The document discusses ways that universities can provide better value for money based on a survey of current and recent students. Key findings include: - Four in 10 students said university fees don't represent value for money. More contact time with lecturers and better employment outcomes after graduation would improve perceptions of value. - Over two thirds of students felt including required textbooks as part of course fees would represent better value. Nearly half thought a provided tablet device at the start would also improve value. - Case study of Middlesex University providing free digital textbooks through a partnership with Kortext, saving students an estimated £450 each over a three year degree.

1. 1THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT
University of the Future
Transforming learning and improving value

2. 2 ABOUT KORTEXT

3. 3
Kortext is the UK’s leading provider of digital
textbook and learning solutions and is one
of the fastest growing education technology
businesses in the country.
Kortext is working with more than 40
universities to provide a comprehensive
digital learning platform, which gives
students access to the textbooks they need
anytime, anywhere and on any device. The
platform enables access to etextbooks
from more than 650 academic publishers
including Pearson, McGraw Hill, Wiley and
Cengage as well as course packs and library
resources.
Smart Tools
Combining access to a huge range of
content with intuitive learning tools such
as referencing, note taking and group
collaboration, places Kortext at the forefront
of the transition from print based learning
to digital.
Analytics
The Kortext platform includes detailed
student engagement analytics to allow
lecturers to see in real-time how students
are engaging with their learning materials
and progressing through the course. This
unprecedented insight helps universities
to improve student engagement and
focus on progression, retention, and most
importantly, learning outcomes.
Integrated Learning Ecosystem
The Kortext system integrates seamlessly
with a university’s existing virtual learning
environment as well as student records
systems and Microsoft Office 365, which
is used by millions of students across the
world to make studying more efficient.
About Kortext

4. 4
Kortext is passionate about making learning accessible to everyone wherever they are in the world
and helping students from all walks of life achieve more.
Our first report, University of the Future, examines how universities can provide greater value for
money and introduce new teaching and learning tools that are tailored to support the individual in
achieving success.
To compile this report, we commissioned independent research by 3GEM, which spoke to current
students and recent graduates to examine the changing landscape of higher education in Britain
today.
We hope it opens up a conversation about how universities could best meet the changing needs of
students to provide the best value for money and the most fulfilling student experience.
James Gray
Founder, Kortext
Foreword
Methodology
3GEM conducted this independent research on behalf of Kortext with data collected using an online survey. 1,000
unique responses were generated from current university students, those who have recently graduated and
prospective students intending to study at university in the next two years.

5. 5
Four in 10 students (43%) say
university fees don’t represent
value for money
Over half of students said
more contact time with lecturers
would represent better value for
money
Almost half (47%) felt their course would be better value for money
if a tablet device was provided at the start of the degree
Students reveal how they prefer to read textbooks
of students would be happy
for their lecturer to track
their progress if it helped
them achieve better grades
students believe more
people from disadvantaged
backgrounds could go to
university if a tablet pre-
loaded with all required
textbooks was included in
course fees
Nearly two thirds of students (58%) believe their grades would
improve if they had access to the latest course materials and
textbooks online
of students believe dropout
rates would improve if lecturers
could use analytics to see how
they were engaging with course
materials
believe universities should
provide tech to students with
additional learning needs to
provide fair access to learning
materials
say that getting core textbooks
included in course fees would
represent greater value for
money
42% felt better routes into
employment after university
would improve value for money
91%
69%
55%
82% 92%
76%
Laptop - 33%
Smart phones and tablet devices – 29%
Hard copy - 33%
Audiobooks - 5%

