Study Quality Monitor (SQM)

Generally, our students are rather satisfied with the study conditions at the University. 70% of our students are extremely satisfied with their study environment and 80% of students enjoy studying at the University of Jena. However, there are some areas in which they considered the study conditions not as positive. This kind of feedback was critical to us, too.

Our strengths 

• 70% of our students considered their professors as extremely committed (very good/good: 72.4%; universities in general: 67.7%).
• In their opinion, the range of courses offered at the University of Jena was more diversified as those at other universities (very good/good : 65.5%; other universities: 61.9%).
• Generally, our students were more satisfied with the knowledge and skills already acquired than their fellow students at other universities (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 62.5%; other universities: 59.2%).
• Rather positive was also their evaluation of the equipment available (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 71.3%; other universities: 59.5%) and the number of students within particular study programmes (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 67%; other universities: 56.8%).

Our weaknesses

• Around 40% of students found their professors had not not prepared them for examinations and tests well which was—observing the nationwide average—still less critical (extremely poor/poor: 37.9%; other universities: 45.6%).
• The half of the students wished more feedback from their professors on the academic performance, for example, feedback on seminar papers, examinations, and other written assignments (extremely poor/poor: 50.3%; other universities: 55.5%)
• The half of our students found that professors had not provided enough relevant examples during their courses (insufficient/rather too less: /University of Jena/: 51.3%; other universities: 50.4%).
• According to two thirds of all students, stays abroad were only possible with great difficulties and resulting in longer duration of their studies (rather complicated: 66.7%; other universities: 68.8%).

What have we implemented already?

• In the past years, students complained about the lack of reading areas and group study rooms at our University. The leadership of the University reacted by establishing new group study rooms and individual study zones at various locations. How did the students react? Their satisfaction with the additional services and the availability of study zones increased slightly being higher than the average nationwide value (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 36.5% (2017), 26.7% (2014); other universities: 30.5% (2017) versus 29.4% (2014). Nonetheless, more than a third of our students still find the existing facilities not sufficient. We will make every effort to improve these conditions.
• Our students wished more project-related courses. Three quarters of the participants thought that working with other students on a joint scientific assignment was critical to their studies (extremely useful/useful: 73.8%; other universities: 71.3%). In their opinion, the University did not offer enough courses of that kind (did not use it as I did know of it: 28.7%; other universities: 22.8%). Surely, this was one of the weak aspects, but the University has already made some improvements. In June 2017, the University established the Academy for Teaching Development, the Vice-President for Learning and Teaching set a new goal—to develop strategies and quality criteria for the organization of studies and teaching activities together with the faculties and the Centre for Teacher Training and Educational Research. One of the novelties, was the introduction of the Award for Teaching Achievements. The University is committed to support additional innovative teaching concepts in the future.

The overall satisfaction with the study conditions at the University was high. 70% of our students were extremely satisfied with the conditions here, while 81% of the students enjoyed studying here. However, there were some areas in which they consider the study conditions not as positive.

Our strengths 

• Similar to the results in the previous years, the students were rather satisfied with the contact to their professors during their office hours and beyond (extremely satisfied: 86%; satisfied: 68.6%) and with their commitment (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 73.4%).
• Our students considered the range of courses offered as more diversified as those at other universities (very good/good /University of Jena/: 66.2%; other universities: 61.7%).
• Over 70% of our students were satisfied with the facilities of the University and the technical equipment of the course rooms, with the availability of EDP workplaces, with the opening hours of the PC areas as well as with the WiFi hotspots of the University.

Our weaknesses 

• Generally, our student wished a better preparation for seminar papers, written examinations, and other written assignments as well as more feedback. Apparently, this opinion was already expressed in the survey 2015. Only a half of our students was satisfied with the preparation for examinations (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 51.7), while a third of them wished to receive more feedback on their performance (extremely poor/poor: 29.7%).
• The practical orientation in courses, i.e. the courses containing practical experience or the chance to gain practical experience during one’s studies, and to do one’s own research, appeared to be more important to our students compared to their fellow students at other universities. They considered this aspect as rather well implemented within their own subject (extremely well/well: 51.8%), but the range of offers at our University could have been even better (extremely well/well: 40.8%).

What have we implemented already?

• In the past years, students complained about the lack of reading areas and group study rooms at our University. In 2016, the leadership of the University reacted by establishing new group study rooms and individual study zones at various locations. How did students react? Their satisfaction with the additional services and the availability of study zones increased slightly being higher than the average nationwide value (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 39.3% (2016), 34.4% (2015); other universities: 28.6% (2016). Nonetheless, more than a third of our students still find the existing facilities not sufficient. We will make every effort to improve these conditions.

All in all, the majority of our students were extremely satisfied with the study conditions at the University (70.3%; other universities: 64.5%) and enjoyed studying here (80.8%; other universities: 75.9%).

Our strengths 

• Compared to other universities in Eastern and Western Germany, our students found that they had been better prepared for their examinations (64.6%, other universities: 55.6%), had received more feedback on their assignments (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 52.6%; other universities: 44.5%) and better explanations on planning their studies (43.3%; other universities: 29.9%).
• Students in the initial phase of their studies rather use various services as students of other universities. In particular, these are orientation events (visited: 48.3%; other universities: 44.8%), tutoring programmes (41.6%; other universities: 35.8%), and mentoring programmes for general support and planning one’s studies (30.9%; other universities: 21.1%).

Our weaknesses 

• Our students found that the supervision available well, however, they wished more feedback on seminar papers, written examinations, and other written assignments. Only around the half of our students were satisfied with the feedback they have received from their professors (extremely satisfied/satisfied: 52.6%; other universities: 44.5%).
• Our students also considered that their professors should have provided more examples in courses (extremely important/important: 88.3%; other universities: 86.9%; universities in Eastern Germany: 86.8%); there should have been also more courses providing practical skills (extremely important/important: 81.4%; other universities: 80.6%; universities in Eastern Germany: 84.4%) or would have preferred to gain more practical experience during their studies (extremely important/important: 84.8%; other universities: 81.9%; universities in Eastern Germany: 84.1%).

What have we implemented already?

In the survey 2015, the housing conditions in Jena is perceived more positive for the first time. The values approached those of other university locations in the western Länder (average value 3; 1 – not satisfied at all; 5 – extremely satisfied). 40% of our students, which was a considerable decrease in comparison to the previous year, were unsatisfied with the housing conditions and the rental costs (not satisfied/not satisfied at all (2015): 41.5%; other universities: 45.5%; other eastern universities: 18.4%; 2014: 54.8%; other universities: 45.9%; other eastern universities: 20.8%).

Compared to other cities in the eastern part of Germany, the rental price level in Jena was substantially higher. By offering additional rooms in halls of residence, the situation in Jena is still not good, but it is at least comparable with the student opinion from the western university locations.