RNCM Top Place for Music Students
The Royal Northern College of Music(RNCM) has been recognisedas the highest scoring UK music college by the 2013 National Student Survey (NSS) for overall student satisfaction.
The results, published today (13 August), give the College an overall satisfaction score of 91%, placing it above all other music colleges and conservatoires involved in this annual exercise, and placing the RNCM 12th for overall student satisfaction in the main league table for higher education institutions across the UK. The percentage also means the RNCM maintains its position as the highest scoring education establishment education establishment in Manchester for overall student satisfaction.
RNCM Principal, Professor Linda Merrick, said: ‘The NSS is a very important survey for the higher education sector as it provides vital information from students on the quality of teaching and learning they receive. We are delighted with this year’s results, which confirm the College’s commitment to providing a world-class experience for its students.
‘In the interests of continuing to enhance the experience of our students, earlier this year we launched The Platform; an international centre for orchestral, ensemble and vocal training. This initiative will offer our students unparalleled placement and work experience opportunities with top orchestras, ensembles, opera companies and opera studios fromacross Europe, as well as with the European Chamber Music Academy. With further work experience placements available across the wider music industry, and the 350 recital and chamber music engagements we contract for students in the region, RNCM students will continue to graduate with excellent employment prospects’.
Last year the RNCM was acknowledged as the seventh busiest arts venue in the UK, topped only by significant establishments such as London’s Southbank Centre and Birmingham’s O2 Academy.
Professor Merrick continued: ‘Knowing that London can be a highly competitive, and sometimes daunting, place to be a music student, the ethos at the RNCM is on providing the highest quality tuition and training in a supportive but challenging and nurturing environment. As the seventh busiest arts venue in the UK, we run an extensive performance programmeof over 400 public events each year, at the heart of which are public performances given by our students. In short, weare proud of our distinctive offer and commitment to thestudents who choose to study with us in the vibrant cultural City of Manchester.’
Conducted annually since 2005, the NSS is a national initiative running across all publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the majority in Scotland. Through a series of 22 questions (scored 1 to 5), final year undergraduates are asked to provide feedback on seven areas of their degree programme: teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, personal development, and overall satisfaction.
At the RNCM, results were gathered for both the BMus(Hons) Degree and Foundation Degree in Popular Music Practice (to become a full BA(Hons) course from September 2013), which received over 90% for five of the seven areas. The overall result showed the College was also well above the Higher Education Council for England’s (HEFCE) benchmark of 80%.
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ENDS