6. 6
The next generation of university students is
facing higher fees. In July 2016, we saw tuition fee
prices break through the £9,000 per year barrier
for the first time, with both new and current
students in England paying up to £9,250 per year.
Crucially though, Universities Minister Jo Johnson
made clear that fee rises must be linked to high
quality teaching to encourage more competition
and better value for money for students.
We wanted to hear from current students and
recent graduates to understand their expectations,
getting first hand insight into study habits and
what determines perceptions of value for money.
Universities are focusing not only on their
academic track record, but also on overall student
experience. According to the Times Higher
Education’s Student Experience Survey 2016, the
teaching environment is what students value most
when deciding on a university, with high quality
lecturers, well-structured courses and small group
tuition all contributing to perceptions around
quality.
So how can universities provide the best
experience and a learning environment which is fit
for the discerning ‘digital native’? Will universities
need to consider how today’s students prefer to
learn and embrace technology to improve student
satisfaction?
Nearly two thirds of students (60%) felt their
grades would be boosted if they had access to the
latest course materials and textbooks online, while
the vast majority (91%) would be happy to have
their progress tracked weekly by their lecturer if
it meant their grades would be boosted, revealing
how the student of today is open to the use of big
data and learning analytics to help them achieve
their best.
Widening participation is also hugely important,
with universities under pressure to increase the
population of learners from under-represented
and disadvantaged groups to uphold the Office of
Fair Access (OFFA) commitment. This report will
also touch on how universities can learn from best
practice and make higher education an attainable
prospect for more people.
Introduction

7. 7
Respected as a world leading country in higher education, tens of thousands of people still aspire
to go to university in the UK every year. However, with the cost of a three year degree in England
standing at nearly £30,000 in fees alone, it is understandable that students are doing their research
to understand whether these fees plus additional living costs represent good value for money. Our
research found that four in 10 students (43%) don’t think they do, but that there are opportunities
universities can embrace to improve this perception.
Over half of students (55%) stated that more contact time
with lecturers would represent better value for money while
42% felt better routes into employment post university would
deliver value.
While the quality of teaching is a key factor, the majority of
students are looking for more financial support, with over
two thirds (69%) suggesting that providing required textbooks as part of their course fees would
represent better value for money. Half (47%) felt their course would be better value for money if their
university offered a tablet device at the start of the degree.
Great Experience.
Great Value
Including textbooks as part of course fees
would be better value for money, say 69%
of students.
Four in 10 students
don’t think university
fees are value for
money

8. 8
One university pioneering this approach is Middlesex University, which became the
first in the UK to provide each of its 18,000 students with a free core textbook for each
module of their course.
Case Study
The survey data also revealed that despite living in a 24/7 online society, one in five students (22%) say their university
doesn’t provide access to either their textbooks or course materials online. Universities need to ensure they are
responding to the changing needs of digital natives. Research shows that six in 10 students (60%) think that access to
the latest course materials and textbooks online would improve their grades.
The vision for the project was simple; that
students have the essential books provided for
each module, saving them time and money and
giving them personal access to key academic
resources.
Middlesex University partnered with Kortext, the
UK’s leading digital textbook provider, to make this
a reality. Kortext is a learning platform providing
etextbooks on a student’s own device, but also
allows users to keep digital notes, highlight text,
do searches and create collaborative groups for
sharing notes and working.
In an initial pilot scheme with the business and law
schools 20,496 free etextbooks were provided to
students. This saved each student an estimated
£450 each over the course of a three-year degree.
Over 85% of students were using the service by
the end of the first term.
BA Marketing Student Inayat Patel is a student
who’s benefitted from the scheme. He said “The
free etextbooks have made a huge difference to
me both financially and academically.
Each of my textbooks would have cost £30-£70
and I saved around £250 in the last year alone. It
also made studying easier. With etexts I had less
to carry around and could study on the move,
and annotating was easier because I could do it
electronically rather than use fiddly post-it notes
or scribbling in margins.”
Each of my textbooks would have cost £30-£70
and I saved around £250 in the last year alone.
It also made studying easier.
Research shows that six in 10 students
(60%) think that access to the latest course
materials and textbooks online would
improve their grades.

