Dr Samantha Hall’s Post

Chains? Bars? Cafes? Canteens? What is the right mix for a campus? Food is usually the lowest scoring category in our campus survey (with the lowest campus scoring 14%). Meeting everyone’s needs is hard, students and staff don’t necessarily comprehend the challenge of providing a mix of eating options for a small city that is only populated 60% of the year. Students tell us they like: 1.    Value for money (right now they need cheap food, but value is more complex) 2.    Fun, something different they can look forward to (e.g. food trucks, farmers markets, pop-ups) 3.    Options when they have class or are around late at night 4.    Social opportunity (places to sit, meet and eat) 5.    Choice (diet needs, cultural needs, kitchens for BYO) but too much choice can backfire (our highest scoring campus has the lowest venue choice) What we are seeing is an overlap of social, study and food. Students are gravitating to louder co-working style spaces and if a university doesn’t have these, cafes are the next best thing. Some universities have banned laptops for this reason, but perhaps we just need to re-think food in a wider context. Venues may not generate a positive financial return, but food brings so many other benefits for staff and student experience. #campusexperience #campuslife #studentexperience #campusplanning #highered #highereducation #campus

Very excited to be kicking off our Campus Experience Index with Leeds shortly! Maybe we need a new tag for student library feedback #electrolier

Does sense of safety impact how students use a campus? Yes! Just like outside of a university campus, people's sense of safety is shaped by micro-experiences in society (why most women avoid dark, quiet areas at night). Having classes or studying on campus at night can be uncomfortable for some. One student told us she catches the bus to and from campus in the day, then drives back so she has her car close by for evening classes as it is too scary walking across the estate at night. Students tell us lighting, people around, security presence after hours, knowledge of what to do in an emergency all help them feel safer. Attacks, thefts, rapes, and other major incidents all rightly shake student confidence, and the institutional response to such events is incredibly important. Other issues, like access to all-gender toilets, faith rooms, queer rooms and sensory spaces also all contribute to safety. Some of our highest scoring campuses for safety have also been the most inclusive culturally. #university #safety #senseofsafety #campus #campusdesign

Who is coming to TEFMA next week in NZ? We are so excited to present there on how to use the student voice in campus planning. The wonderful Lisa Bolton and I have put our heads together to bring out insights from the QILT Student Experience Survey and the Campus Experience Index for Higher Ed estates teams. The data paints a clear picture, campuses are so integral for connection and belonging. #tefma #campusplanning #highered #highereducation #studentexperience

If students can’t find a suitable spot to meet, practice or study outside of class, they’ll leave their campus (sometimes frustrated). It isn’t as easy as building a nice hub and they will come (although this does sometimes work!). Whilst students now balance work and other growing commitments, study spaces need to be spread out across a campus, comfortable and offer more of a co-work environment, in addition to a quiet/calm library. As the desire for social study space grows, cafes become a popular choice. For some universities this is problematic. A crucial and often under-appreciated element to success is wayfinding. Do people know the spaces they can use for different tasks and can they find them easily? Do you they know the buildings they are “allowed” into? Can they access specialist spaces outside of class for practice? These are integral to attracting and keeping students around. #campuslife #campusexperience #studentlife #highered #highereducation #campus

Hybrid learning - friend or foe? Some thoughts in Future Campus today based on feedback we have gotten from students over the last 2 years. Hybrid removes the nudge to come to campus, and is not helping undergraduates build the networks they really need. #highereducation #highered #campus #campuslife #studentlife https://lnkd.in/g6-ewxcK

Next in our campus experience improvement tips…ever wonder if you should invest more in green space on campus? The answer is yes! It is easier on some campuses than others, and it is no surprise that Australian universities score much higher for green space in our survey than UK institutions. There are incredible benefits, like: * Being surrounded by nature helps people switch off and have a break, which enables them to do better work * Amazing health and wellbeing outcomes (such as lower cortisol and higher activity levels) * An easy neutral space for people to be alone without feeling or appearing lonely * Students and staff LOVE and gravitate to green space * A strong signal that your institution values nature and sustainability It doesn’t come without challenges… * The climate is changing and outdoor designs need to address weather protection for year round use (we are seeing lots of inventive solutions to this) * It is easier in warmer climates, but there are many ways to bring nature indoors (small micro-doses of nature are still so impactful!) * Without maintenance, they will become dilapidated, so you need budget & a plan #highereducation #greenspace #sustainability #campus #campusdesign #estates

We swapped daycares for this very reason. Air quality has a huge impact on transmission of illness!

How can we improve Campus Experience for staff and students? I am going to be sharing some valuable tips on here over the next few months based on feedback we have had from students. Let's start with practical spaces. Students thrive in teaching environments that help them prepare for the workforce. From podcast studios to clinical skills labs, these take away the anxiety of the unknown and build confidence. These differ from Maker Spaces, being course specific and a part of their curriculum. Bonus points when students can access these spaces out of scheduled teaching time to catch up and practice! #campusexperience #highereducation #studentexperience #campuslife

What designs are accomodating for neurodiversity? I am deep in some fascinating research on changes being made across university campuses to accomodate neurodiverse staff and students. To my wonderful network, do you have any examples of neurodiverse-friendly workplaces or campuses?