Outstanding feedback for LJMU research degrees
PhD, MPhil and other research students have offered glowing feedback of their experience at LJMU in a national survey.
35,000 students at 93 participating universities, including LJMU, were quizzed between March to May last year on resources, support and other key measures.
The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey run by Advance HE ranked LJMU:
- 1st for on-campus resources
- 2nd for online resources
- 6th for support
Overall, LJMU achieved a top quartile position in 7 of the 11 areas of experience measured by the survey.
We also recorded improvements in every area compared with PRES 2023.
Notably, scores for community (+11%) and overall experience (+10%) saw the biggest jumps—exceeding sector averages by 7% and 2% and setting new record highs for the university.
According to Advance HE, the factors most closely linked to overall satisfaction are sense of belonging and confidence that the university listens and responds to feedback. LJMU performed strongly in both areas, scoring 73% (8% above sector) and 72% (10% above sector). Notably, LJMU improved its responsiveness to feedback score by 10% since 2023, despite a sector-wide decline.
Professor Julie Sheldon, Director of Knowledge Engagement, said: “LJMU’s performance represents a clear success story.
“Achieving scores significantly above sector averages for ‘sense of belonging’ and ‘responsiveness to feedback’ shows that the university is effectively fostering an inclusive research environment where PGRs feel connected and heard.”
Professor Phil Vickerman Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience, added: “These results are a powerful endorsement of the experience our postgraduate researchers are having at LJMU. What matters most is that our students feel they belong here and that their voices genuinely shape their environment.
“The significant rise in our sense of community and responsiveness to feedback shows that when PGRs share their experiences, we act on them. That partnership between students and the university is what drives real impact — strengthening our research culture and ensuring every researcher has the support, confidence, and opportunity to thrive.”
PRES is the UK’s largest survey of postgraduate researchers and runs every two years, All MPhil, PhD and Professional Doctorate students are invited to respond.
For more information on PRES, including access to the full LJMU report and to school-level data on Power BI, see the Doctoral Academy website.