9. 9
While we know students are researching all aspects of university life from accommodation to health
and wellbeing, research from Which? University suggests that after course content, the academic
reputation of a university is the factor students most consider when choosing which one is right for
them. With more at stake financially than ever before and a fiercely competitive jobs market, students
are focused on achieving the best possible grades at university. The onus is on universities to do
everything in their power to support students in gaining the best results. So, how can online learning
help? According to 40% of students, virtual learning from any location would help improve grades.
University classes are now filled with ‘digital native’ students
who have no memory of a time when access to the internet
was not readily available, meaning universities have a
responsibility to meet the changing needs of these learners.
Just as millennials turn to Netflix for all their viewing needs
and Spotify for their listening demands, there is now the need
for universities to make course content available in similar
ways and introduce more flexible ways of working.
With this in mind, we asked students about how they prefer to
consume academic materials. The data shows that of all the
ways students prefer to read their key textbooks and journal
articles on screen is the overwhelming choice (62%) with a
third (33%) preferring a laptop and a further quarter (29%)
choosing smart phones and tablet devices. A further 33% still
prefer hard copy printed materials and around 5% use audio.
Interestingly, the statistics show that a quarter (25%) of men prefer to use their smartphone to read
books and articles compared to less than one in five (17%) of women. Only one in twenty (5%) of
mature students over 55 like to use mobile phones but this rises to one in four (25%) for 35-44 year
olds. This is actually higher than other age groups, including millennials, where one in five stated
mobile phones as their top method of consuming content.
Of the ways students prefer to read, on
screen is the overwhelming choice (62%)
with a third (33%) preferring a laptop and a
further quarter (29%) choosing smart phones
and tablet devices.
Achieving Academic Success
Just as millennials
turn to Netflix for all
their viewing needs
and Spotify for their
listening demands,
there is now the need
for universities to
make course content
available in similar
ways.

10. 10
More universities are harnessing the benefits of learning analytics to gain invaluable insight
into academic performance, learning habits and students’ engagement with course materials.
Universities have access to a huge amount of big data from sources like the library and virtual
learning environments like Moodle and Blackboard. By cross correlating this information and using
it in the right way, universities have the opportunity to respond to the needs of students and use the
information as an early warning sign, enabling them to identify those who may be struggling and
offer extra support before they drop out.
Millennials are used to their data being used to track health
and fitness and get personalised shopping recommendations,
so we wanted to understand whether students are
comfortable with a similar approach being taken in their
education. We found that the vast majority (91%) would be
happy for their lecturer to track their progress week by week if
it helped them to achieve better grades, while 47% felt their
grades would improve if lecturers had the ability to see how
well they were doing throughout the course.
According to a report by the Social Market Foundation, 6% of
university students drop out after their first year and retention
rates have not improved since 2010. While many universities have been tackling this directly, three
quarters of students (76%) believe better use of learning analytics could be the key to improving this,
believing fewer students would drop out if lecturers were able to use analytics to see how they were
engaging with their course materials.
76% of students believe better use of learning
analytics could be key to improving retention.
The Analytics Debate
We found that the
vast majority (91%)
would be happy for
their lecturer to track
their progress week
by week if it helped
them to achieve
better grades

11. 11
92% believed that universities should be
providing technology to enable students with
additional learning needs to have equal access
to learning materials.
The Government has an ambitious target to double the proportion of disadvantaged students going
to university by 2020. Despite figures from UCAS showing that young people from disadvantaged
areas are more likely than ever to attend university, institutions are still under increasing pressure to
reach the target. Government has now imposed new rules on universities to work more closely with
schools in poorer areas, for instance.
According to OFFA (Office for Fair Access) there is still a large
gap between university entry rates for students from different
backgrounds. Its figures show 18 year-olds from the most
advantaged areas are nearly two-and-a-half times more
likely to enter higher education than disadvantaged 18 year
olds, and just over six times more likely to enter one of the
universities with the highest entry requirements.
Our research provides some insight into where universities
could be focusing their efforts, with 82% of students believing
more people from poorer backgrounds would be able to go
to university if a tablet or laptop pre-loaded with all required
textbooks was included in course fees. In addition, nearly every student (92%) surveyed believed that
universities should be providing technology to enable students with additional learning needs to have
equal access to learning materials.
CASE STUDY - University of East London
In 2014 UEL invested £2m in new technology, to become the first university in the UK to give free Samsung Galaxy
Note tablets to their first-year undergraduate intake, benefitting around 4000 students. The free tablets, which were
pre-loaded with core etextbooks, are part of their commitment to improve student experience and enhance interactive
learning in the classroom. This has now been rolled out to all years.
Widening Participation
8 in ten students
believe more people
from disadvantaged
backgrounds could
go to university if a
tablet pre-loaded
with etextbooks was
included in fees

