Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Campus Conversations is a student podcast brought to you by UCL students and the Student Success Office. We're back for Season 2 — bigger, bolder, and with even more honest conversations about student life at UCL! Hosted by students, for students, this podcast dives into the topics that actually matter to students, from politics and careers to friendships, finances, and everything in between. This season, the conversations go deeper, the debates get bigger, and we’re bringing in more student voices, opinions, and real experiences from across our university. Whether we’re discussing the pressure to succeed, navigating life in London, or the big issues shaping our generation, Campus Conversations is all about sharing perspectives, learning from each other, and reminding you that no one has university life completely figured out. Expect thoughtful discussions, relatable moments, a few disagreements, and a lot of laughs along the way!
00:00:00:02 - 00:00:16:10
Elif
Welcome to Campus Conversations, brought to you by UCL Student Success Team, your go to podcast for all things student life at UCL College London. We are back for season two and today we will be talking about education, learning and student experience. My name is Ed if I'm a first year physics student.
00:00:16:12 - 00:00:18:14
Mubaraq
My name is Robert. I'm a second year law student.
00:00:18:16 - 00:00:21:11
Cat
My name is Kat and I'm a first year geography student.
00:00:21:13 - 00:00:49:09
Elif
Okay guys. So today the theme is education, learning and student experience. And on this course we got some different news items from past year to relate. The, the topic where we have done got questions at the end to discuss. Can we do that again please. Should I start from that or just, Okay. Okay, guys. Today the theme is education, learning and student experience.
00:00:49:09 - 00:01:22:15
Elif
And on this course we've got some different news items from the past year that relate to these topics. We've got a question at the end that we will discuss. Are you guys ready. Okay. So the first one is from 1st of August 2025. The maximum tuition fee cap for full time undergraduates in England rose from 9250 to 9535, which is a 3.5% increase according to the government's current policy.
00:01:22:17 - 00:01:44:15
Elif
Future increases will be linked to the inflation rate. These reports have again raised questions about value of money and accountability in education. So the question is, considering your student experience so far, and when thinking about your future prospects, do you think going to university is worth your money, time and energy?
00:01:44:17 - 00:01:48:15
Elif
Well, my first question is, are you guys international students or national students?
00:01:48:21 - 00:01:49:24
Mubaraq
Oh, I'm a student.
00:01:50:01 - 00:01:56:10
Elif
Yeah, okay. We're all on the same page. Oh, I see the answer. Perfect.
00:01:56:12 - 00:02:07:19
Mubaraq
I think I think it depends, like what you're trying to get out of university. You know, when you like, when you guys both decided to come to university, what was your. What was that in the front of your mind?
00:02:07:21 - 00:02:24:00
Cat
I think it was always something that my school really emphasised, that the only path that you could go down after sixth form was university. So there's not much of a doubt of is there any other part who just simply going into university as like a means of what is next?
00:02:24:02 - 00:02:41:05
Elif
For me it was more like family. Everyone in my family went to university, so it was like you two. I mean, I had to do it too. It's not about like I had to, but I really wanted to because I feel like that's. I felt like that's the only way to have a career at the end of the day.
00:02:41:07 - 00:02:46:20
Mubaraq
The question. Just quick question of what, industries that you got trying to get into after university.
00:02:46:21 - 00:02:49:00
Elif
I would say research and academia.
00:02:49:02 - 00:02:50:05
Mubaraq
Okay.
00:02:50:07 - 00:02:51:10
Cat
I'll move finance.
00:02:51:13 - 00:02:58:20
Mubaraq
ESG okay. Or the mix of the ESG ESG element. Yeah. And then also I want to be a lawyer. Yeah.
00:02:58:22 - 00:03:01:00
Elif
Yours is straightforward stuff.
00:03:01:00 - 00:03:26:12
Mubaraq
In a way. Yeah. But I don't have to. I didn't have to do like, for instance, I didn't have to do a law degree to become a lawyer. So I guess there's that element. But I think beyond like education was, do you guys is any other value that we could gather from university? I think your experience here of you as a first year, so it might be different, but in the time that you've been here, like what value do you feel like you've already gotten out of university beyond like career prospects?
