Question: What has made students more optimistic?

Nicholas Porter: University students have always been a particularly optimistic bunch. The 2006 Unite Student Experience Report shows that they wholeheartedly believe that going to university is a worthwhile experience, that will prove to be a good investment for their working lives.

Going to university is the first stage of independence for many people. In fact, just over two thirds of students believe that the freedom to live how they want is the very best aspect of the student experience.

Question: Are we beginning to see that the new top-up fee regime is having less impact than people thought?

Nicholas Porter: This year the whole higher education industry is looking particularly keenly at applications for university places, because of the introduction of the new financial arrangements for students.

At this stage it is too really early to call how applications to universities in 2006 will change. The Student Experience Report surveys students in the autumn of 2005. These students won't be affected by the new fee regime, although of course they have something to say about it.

We asked students what they thought universities should spend the extra funding they may get from charging fees. Thirty-five per cent thought more money should be spent on the library and availability of books, 29 per cent suggested more contact time with lecturers, 26 per cent on more open access to computers and other technology. Just under a quarter of students voted for smaller teaching groups and improved teaching rooms.

For Unite, the continued shortage of quality accommodation in many cities and the rise in overseas students wanting safe, managed accommodation ensures that we'll stay busy in 2006.

Question: Is student debt making students value their courses more and choose more carefully?

Nicholas Porter: We have seen a huge change in the lifestyles of students since the report first started tracking the student experience six years ago. Today students feel like real consumers of higher education.

So like everyone else they want to see quality and value for money in their course and all the other important parts of student life, like accommodation for example. In previous years we have tracked student debt, watching it increase by over 40 per cent.

However, for the first time the report launched today shows how student debt has finally stabilised. Students estimate that they will owe over £9,000 by the end of their time at university.

University students value their courses, choosing them more carefully because this is their opportunity to gain qualifications and to improve their chances of getting a good job.

An overwhelming 96 per cent of students think that university is a worthwhile investment. Many students have a part time job to help pay for this investment (41 per cent) and 85 per cent of students receive some kind of financial support from their parents which they do not have to pay back.

Question: What are students looking for from universities?

Nicholas Porter: Reputation is everything. The Student Experience Report 2006 shows that reputation is of primary concern when choosing a university, whether that is the overall reputation of the university (48 per cent) or its academic reputation (45 per cent).

Some students also look at the social facilities the university town or city has to offer plus many other aspects such as sports facilities and accommodation provision.

Question: How good a job are the universities doing at meeting student expectations?

Nicholas Porter: Universities are doing a world-class job at meeting student expectations. According to the report two thirds of students agree that they receive 'good' customer service from their university and value for money from their course.

A massive 90 per cent of students have a favourable overall impression of their university. Indeed, at 46 per cent, the proportion saying their impression of their university is 'very favourable' is higher than at any time since the survey began.

Question: Looking at the detailed research, how could students and their communities be brought closer together?

Nicholas Porter: Only a small percentage of students live on campus, so the majority of students do acknowledge that they should become more involved in the local community.

A third of students in our report agree that they would like to help in the community but just don't know how to go about it.

The challenge set down by students is for universities, student unions and local businesses and community groups to make it easier for them to get involved.

Question: What is the positive impact of students on their wider communities?

Nicholas Porter: Students believe that they bring many benefits to the local community, for example spending money with local businesses and bringing young life to the area.

For the first time we asked students more about their views on the roles that universities fulfil within society. Three quarters of students rightly believe their universities make a vital contribution to the UK economy.

They fulfil important roles in society too, such as training the workforce in the future, advancing medicine and technology.

Question: What do students want from their accommodation experience?

Nicholas Porter: For the real student experience we think students should try to live away from home. It's the best way to taste the independence and camaraderie of student life. But that doesn't mean having to live in grotty student digs.

Students have become really discerning customers who demand the highest quality from both their university course and their student living experience. We're working hard to provide students with a great student living experience and research like this report published today helps show us the way.

We're members of the Code of Standards for larger student accommodation providers and the Institute of Customer Service because we want to raise the overall standard of student accommodation.

Thinking about the local community, which is one of the themes of the research, purpose built student accommodation doesn't just have benefits for students - it helps to regenerate cities and it contributes to improving the country's housing too.