12. 12
We hope that the findings of University of the Future have provided food for thought on how
universities can address the issues of value for money and improving student experience, and how
students can consider the options when making the huge decision of choosing the right university.
What is clear is that despite the cost of course fees increasing more than three fold since 2010, record
numbers are applying for university and are ambitious about achieving the best results.
What our findings show is that students are demanding more for their fees and by supporting
students financially by including academic resources as part of fees and providing flexible working
options, students feel they’d be getting better value for money and the springboard they need
to achieve academic success. Our figures show 89% of students would be more likely to attend a
university that enables online collaboration and note sharing and access to the latest editions of
textbooks.
Universities have an opportunity to embrace technology and integrate it with their existing systems.
Students are open to sharing their data if it means they could achieve better grades. Universities have
a real opportunity to use this insight as an early warning system to pick up those who are in danger of
underperforming or dropping out.
And when it comes to opening up the amazing opportunities of higher education to those from
disadvantaged backgrounds, investment in academic technology could be the safety net that sees
these learners through to academic success and top career opportunities.
Education technology has the power to transform the teaching and learning experience for teachers,
lecturers and students alike, and in order for it to work, it should be embedded into an institute’s
culture. Now is the time for universities to embrace new technology to continue providing the best
student experience and highest quality teaching in the world.
Conclusion
Suite B, 6th Floor,
Avalon, 26-32 Oxford Road
Bournemouth, BH8 8EZ. UK.
+44 (0)1202 551203
info@kortext.com
Tweet us @kortext1
Contact Us

13. 13
Aberystwyth University Glasgow Caledonian University Newman University St George's, University of London University of Bath University of the Highlands and
Islands
Anglia Ruskin University Glasgow School of Art Northumbria University St Mary's University, Twickenham University of Bedfordshire University of West London
Arts University Bournemouth Glyndwr University Norwich University of the Arts Staffordshire University University of Birmingham University of Westminster
Aston University Goldsmiths, University of London Nottingham Trent University Swansea University University of Bolton University of Wolverhampton
Bangor University Harper Adams University Oxford Brookes University Teesside University University of Bradford University of Worcester
Bath Spa University Heriot-Watt University Plymouth College of Art The Courtauld Institute of Art,
University of London
University of Brighton York St John University
Birkbeck, University of London Heythrop College, University of
London
Plymouth University The London School of Economics
and Political Science
University of Bristol University of Essex
Birmingham City University Imperial College London Queen Margaret University The Royal Central School of Speech
and Drama
University of Cambridge University of Exeter
Bishop Grosseteste University Keele University Queen Mary University of London The University of Buckingham University of Liverpool University of Glasgow
Bournemouth University King's College London Queen's University Belfast The University of Edinburgh University of London University of Gloucestershire
BPP University Kingston University Regent's University London The University of Hull University of Oxford University of Greenwich
Brunel University Lancaster University Richmond, The American
International University in London
The University of Law University of Portsmouth University of Hertfordshire
Buckinghamshire New University Leeds Beckett University Robert Gordon University The University of Manchester University of Reading University of Huddersfield
Canterbury Christ Church University Leeds College of Art Royal Academy of Music, University
of London
The University of Northampton University of Roehampton
Cardiff Metropolitan University Leeds Trinity University Royal Agricultural University The University of Nottingham University of Salford
Cardiff University Liverpool Hope University Royal College of Art The University of Sheffield University of South Wales
City University London Liverpool John Moores University Royal College of Music The University of Warwick University of Southampton
Coventry University London Business School Royal Conservatoire of Scotland The University of Winchester University of St Andrews
Cranfield University London Metropolitan University Royal Holloway, University of
London
The University of York University of St Mark and St John
De Montfort University London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, University of
London
Royal Veterinary College University
of London
Ulster University University of Stirling
Durham University London South Bank University School of Advanced Study, University
of London
University College Birmingham University of Strathclyde
Edge Hill University Loughborough University Scotland’s Rural College University College London University of Sunderland
Edinburgh Napier University Manchester Metropolitan University Sheffield Hallam University University for the Creative Arts University of Surrey
European School of Economics Middlesex University SOAS, University of London University of Aberdeen University of Sussex
Falmouth University Newcastle University Southampton Solent University University of Abertay Dundee University of the Arts London
Data collected from students at the following universities

14. 14 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT