Six types of survey every college should be running
In further and higher education, listening at scale is no longer optional. Surveys give the sector the structured insight they need to improve experience, performance and outcomes across staff, students and stakeholders. But not all surveys serve the same purpose, and different audiences benefit from different insights.
Here are six types of surveys every college should be running—and why they matter.
1. Employee engagement and wellbeing
For HR leaders, senior leaders, people managers
Understanding how staff feel about working in FE is critical at a time of skills shortages, workload pressure and change. Employee engagement and wellbeing surveys help colleges assess morale, motivation and organisational culture. They can reveal whether people feel supported, valued and able to do their best work.
Done well, these surveys go beyond basic satisfaction scores. They help HR teams identify drivers of engagement, spot risks around burnout or retention, and track progress over time. Regular measurement enables institutions to move from reactive fixes to proactive workforce planning.
2. Student module and course evaluation surveys, apprentice catch-ups
For curriculum leads, quality teams, academic managers
Module evaluation surveys are a cornerstone of quality assurance. They give insight into how students experience teaching delivery, assessment, learning resources and workload at a granular level.
For curriculum and quality teams, this data is essential for identifying what’s working well—and what needs refinement. When tied to improvement plans and shared transparently with staff, module evaluations support continuous improvement rather than tick‑box compliance.
3. Ongoing student feedback surveys
For student experience teams, retention leads, senior leaders
While module evaluations are vital, they are only part of the picture. Broader student feedback surveys capture how learners feel about their overall experience—from support services and inclusion, to wellbeing and belonging.
These insights feed directly into retention, achievement and progression strategies. Colleges that actively listen and respond to student feedback are better positioned to identify barriers early, improve satisfaction and ultimately support better outcomes.
4. Digital skills and digital experience surveys
For digital education leaders, IT, student experience teams
As digital learning continues to evolve, colleges need a clear view of both the staff and student digital environment. Digital experience surveys help identify organisational gaps in skills, access or confidence with learning platforms and tools.
For digital education teams, this insight supports more targeted training, better platform adoption and improved learning design—ensuring digital transformation is inclusive, not accidental. Combine these insights with staff and learner data from our Building Digital Capability Discovery Tool for even more powerful insights into the digital environment.
5. Alumni and post-learner engagement surveys
For development teams, marketing, senior leaders
Alumni surveys are among the most widely used survey types in education—and for good reason. They help institutions understand learner destinations, outcomes and graduate outcomes, ongoing engagement.
Top-performing alumni surveys focus on relevance and value, capturing feedback that informs communications, events and fundraising strategies. Strong alumni engagement strengthens reputation, networks and long-term sustainability.
6. Marketing and event feedback surveys
For marketing teams, recruitment leads
From open days to outreach events, and even enrolments, marketing surveys close the loop on applicant engagement. Feedback forms help colleges understand what influenced prospective students, what could be improved, and how to follow up effectively.
These insights directly support recruitment strategies, helping teams attract more applicants and convert interest into enrolment.
Across FE and HE, surveys are not just measurement tools—they are decision-making tools. When designed thoughtfully and acted on consistently, they help colleges listen better, respond faster and build stronger experiences for everyone they serve.
Jisc offers comprehensive support for online surveys including regular webinars, training, a community of practice, and detailed guidance.
You can sign up to be informed of when the upcoming online surveys 30-day trial is live here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/os-service/free-trial-signup
You can find out more about online surveys here.