The University of Lincoln is rapidly expanding and taking shape as it goes along. Such a dynamic situation provides opportunities and advantages on several levels. As the University is growing and taking shape, students and staff are in a position in which they can help create a University that is both an educational environment and a social matter for them. Even more, they are encouraged to do so. One of the ways in which we can contribute to this as postgraduates is through the Postgraduate Feedback Survey.Although I filled out many student feedback surveys, up until not so long ago I was somewhat skeptical about University level or large-scale student surveys. As students we are aware of bottlenecks and see educational institutions from a very personal view and perspective. We tend to talk with friends about what could be improved, even sometimes make a joke about it, often leaving behind what goes well. It is in a way peculiar to human nature I guess. Although skeptical, the reason that I still completed them was because I felt that I didn’t have much of a ‘reason’ to talk about possible improvements with fellow students if I didn’t at least raise the issue with people that could actually do something about it.

My skeptical attitude came from an image that we often face as students. On the one hand we feel as if we might be too ‘small’ to create a difference as a single individual. On the other hand we might not see the differences made since change can take longer than an education course lasts for.

However, being a year and a half at the University of Lincoln has positively and honestly changed my view on this. The University has repeatedly shown to me that it values its students and takes their feedback to heart. Over this year and a half I have seen changes and improvements based on feedback from undergraduates in the National Student Survey. This has given me confidence and motivation to encourage fellow postgraduates to voice their opinion by filling out the Postgraduate Feedback Survey. Undergraduates, postgraduates and staff are of equal importance if we want to help drive the University further and push boundaries.

Having a say in what supports us and what might not has more impact and power if the numbers that do this increase. The University has taken the first steps by providing us with a Postgraduate Survey, the next step is up to us. Creating a postgraduate community and help shaping the University as it grows, requires us to deliver information!

So, let’s encourage one another to contribute to the postgraduate community we want the University to build!