Support for overseas students

Loughborough University. Loughborough, which topped the poll for best student experience, won a second trip to the podium by impressing again with its services for international students, including careers and visa advice and a welcoming student union.

This award was polled by the International Graduate Insight Group, widely known as i-graduate. As a part of its International Student Barometer project, staff reviewed feedback received from ,813 international students during May and June 2007. Students rated their own experience against 55 separate measures in a confidential reporting process.

William Archer, director of i-graduate, said: "All participating UK universities performed well, and each received individual feedback on the findings. Six with particularly strong ratings for student support were shortlisted for the award. Loughborough received the highest satisfaction ratings from its international students for support across a specified range of measures.

"Strong support is no longer peripheral or (just) nice to have - it is pivotal to the student experience. Any problem, if tackled well enough, will ultimately reflect positively on the institution. If support is lacking, small problems become big issues overnight. For students from other countries, the significance cannot be overstated - the impact of good or bad support is often multiplied by the number of miles from home. So it is right for The Times Higher Awards to recognise excellence in this arena. Congratulations to Loughborough from all at i-graduate on this well-deserved award."