Conducted every three years, the 2026 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collects opinions and data from students at dozens of universities across Canada. Results of the survey, adapted for Canadian universities but run by Indiana University’s Center for Postsecondary Research, shape decisions, priorities and improvements.
Surveys in 2020 and 2023, for example, demonstrated the need to invest in students’ mental health and well-being, according to uOttawa’s Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) department.
Alain St-Amant, University of Ottawa vice-provost, academic affairs, says that the more students who complete the survey, the better the data.
“A high response rate lets us dig into the data down to the department level, which is key to understanding what is going on with students and how specific challenges can be addressed. Better participation also means we can look into the results not just by department but also by program language, by domestic and international status and so forth. These differences are key to understanding the student experience.”
The response rate so far is at around 20%, which is on the low side compared to previous surveys. First- and fourth-year students in the faculties of Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering, and the Telfer School of Management, are being urged to take the time to complete the NSSE.
Previous surveys have shed light on:
- Remote and hybrid learning and how this changed the way students engaged with professors, staff and classmates
- A belief among students that campus communities had become more supportive
- A perceived increase in higher order learning skills (analysis, critical thinking, openness to diverse perspectives, reflection, connecting and developing ideas, etc.)
Manon desGroseilliers, IRP senior manager, says, “We believe 2026 will showcase even more profound transformations than the past three years, from the rise of generative AI and its impact on learning to evolving dynamics in student faculty interactions. All this and more is reshaping our landscape. But for now, much of this remains informed speculation.”
She adds: “The real story will come from students’ experiences.”
Look for links to the survey in Brightspace and be sure to complete it before exams begin April 17.