality Assurance and Enhancement System (QAES), in 2020 a human-centred design initiative – Learner Voice Project - was launched. Participants from across NCI’s Students Union, Faculty, QIE and Support Service were involved to enhance NCI’s ability to listen and respond to the experience by developing and implementing an integrated learner voice system during the 2021/22 academic year. 

At present, NCI learners provide feedback to the College through a number of distinct mechanism. However, the Learner Voice Project continues to evolve, with ongoing enhancements planned for the 2024/25 academic year. This project aims to propose a more  integrated student-centred feedback system that will offer a more effective evidence base to inform decision-making at a programme, school and institutional level. The Learner Voice Project will impact on four key areas:

  • Students as Partners
  • Class Representatives
  • Student Surveys
  • Student Complaints

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Students as Partners

Through its ongoing work with the National Student Engagement Programme (NStEP) and the NCI Students' Union, NCI is pleased to deliver a first formal Partnership Agreement between NCI and NCISU – a living document that will continue to evolve, and that respects the autonomy of each party while clearly stating shared goals and commitments in relation to student success and well-being. 

NCI Registrar will continue to support, contribute to and be guided by the principles of the National Student Engagement Programme (NStEP). 

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Class Representatives

NCI was one of the pilot institutions in the National Student Engagement Programme (NStEP), with a view to empowering and supporting the effectiveness and impact of NCI student class representatives in programme level decision-making.

QIE annually supports and participates in the NCISU and NStEP recruitment and training of NCI class reps and monitors the impact and responsiveness of programme teams to the views of student representatives within the Annual Programme Evaluation Report (APER) process.

The 2024 Student Class Representative Handbook, approved by the NCI Academic Council available here.

Student Surveys

Since 2013/14, NCI’s undergraduate students (first year and final year) and taught postgraduate students, are invited to participate in the HEA funded Irish Survey of Student Engagement (ISSE) alongside students from 25 other HEIs in Ireland. The Survey is conducted over a 3 week period in Q1 annually, and asks 65 questions around 10 engagement and outcomes indices to indications of student experiences and engagement at a programme, school, institutional and sectoral level. The survey is administrated and managed externally. All results are analysed and published nationally on Student.Survey.ie to aid institutional benchmarking and inform national policy making.

NCI’s Quality and Institutional Effectiveness (QIE) Team receives and analyses the survey results each summer, and reports the institutional level findings and trends to Academic Council.  

2020 Student Survey

2022 Student Survey

NCI also undertakes a wide range of institutional, programme and module level surveys with new and returning students throughout their student journey. The results of which are analysed by the Executive, Deans and Programme Teams to influence decision-making.

Student Complaints

NCI always seeks to find swift, effective and proportionate solutions to any complaints or problems as they arise throughout the student journey. Where suitable, difficulties will be identified by students and communicated to NCI staff directly or through student representatives for solutions to be found as appropriate.

In cases where a more formal or systemic solution is needed, students are advised to follow the NCI Complaints process as outlined in Chapter 5 of the QAES.