Durham Students’ Union has recorded the third-lowest positive response in the Russell Group for how well students believe it represents their academic interests, according to the 2026 National Student Survey.
The result comes despite a year-on-year improvement of 8.2 percentage points. Overall, 60.7% of Durham students gave a positive response to Question 25, which asks how well a students’ union, association or guild represents students’ academic interests.
That figure was below both the national result of 78.8% and the Russell Group average of 75%. It was also beneath the 75.5% benchmark identified as the expected national average for students similar to those studying at Durham.
Durham’s position in the Russell Group
Only Cambridge and Oxford recorded lower positive response rates among Russell Group universities. Cambridge’s result was 56.2%, while Oxford recorded 44.5%.
The comparison comes against a distinctive collegiate backdrop. The source report notes that both Oxford and Cambridge offer decentralised autonomy through their college systems, with colleges responsible for areas including undergraduate tutorial teaching, welfare, accommodation and admissions. Durham also operates a collegiate model, although the report says its colleges have greater responsibility for the student experience than many other students’ unions.
The survey results were based on responses from 64.6% of Durham students. That was 7.2 percentage points below the UK-wide response rate of 71.8%.
Students’ Union response
Durham’s new Students’ Union President, Callum Hendry, said the union’s result had risen by 27% over the four years of the question about students’ unions. He described this as the biggest increase in the UK, while acknowledging that the union wanted a stronger overall result.
“We’re proud that Durham SU has increased its NSS result by 27% over four years of the question about students’ unions – the biggest increase in the whole of the UK. We’d love 100% agreement, of course, and we work hard to overcome the things that prevent a higher result.”
Hendry attributed the comparatively low result partly to the condition and quality of students’ union facilities. He said other Russell Group students’ unions had received millions of pounds of investment in their spaces, while Durham SU had experienced decades of underinvestment. He added that the University had only recently begun responding to the union’s complaints.
“Independent research shows that students answer this question based on facilities: every other Russell Group SU has had millions spent on students’ union space, but not Durham. We suffer from decades of underinvestment, and the University has only recently started to act on our complaints.”
He also argued that comparisons with other unions were not necessarily straightforward because Durham’s student-led Junior Common Rooms are an important part of the collegiate experience, which the University funds more heavily than the Students’ Union.
University says satisfaction is rising
A Durham University spokesperson said student satisfaction was high and continuing to rise. The University said students recognised the quality of its teaching, academic support and learning resources, and that it continued to invest in Durham Students’ Union financially and through joint work on student support, wellbeing and the cost of living.
“The NSS provides valuable insight into where we can further improve, which we will do through working with our students and student leaders.”
The University said that work was intended to help ensure students had the best possible experience at Durham. The latest figures therefore present a mixed picture: Durham SU’s score has improved substantially, but its position remains near the bottom of the Russell Group and below the national benchmarks.
