When student leaders sit down with the Vice-Chancellor, speak up in University Senate and run your student societies and Common Rooms, they'll make the best decisions when they’re informed by you. These students already work tirelessly to listen and make decisions for their communities based on what students need, want and experience. We want to add all student insight and rigorous research to their toolkit.

You’re the expert on your student experience. Share your insight and collectively, Durham students get more powerful. Housing, costs, student groups and communities, academic induction, equity and your students’ union – your opinion will strengthen campaigns, initiatives and services.

 

Join current or upcoming insight research

Durham Student Leaders and Volunteers Survey: Now open! Societies, student groups, clubs and teams across campus, this survey is for you! Whether you hold a Common Room role, lead a sports club or run a student society, we want to know what helps (or hinders) you to access, achieve and thrive in your roles for our student community. We're partnering with Durham University and your Common Rooms to capture your experience.

Durham Students' Survey: This year's survey is closed and you can see the report here in Term 3! Last year's survey is helping this year's student leaders represent your interests in how your SU works, student housing, belonging, access and participation and more. Insight from that survey has already formed part of our submission to the University Access and Participation plan highlighting student workers' needs. It has also been published in a press article about the housing pressure experienced by students in Durham, and informed discussions around student health and well-being and formed a guidance report for all full-time and part-time Officers. 

Durham academic reps survey:  This year, we're experimenting with how your academic interests are represented by reps within your departments, including your new Faculty Presidents. This survey will capture the feedback of course reps and faculty reps to understand the experience of representing students within departments. 

Insight for students - research findings

Our most recent research is below, or browse the full list, including submissions to consultations and other reports. Use the research, reports or evaluations students have conducted via the students' union for fact-finding, informing campaigns or leading your student community.

Papers	Authors		Year	30 second summary
Durham Students' Survey 2024/25	Alterline, Durham SU		2025	849 Durham Students had their say in 2024/2025. They mostly agreed that student housing isn't afffordable and that a Durham University induction didn't set them up well as learners and citizens but it did help them have fun. Students' with disabilities and first generation students were less positive on many measures than other students. Most students loved their SU student groups, felt satisfied with the SU's Freshers' Fair , felt the SU represented their academic interests and that a collective body for students was needed. But they were more split on the big picture of the SU purpose and the effectiveness of its representatives, and while awareness of the SU's core services was high, these students didn't feel that the things most important to them - their academic success, cost of living and wellbeing - were the most important things to the SU.
Induction and Orientation Report	Olivia Flavell		2024	Induction was named as one of Durham SU's stragetic goals to ensure that students get the best possible start at Durham University. In order to understand provision gaps in this area, the SU conducted Focus Groups with first year students to evaluate their induction experience and reflect on what could have been improved. We learnt that students have a stronger desire for community in spaces outside their college, and they often feel academically unprepared to behing their first year of study. Evaluating this feedback, reccommendations were put forward to tackle these two issues that resulted in a 'Best Practice' Induction Pilot.
Housing survey	Alterline, Durham SU		2024	Affordability was top of mind for students when they looked for a property to rent. Substantial numbers of respondents felt that they did not have a choice in where to live. Students did not feel their student houses were good value for money, with mould, damp and poor complaint handling often cited concerns. Student described the impact of housing issues on their wellbeing and their studies as low. Most student relied on support from family and friends to afford their rent, and international students found the requirement for a guarantor challenging to meet. The survey ran over summer 2024 and had lower then desired participation, but insight was useful in establishing the Rate Your Landlord scheme.
Insight for Student Leaders: All Student Survey	Coole Insight, Durham SU		2024	The pilot SU survey for all Durham Students' recorded student concerns about cost of student accommodation, mental health and the costs of living. Students who completed the survey were happy with their student group experience, feeling it added to their sense of belonging and helped them learn new things. We learnt that students are working more then ever, and that lack of time is often a barrier to engagement in extra-curricular activities. Respondents felt the need for an organisation for all students, and had a mixture of positive, negative and neutral feedback across different areas of the students' union.
Leadership in Durham Report	Abigail Lewis	2024		n/a

 

What we research

Things that matter to students and ways students engage with and want to engage with those things. 2023/24 is our first year of ‘Insight for students’ and we’re focusing on the basics – student voice within departments, students belonging and coming together through the SU, and the key big issues impacting you.