5 ways your views and ideas are shaping UCL

At UCL, we want you to collaborate with us as partners and take an active role in the UCL community.

Your feedback helps us make changes for you and future students in the same way previous students' feedback helped make some of the changes you have seen during your time at UCL. Changes such as, scrapping the graduation fee, amending the Extenuating Circumstances policy and longer UCL Careers appointments.

This year, student feedback has already led to the following outcomes:

1. More study spaces and extended library opening hours

You said

• You need more study spaces and want access to Library facilities over the Christmas break.

We did

• UCL Estates, Library Services and ISD invested more than £1million to increase study space provision by 15% in 2016/17. 534 study spaces were opened across UCL Library Services, mostly in the summer months. 
• The UCL Main Library will stay open over the Christmas closure.

You said

• There are not enough study spaces in the lead up to exams.

We did

• UCL SSEES and IOE libraries will move to 24-hour opening from Easter and this will continue throughout the exam period.
• UCL Library Services are set to provide hundreds of additional study seats from the end of Second Term right through the 2017/18 main exam period. The space will be created by block-booking teaching spaces to provide hundreds of extra places each day, following a pilot last year.

2. Greater Lecturecast capability and increased access to laptops

You said

• Lecturecast more teaching spaces.

We did

• ISD expanded provision of Lecturecast to 50 new spaces during 2016/17.
• 50% of classes held in spaces which have Lecturecast available, are now being recorded.
• ISD continue to equip teaching rooms with Lecturecast capability and over the summer months the software was upgraded for better user experience.

You said

• There are issues with computer availability on campus.

We did

• ISD has worked with Library Services to install 549 new computers, plus 60 additional laptops for loan.
• 125 PCs were replaced during 2016/17 and a further 150 will be replaced during 2017/18.

3. Enhanced mental health provision 

You said

• I find it difficult to access mental health services and am put off because I think the waiting list is too long.

We did

• UCL Student Support and Wellbeing has improved access to immediate support through daily drop-in sessions with a team of mental health, disability and wellbeing advisers.
• A specialist adviser from Rape Crisis now offers appointments on campus for female students affected by sexual violence, which can include discussion of psychological support.
• Improved communication of the psychological, mental health and wellbeing support services is available, with updated web pages, videos and the 'Here to Support You' guide to UCL Student Support and Wellbeing.

4.  Greater support for international students on arrival

You said

• I couldn't attend the international student orientation, I feel that I missed important information.

We did

• Increased Online International Student Orientation Programme (ISOP) provision, including live streaming for those who were unable to attend the talks and posting of the slides for students who wish to revisit any of the content.
• Creation of the International Students' Guide to provide practical information for new international students in their first few weeks.

You said

• Registering with the police as an international student is confusing.

We did

• Organised appointments with the Overseas Visitors Records Office to facilitate the process of registering with the police.

5. Improved campus facilities and a new summer exam venue

You said

• Exams are held in multiple locations and in venues that are not suitable.

We did

• UCL's summer 2018 exams will be held at ExCel London, in London's Docklands. Exams will take place in a range of bright, calm, air-conditioned rooms. There are plenty of places to eat and extensive seating and study areas, as well as a prayer room and on-site first aid facilities.

You said

• We need better facilities on campus.

We did

• This summer, we opened the refurbished Wilkins Terrace and Lower Refectory. The Wilkins Terrace is a flexible social and events space ready to be used by you. The Terrace also opens up a new route linking the Gower Street and Gordon Street sides of the campus. The Refectory is the largest catering facility with 324 seats. Food menus were designed with input from students who worked with our caterers, Sodexo, to develop quality, affordable food options.
• Over the summer, UCL Estates also refurbished the toilets in the Wilkins building. In addition, new gender neutral toilets were installed in the main Wilkins Library and the IOE building, to help demand for inclusive facilities. A further 90 existing toilet facilities within the university are currently being reviewed and assessed for condition, suitability and improvement.
• Next term we will open the Main Quad Teaching Pop-up, which includes two 100-seat lecture theatres and two 50-seat lecture theatres.

You can find out more about how student feedback has already helped to affect change at the university, by visiting the You Shaped UCL website.

For further information or questions, please contact student.engagement@ucl.ac.uk.