UCL’s latest UniForum Service Effectiveness Survey results are in, showing rising satisfaction and valuable insights into how our professional services support teaching and research. Find out what you told us, what we’re already working on and what’s next for UniForum.
Thank you to everyone who took part in part 2 of the UniForum Service Effectiveness Survey this spring, which focuses on professional services activities.
The UniForum programme is an international benchmarking exercise, run with Nous Data Insights (formerly NousCubane), that collects data through a data-gathering exercise and a Service Effectiveness Survey.
The data collection shows how teaching and research is supported, whilst the Service Effectiveness Survey helps us understand how services are performing. Together, this gives us a picture of the services that support teaching and research at UCL so we can better understand how they operate, what we do well and in what areas we could improve.
Earlier this year we shared some key findings from part 1 of the survey , carried out in November 2024:
- We spend too much on transactional activity compared to strategic activity.
- There are some clear opportunities for simplifying and improving services.
- We need to do more than just add resources to services.
These insights reinforced the importance of UCL’s investment in initiatives to improve processes, such as introducing platforms like InsideUCL, MyServices and MyCampus that aim to make essential everyday tasks less time-consuming.
The results also showed us some areas where we can improve, including opportunities for simplifying services and processes. Since then, the Strategic Change team has been working hard on our Services Simplification initiatives , alongside colleagues from across UCL, to make working at UCL easier and to deliver a better experience for our staff and students. Part 2 of the survey, carried out in May 2025, covered different services within UCL such as student services, giving us a broader understanding of which areas are the main focuses of staff feedback.
As before, we’re keen to highlight that the results alone won’t lead to specific projects, changes or initiatives; instead, they form part of the overall picture.
What you told us
- Satisfaction is rising: Most services included in part 2 of the survey showed higher relative net satisfaction compared to our previous surveys in 2023 and 2020. Areas of particularly high satisfaction are library services, and research portfolio information.
- How we compare to other institutions: UCL’s satisfaction scores for the surveyed services were above the median when compared to other participating institutions in the UK and internationally - a sign that our service improvements are making a difference.
- Whilst our overall performance at UCL is improving, there is still work to be done, we want to keep aiming to be high-performing especially when compared with our peers.
Areas we’re already working on
In many areas, the results of part 2 of the survey show that we are already addressing areas that you told us are important to you, through UCL-wide initiatives that are delivering UCL’s Strategic Enabling priorities. For example:
You told us that student equality and disability services are a priority for you. We have improvement work underway in areas such as reasonable adjustments and Inclusive Environments.
Building functionality and space usability was important to you. We are investing in essential upgrades and maintenance through our UCL Estates Infrastructure Masterplan (IMP) .
In line with UCL’s strategic priority to significantly enhance the student education experience , we are embarking on a major transformation of practices, policies, processes and underlying systems that feed into the timetabling services at UCL.
What comes next?
As part of the survey, you provided us with valuable feedback. We will share your feedback and overall themes with specific area leads and will continue to engage senior stakeholders with the results via specialist reports.
" The UniForum results give us a picture of how our professional services are performing and where we can improve. Thank you to everyone who took part this year. Your feedback helps us make informed decisions that support UCL’s strategic priorities and create better experiences for staff and students. I encourage you to get involved again next spring so we can continue building services that work for all’of us."Aimie Chapple
Vice-President (Operations) and UniForum Programme Sponsor
Looking ahead: UniForum spring collection
The next UniForum data collection will take place in April 2026, following the Easter closure. This round will be forecast-based, asking participants to estimate future activity rather than report retrospectively. Validation of the data will take place in the summer.
We are also changing how we get your feedback as part of the Service Effectiveness survey. Instead of having two parts, we will ask you to fill in one survey in April/May 2026. This will focus on specific services, so we can make sure we are getting your feedback on the areas that align with our strategic priorities.
Why the change?
This shift in timing and approach is designed to:
- Align with ongoing change programmes, so we can better understand their impact.
- Avoid the busy summer period, making it easier for teams and the whole organisation to participate.
- Provide more meaningful insights more quickly that support our planning and decision-making.
What to expect
Those involved in the UniForum data collection will be contacted directly with guidance and support. We’ll continue to share updates and resources to keep everyone informed.
Thank you again for your contributions; your feedback is helping us build better services for everyone at UCL.
- University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (0) 20 7679 2000
