Academic Training and Satisfaction Among 2023/2024 Final Year Undergraduate Students of Lira University

Abstract

Most institutions of higher learning delve much into academic training while paying little attention to the views of students. Dissatisfaction among the student community leads to a poor reputation of the institution and resultant decline in enrollment hence affecting its productivity and sustainability. It's therefore prudent to perform periodic checks on the levels of satisfaction with the services offered in order to design informed improvement. This study aimed at investigating the levels of satisfaction with academic training among final year undergraduate students of Lira University to identify areas that need improvement in service delivery for the profitability and sustainability of the institution. The study employed a cross-sectional design with mixed methods of data collection. The cluster sampling technique was employed across all faculties of the university (each faculty forming a cluster). Quantitative data was collected from 181 final year undergraduate students using self-administered questionnaire while qualitative data was gathered from five focus group discussions with selected students from five faculties of Lira university including: Nursing and Midwifery, Public health, Management sciences, Education and Medicine. Quantitative data was analyzed for descriptive statistics using SPSS vs 26 while thematic analysis was performed for qualitative data. Out of the 181 respondents, 58% were male students. Over half of the students sampled were satisfied with the academic training. 61.4%, 71.5%, 71.3%, and 55.8%, were satisfied with the content, its delivery, assessment modes and results respectively. Findings from the focus group discussions also indicated that the students were satisfied with the academic training. However, they were not happy that most of the content delivered was theoretical; they felt they missed the practical aspect of whatever they were learning in class. Moreover, the results in the portal were reported to be changing over time. Regarding the university support services, they were fairly satisfied. Nonetheless, focus group discussions revealed a lot of dissatisfaction particularly with the accounts section, results system and the university hospital services. The final year undergraduate students were satisfied with their academic training with regards to content, its delivery modes, and assessment. They were not satisfied with the results system and the university support services especially the accounts section and the hospital. The university should rectify the accounts to indicate surcharges at least a month after the semester opening and the results system to fix students' marks to avoid changes. The university hospital should consider Students' identification cards for attention at the hospital.