Inappropriate influence during the NSE

The National Student Survey (NSE) is all about student satisfaction. The survey shows what students in Dutch higher education think about their course programmes and educational institutions. That’s why it’s important that your responses reflect what you truly think. Your university or university of applied sciences is not allowed to inappropriately influence you in this regard. But how do you spot inappropriate influence? Read more on this page.

Promoting the National Student Survey

It’s important that as many students as possible take part in the National Student Survey. The more students participate, the more valuable the NSE results will be for helping students choose a course programme, offering information and performing research. Objective information about institutes of higher education and their course programmes can contribute to the quality of Dutch higher education.

That’s why Landelijk Centrum Studiekeuze runs a campaign to promote the National Student Survey to students. As part of this campaign, universities and universities of applied sciences are encouraged to promote participating in the National Student Survey in a neutral way. To facilitate this, we’ve drawn up communications guidelines (in Dutch, pdf, 80,2 kB).

Promotion versus inappropriate influence

Influencing is not the same as promoting. When a university or school influences students, they’re encouraging them to change their responses to the National Student Survey into something other than their personal opinion. Your institute of higher education is not allowed to influence your responses to the survey.

What promotion looks like

Promotional tools should use neutral language and should only serve to encourage students to take part in the National Student Survey. Examples of neutral language are: ‘Your opinion matters’, ‘Get your voice heard’ or ‘Take the survey and help improve the quality of higher education’.

Institutes of higher education can promote the National Student Survey through:

Posting about the National Student Survey on social media;
Placing posters around campus;
Sending emails to students;
Organizing prize draws to encourage students to complete the survey.

What inappropriate influence looks like

When someone is trying to influence you, their message isn’t neutral. For instance, someone may advise you to give a positive response, so that your university or university of applied sciences will receive a higher rating, which in turn will make your degree more valuable. Or your institute of higher education tells you that filling out the National Student Survey is mandatory.

Inappropriate influence can happen through: 

Email;
Face-to-face sessions;
Lectures or classes;
Posters and other promotional tools;
Intranet.

What is allowed and what isn’t

In short: What is your school or university allowed to do to promote the National Student Survey, and what is not OK?

What is OK

Your school or university is allowed to run a campaign with a neutral message.
Students are allowed to be encouraged to take part in the National Student Survey.
Your school or university is allowed to give examples of how previous National Student Survey results have helped improve aspects of the institution and/or program.
Your school or university is allowed to organise designated spots for you to fill out the National Student Survey.
It’s important that your privacy is ensured while you fill out the National Student Survey.

Not OK

No one is allowed, in any way whatsoever, to encourage you to give high ratings or positive responses.
No one is allowed to ask you to only fill out the National Student Survey based on what’s good and tell your school or university about areas for improvement via some other channel.
Your school or university is not allowed to show you a promotional video for the institution and/or course programme before you fill out the National Student Survey.
Your school or university is not allowed to have a representative fill out the National Student Survey with you.
No one else is allowed to fill out the National Student Survey on your behalf.

What can you do if you’re seeing signs of inappropriate influence during de National Student Survey?

If you think your school or university is trying to influence students, please report it to us. Send an email to info@nse.nl, call +31 (0) 30 303 91 00 or fill out our contact form (in Dutch).

When Landelijk Centrum Studiekeuze receives your report, we’ll follow a number of pre-established steps. Read more about these steps in the standardised protocol for (suspected) inappropriate influence (in Dutch).

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