Imperial's Residential Experience Review group set to report its recommendations

Staff, students and external experts take part in a review of students' residential experience at Imperial.

The Review, which was commissioned by Professor Debra Humpris as part of the Education and Student Strategy, has been tasked with looking at the residential experience for students living in Imperial accommodation with a particular focus on the experience of first year undergraduates.

The review has spent the last two months hearing evidence from students, wardens and accommodation staff as well as people from other universities to help them get to assess  best practice in order to recommend improvements for Imperial.

During the review the panel visited a number of Imperial student residences and received evidence from across the College. As well as evidence submissions from Campus Services, the Director of Student Services, representatives from the Wardening team and external evidence was also provided from Glasgow and Manchester Universities. Student input was provided by a written submission based on a range of student feedback on the residential experience by Imperial College Union and College staff were also invited to submit their own views to the review through the College’s review website.

Professor Myra McClure, College Consul and Chair of the Residential Review said: “As the Education and Student Strategy has highlighted, the residential experience is a key part of the transition from school to university and a big part of a student’s life at the College. It is clear from our meetings that both students and staff, particularly the Hall Wardens, put an enormous effort into making this as problem-free and enjoyable as possible.

We have been looking critically at our own practices, as well as the residential experience that Imperial College offers in comparison to other universities both at home and abroad, to ensure that our standards are second to none and our students well cared for.”

The review group was selected to include representation from across the College whilst remaining independent of those directly involved in delivering the residential experience, with these groups providing expert evidence to inform the review’s recommendations instead.

Eastside Hall of Residence

Marissa Lewis, Deputy President Welfare at ICU said: “The residential experience is something particularly important to students here at Imperial. The location, social community and pastoral support offered by halls are a key part of the early undergraduate experience.

 “As well as sitting on the review group, the Union have submitted a full response to the review, based on student feedback on how to improve the residential experience here at the College.”

Now that the group has concluded its evidence sessions it will report its proposals later this week reporting to the Vice Provost’s Advisory Group for Education ahead of the recommendations being brought to Provost’s Board next month.