Each focus group can accommodate up to twenty participants, with a balanced representation of students, lecturers, and staff preferred. During a one-off session lasting no more than an hour and a half, participants will engage in discussion—guided by a facilitator from the ‘Course Evaluations’ project—on a range of statements and topics. The focus will be on student feedback as part of course evaluations and on how students’ experiences can be systematically gathered and used to improve and further develop teaching. Your own ideas as a participant are very much welcomed. The outcomes will be used to refine the recommendations for a university-wide approach to course evaluations.
Why develop a university-wide approach to course evaluations?
The development of a university-wide approach to course evaluations stems from the Institutional Quality Assurance Audit, which was conducted at Radboud University in spring 2025. As part of this audit, an independent committee—commissioned by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO)—assesses the quality assurance system for education at higher education institutions once every six years. Radboud University received a positive assessment and, as is customary, was provided with an advisory report containing findings and recommendations for the further development of educational quality assurance. This report also addressed the design and follow-up of course evaluations.
Course evaluations play an important role in safeguarding the quality of education, but in practice they do not always function optimally. For example, student response rates to course evaluation questionnaires at our university have been declining, particularly since the transition to digital surveys. As a result, outcomes are less representative and therefore less useful. In addition, the current system is often perceived as being heavily focused on student satisfaction, offering limited insight into other aspects of quality. There is also sometimes a lack of interpretation of results and feedback to students, and approaches vary considerably between faculties. Both students and lecturers also frequently experience course evaluations as adding to their workload.
A more consistent and efficient approach should help address these challenges and contribute to better use of student feedback at course level. This is particularly relevant at a time when the university is facing budget cuts and is seeking to organise educational support more efficiently.
Would you like to take part in a focus group?
The project team will use the insights from the focus groups to refine the advisory report for a new institution-wide approach to course evaluations. Would you like to contribute your ideas and join the discussion? Then sign up for one of the two sessions:
- Tuesday 2 June, 13:30–15:00
- Thursday 4 June, 15:45–17:15
Both sessions will take place in the Ulbo de Sitter Room (EOS 00.240).
Please register by 23 May for one of the two focus group sessions. If there are more registrations than places available, the project team will select a representative mix of roles and faculties.