Students look ahead to lectures, libraries and love

In just a couple of days hundreds of thousands of students around the country will find out if they’ve got into their university of choice.

And it’s not just their academic future about to be decided; with new research released today showing it could have a major bearing on their romantic and social future.

The study into university life found a quarter of all graduates met their life partner at university, while nearly half began their closest lifelong friendships.

But the romantic and social benefits of university life are just one of many reasons why two thirds of graduates rated university as one of the most influential periods of their lives.

Three quarters of all graduates believe that university life improves their potential by increasing their confidence. Two thirds say it provides the first taste of an understanding of life away from home, whilst over half say university gives students a greater cultural awareness.

Recognising too, the life-long value of a university education – academic or vocational – eight in ten graduates also believe that university qualifications open doors for the whole of your career and a quarter of current students say they expect to form life-long industry contacts while they’re at university.

Dr Phil Cardew commented: “With so much emphasis given these days to the negative aspects of university, it’s heartening to hear from graduates that university actually provides the best footing for long term success in and out of the workplace.”

According to the research conducted by London South Bank University, nearly half of those surveyed also said university life raises aspirations while nearly 60% agreed job and career prospects are improved after a stint at uni.

Research findings:

- 25% of graduates met their wife/husband or life partner at university.
- 44% of graduates met their closest friends at university.
- 67% of graduates rate university as one of the most influential times of their lives.
- 56% of graduates believe their job and career prospects improved after a stint at university.

For more information, visit: lsbu.ac.uk