00:03:26:14 - 00:04:02:03
Elif
Independence? I feel like independence is a really big part of university life because in sixth form in secondary school, you're really like, okay, I got my teachers and they got my back. And if I have any questions I can ask them. But the change I saw in university was that no one has my back. I have my back and I'm responsible for all the education that I get, because no one is forcing me to do anything in university, which I feel like is important in terms of like transferable skills to life, is sort of like your, careers.
00:04:02:05 - 00:04:22:19
Elif
Because then in life you I mean, yes, you will have your family, so but you won't live with them forever, right? So I feel like that's also a really good way to look at university. It's like it prepares you for WI as your career and your future, but also like who you are as a person and who you will be as a person.
00:04:22:21 - 00:04:44:08
Mubaraq
Let's play devil's advocate. Whenever people have this type of conversation online, the rhetoric is always what you could have done this by just getting a job. Like you could have been independent had you just moved out, or you could have gotten like an apprenticeship. So what specifically? I guess I think the question is really asking, what makes it worth all the tuition fees to have all of these experiences that you could possibly got elsewhere?
00:04:44:10 - 00:04:57:10
Elif
That's that's a fair enough question for my industry. I cannot go into research and academia without a degree. So yeah, I kind of need one. What about you?
00:04:57:12 - 00:05:17:22
Cat
I feel like there are alternative ways to go into finance. For example, degree apprenticeships are rising and that's quite a big thing right now. I think people also want that. People talk a lot about the social aspect of coming to university, and I feel like that is something that's at the forefront of your mind, especially when you're 17, 18, 19, making that decision to go into university.
00:05:17:22 - 00:05:36:09
Cat
And I feel like people do value that a lot, not just in terms of the fun socialising, but I think it also comes down to the bit that you're also paying for these social connections that you're going to make at university. It really starts to emphasise it is also who you know as law as well as what it is about what you do now as well.
00:05:36:11 - 00:05:48:02
Cat
So I think you're paying for that as well. The access that you have to professors, access that you also have these people that you will end up working with, that you end up like interacting with down the line as well.
00:05:48:04 - 00:06:05:23
Elif
That's true. Networking is really important in like career aspect. I question if you if like university wasn't necessary for any job, like if you didn't have to go to university to become a lawyer, would you still go to university if it was optional for your job?
00:06:06:00 - 00:06:23:10
Mubaraq
I feel like I would and I feel, but I think this is, you know, I think I would just because I think I do quite, enjoy the process of learning anyway, but also, I think now that I've done, like, part of my degree, I could definitely see the way that my world view has changed as well.
00:06:23:10 - 00:06:51:16
Mubaraq
And I think that's something that's really valuable because I think there's a certain way that once you study something, especially at degree level, I feel like it definitely changes the way you interact with people. It changes the way you think, it changes when you argue, essay, etc. and I think that is really valuable. So even if I don't, I think even if I think even if I could become a lawyer without any sort of having to get a degree, I think I would still pursue a degree or anything because I think there's something really valuable in education, just just in general.
00:06:51:18 - 00:07:09:01
Mubaraq
But this is a wide for, for instance, I took it for a little bit. I one of the things that I found was that a lot of children nowadays, I would say kind of lack like curiosity just about the world around them. So I think when the conversation shifts to is education solely for so you can get a career.
00:07:09:03 - 00:07:18:03
Mubaraq
And this is a huge part of the conversation in that there's so much to be said about education in terms of how it just it changes you as a person and there's value in that.
00:07:18:05 - 00:07:34:09
Cat
So I feel like it's so much more of a structural thing as well, because especially in schools, like the way that you're taught is to pass your exam. So as soon as you pass your SATs and then you're looking to pass your GCSEs and learning becomes, how do I pass an exam? Rather than how do I learn something that I'm really interested about?
00:07:34:09 - 00:07:45:15
Cat
And how do I pursue this curiosity beyond just having to pass an exam? And then in university, how do I actually, like learn to love this subject rather than just get the grades that I need to then move on to a job.
