In Term Two, the Students’ Union looked deeper into the commuter experience at Royal Holloway, and deeper issues raised by commuter students in the first survey, focus group and journal activity in Terms One and Two. Here are the survey results from our Term Two survey!
In Term Two, the Students’ Union looked deeper into the commuter experience at Royal Holloway, and deeper issues raised by commuter students in the first survey, focus group and journal activity in Terms One and Two. Here are the survey results from our Term Two survey!
>> The project
The Students’ Union are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the commuter student experience. Throughout this academic year, commuter students have completed a survey, participated in a paid focus group, and logged their day-to-day commuter experience with a journal activity. Both surveys were incentivised with a series of cash prizes.
A total of 654 commuter students participated in the Term One survey. We learned that 51% of students commute via train and 43% spend an average of 1-2 hours on their journey to Royal Holloway. Their commute impacted their ability to socialise and sometimes impacted their physical and mental health. Most commuter students were satisfied with academic support and the number of contact hours with academic staff.
In Term Two, we launched a second survey which was informed by the responses of the Term One survey. We wanted to know how students’ commuter status impacted their sense of belonging within their academic communities and the wider student community. We additionally asked about the students’ experiences with public transport and travelling during rush hour. The respondents told us the features of an academic timetable that make it commuter friendly, and how their commute has impacted their assessments. Finally, the students were asked about their use of Royal Holloway facilities and Students’ Union events.
>> What we have learned
A total of 366 students participated in the second survey and 60% of these students had participated in both the Term One and Term Two surveys. The infographics below present the demographic information of the commuter students that took part in the Term Two survey.
We repeated questions from the Term One survey about academic community, belonging and the impact a commute has on the student experience.
We learned more about the types of transport students use and their satisfaction with their commute.
Timetables and assessments were also issues we wanted to learn more about.
Finally, we wanted to learn more about how much students knew about facilities available on campus like the Hub, and the types of daytime and evening they have attended or are interested in attending. We also asked survey respondents about the impact the cost-of-living crisis has had on their student experience and their overall satisfaction with their time studying at Royal Holloway.
>> Next steps
A series of potential recommendations will be shared to the University to be discussed in working groups. The final list of recommendations will be shared with students at the end of Term Three. A full student voice report that includes the final recommendations will be shared in Term One of the 2025-26 academic year.