University of York selects evasys to transform module evaluation and student feedback
The University of York has chosen evasys as its new institution-wide survey and feedback platform, marking a major step forward in how the University listens to, analyses and acts on the student voice.
Following a competitive procurement process against other survey providers, York selected evasys via a Framework Agreement call-off through Softcat plc, reflecting both value for money and confidence in evasys’ proven higher education expertise.
The first phase of the rollout focused on module evaluation, with programme-level and wider institutional surveys to follow.
Why University of York went to market
University of York’s decision was driven by two strategic priorities:
- 1
Closing the feedback loop for students – National Student Survey (NSS) results showed that while students knew how to give feedback, they were far less confident that anything happened as a result
- 2
Creating institutional oversight and consistency – with 28 academic departments previously using multiple tools, question sets and timings, the institution lacked a clear, comparable view of what was really happening across the student experience
Professor Steve King, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) explained:
Professor Steve King, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor
York has now standardised module evaluation across the institution, with clear expectations that module leaders reflect and respond to students within 10 working days of survey closure, reinforcing transparency and trust in the feedback process.
Why evasys was chosen
Before selecting evasys, University of York spoke to other universities, reviewed competitor platforms, and then organised live demonstrations to compare the solutions and the implementation and support expertise.
Whilst affordability was a consideration in a challenging financial climate and evasys was, in fact, the most cost effective solution, it was confidence in delivery that proved decisive. Steve confirmed:
What we heard from other evasys customers was that they were really happy with the system and with the support given by the team during implementation, and on an ongoing basis. We knew that this wasn’t going to be trivial to introduce, so having people who would hold our hands through it really mattered.”
Steve also highlighted the difference the evasys team made:
“It was the contrast between talking to salespeople and talking to experts. Glenda and Bruce have worked in UK higher education and they know how it really works. That made a big difference.”
Implementation at scale and at pace
Despite a compressed timeline driven by internal procurement and data readiness, York successfully launched evasys across 988 modules in its very first semester. Steve commented:
“Even though the project was progressed in tight timescales, it went through very smoothly. We were given good advice about what we could realistically deliver in the time available and the system just worked.”
Bringing student and module information from SITS into evasys was implemented relatively seamlessly, with the evasys team using its real-world experience of actually managing SITS in universities to support the institution to define the population – modules to be surveyed – and the data items to maximise the process and the insights the university would seek to gain through reporting.
As with many large-scale implementations, the project also helped York to surface and improve the quality of its underlying student and module data – a critical foundation for any reliable survey process.
Strong early results and a cultural shift underway
In its first two-week survey window, University of York achieved a weighted response rate of 37% overall, and an unweighted response rate per module of 45%, with many modules reaching 70–80% and above when students were given time in class to respond – significantly above typical sector benchmarks.
37% overall response rate
in the first two weeks
Despite the compressed implementation timescales, 804 modules out of 988 had the feedback loop closed with students through evasys.
The University is now using these insights to drive a broader cultural change, where feedback is not just collected, but clearly acted upon and communicated back to students.
Steve confirmed: “We’re on a journey. As students see that people really are reading their feedback and responding to it, I’m confident response rates will rise further.”
804 modules (81%)
completed the feedback loop
Easy to use, built for higher education
Feedback from academic and professional services teams has been clear, as Steve explained:
“What I’m hearing from everybody is that it’s easy to use. The filters are there, and it gives you the information you actually need. You can tell it was designed by people who understand higher education.”
Departments have also reported significant time savings for professional services staff, replacing fragmented, manual processes with a single, streamlined institutional platform.
What’s Next
With core module evaluation now live, York plans to expand evasys for programme-level, pulse and institution-wide surveys, as well exploring adoption of the evasys/Student Voice AI partnership for machine learning analysis of open comments – to gain deeper insight into the student voice.
Steve concluded:
Professor Steve King, Associate Pro-Vice-ChancellorBruce Johnson, Managing Director at evasys, said:
Bruce continued:
Bruce Johnson, Managing Director, evasysAbout evasys
evasys is the UK’s leading provider of higher-education surveys and student-insight platforms, trusted by universities and colleges nationwide to run module evaluation, programme review, and institution-wide feedback, as well as supporting sector surveys such as NSS, PTES and PRES
Our senior team brings decades of experience working in and for UK higher education and of implementing evasys. This combination of sector knowledge, technical expertise and a partnership-led approach ensures every implementation delivers real impact – not just data.