00:07:45:17 - 00:08:06:10
Elif
But I feel like some people do actually see university as get the grades, get the degree, go to the job, right? I mean, I saw so many people just go like, do that. Like I have some friends and they're like, oh yeah, I just need a pass. I just need the degree. I just need like a piece of paper and I'll just go do finance.
00:08:06:12 - 00:08:25:04
Mubaraq
You know? Anyways, it's really is just a means to an end. Like it's just kind of the next building block. But I think, I think I also think there's a university as well because obviously going to UCL, I think the people that we will meet here will generally either be very career orientated or there like they really do just love academics.
00:08:25:06 - 00:08:43:15
Mubaraq
But I know there's a conversation as well about different standards of uni, the different types of, the quality of students that they attract. So oftentimes people will be like, oh, we should abolish Mickey Mouse degrees and we should abolish like so in university that only seem to run a certain like certain type. Of course. What do you guys think?
00:08:43:19 - 00:08:48:04
Mubaraq
Do you guys think Mickey Mouse degrees are a thing, and if so, how do we deal with them?
00:08:48:06 - 00:09:10:16
Elif
I mean, they're like harder degrees and easier degrees, but it's really like relative like, how do you and what do you compare it to? Right in itself. Every degrees hard. Every degree has like certain deadlines, things that you do, coursework, lectures certain. So it's like structure wise it's quite similar I think. So there's I don't think there's like a Mickey mouse degree, like every course is hard in itself.
00:09:10:16 - 00:09:26:08
Elif
And there's like, you can you can technically put it on a scale, but how representative at that scale is going to be because every student is actually like, I haven't seen a university student be like, oh yeah, my course is chill every year. Yeah. Have you?
00:09:26:11 - 00:09:39:21
Mubaraq
Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think it's a lot of people doing courses that the first thing they'll say to you is, I don't know. I could never do that. I can never do your degree magic. Like I don't go in, I only go and I don't go to my lectures. I don't go in if my exams are like online.
00:09:39:23 - 00:10:04:02
Mubaraq
I like I think there's a lot of degrees. It not that I don't think I feel like if the degrees were like done in like what's the word were taught in a valuable way. But I think there definitely is a conversation to be had about universities filling seats in degrees where they're not really teaching students that throw in on like a presentation online, just doing a little online session rather than actually a huge part of the learning environment.
00:10:04:02 - 00:10:23:22
Mubaraq
And the process is having children. Sorry, not children. These are adults. Let's look at them like having them students like interact with one another, have discussions, have you know that integration. So I think when universities start doing a lot of online sessions, there's very little contact hours. It's kind of like, well, is this really worth the ten K that you might be paying?
00:10:23:24 - 00:10:42:24
Mubaraq
So I think that's probably where a lot of this criticism comes from, that nobody's saying that doctors shouldn't go to university any more, but I think the conversations about maybe, maybe some universities are kind of filling seats and courses that need to be changed in the way they're taught to actually extract, like meaningful value, meaningful value. Yeah.
00:10:43:00 - 00:11:16:13
Elif
So that's more about the university structure, not the course itself. Yeah. Yeah. No, I agree. Like apart from the courses like the degrees, I do feel like some universities are like just easier to get a pass in. Yeah. Compared to other universities. But if like sem like different universities have similar courses, if you go to like a university and like if you compare UCL and another university for the same course, the one might be relatively easier than the other.
00:11:16:15 - 00:11:24:16
Elif
So I guess it's not about like Mickey Mouse degree, but the university itself and the structure they provide for their students.
00:11:24:18 - 00:11:52:02
Cat
I think that's interesting because I think regardless of how easy a university might seem, or regardless of how difficult a certain like let's say Russell groups, Unis or Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, LSC, I think no matter what uni you go to, your experience is almost curated based on that university and that doesn't like it at all. Like eradicate, whether it's easy or hard, I think there's going to be different aspects at each uni, which might be harder, which other unis might find easier.
00:11:52:04 - 00:12:14:04
Cat
But I also think your experience, again, is tailored to that university. For example, here we might be so research focussed, we might get that research hands on experience. That's another university might be so like smaller classes based. And that's helping you learn like communication interactions. But that doesn't dismiss the fact that maybe we're getting less of that, but they're getting more like I feel like every experience you get is just going to be different in its own way.
00:12:14:04 - 00:12:17:06
Cat
But it doesn't, like devalue that experience that you're getting.
00:12:17:12 - 00:12:46:17
Elif
A survey by the Institute of Student Employers found that almost half of employers say says graduate graduates lack resilience and other work appropriate soft skills. The authors warn that degrees should provide more than just theoretical knowledge. They need to help students manage real world scenarios like balancing work life and complex responsibilities. So the first question is, do you feel that universities should and will prepare you for your life beyond your studies?
00:12:46:19 - 00:13:10:17
Cat
I think university has made me realise and emphasised way more compared to sixth form. This idea of a work life balance and how hard it is to get stuck in the work part of it and live the life part of it behind. I think it's really hard in university to strike this balance between attending and showing up for all your lectures, doing all the work, meeting the deadlines and at the same time joining the societies.
00:13:10:21 - 00:13:32:22
Cat
You're still maintaining your friendships? I think that's been really hard. But I don't think the university prepares you or like, I don't think its role should be to prepare you for your future life in terms of who you are as a person. I think it establishes like the knowledge and you showed the foundations, but I think who you are as a person and like how you interact with the world around you doesn't solely come from university.
00:13:32:22 - 00:13:38:24
Cat
And I don't think that should be university's role. I think that's down to more of you as a person, like the connections you make 100%.
00:13:38:24 - 00:13:56:17
Mubaraq
Yeah. I don't think you need to hear to like I didn't teach you how to like when we say soft skills, teach you how to interact with people, I think that's something you kind of have to go in your own personal endeavour to try and become better at doing so. There'll be opportunities, I think, as a part of university, I think the one big thing is societies.
00:13:56:19 - 00:14:18:19
Mubaraq
A lot of people, I think brush, brush them off, but they're actually quite useful. There's a society, at least at UCL for like everything you can imagine. So I think any soft skill that needs developing to the society, I can do it for you. So I think universities try their best. I think having a lecture on today we're going to do a lecture on talking to strangers would just be a little bit strange in my opinion.
00:14:18:21 - 00:14:49:19
Elif
Yeah, I feel like if you go to university you are seeking education like an academic and theoretical way. Not like, oh yeah, teach me all the soft skills I need to survive like life. I feel like that is something that comes with and someone. But like, obviously throughout your degree, yes, you will talk to strangers. You have to like network, you have to socialise, you have to like even writing emails, which is like really like a simple example, like in sixth form.
00:14:49:21 - 00:15:02:11
Elif
I've read the emails I sent a like, how did I get away with this? But I feel like, yes, those are the social skills that comes with it. But I don't think universities should be like the main source of teaching for those soft skills.
00:15:02:13 - 00:15:21:06
Mubaraq
But when you think this should happen and do you think it's something? Because I think when I think of soft skills, I think a lot of my development in that sense came like from secondary school. Like I think that's what I need to probably happen in primary school. I don't remember, but I think in secondary schools when I probably learn how to do a lot of things like that, I would say a beneficial to me now.
00:15:21:06 - 00:15:35:23
Mubaraq
So I think that emphasis should be placed more to earlier school rather than university. I think by the time you get to university, it's not too late, but you kind of have to take things into your own hands. You can't still be relying on your teachers to like, supplement that gap.
00:15:36:00 - 00:15:51:00
Elif
I feel like then, as we said, it's not university's job, but it comes within the degree that these soft skills, like they develop itself, that you had probably beforehand. But it's up to you to expand those soft skills, I believe.
00:15:51:00 - 00:16:10:20
Mubaraq
I feel like if you don't have certain soft skills, I really do feel like you've been dodging them intentionally. Like, but I just think as you go through life anyway, that that's the reason they're soft, like as and you're picking them up because it's a soft task to do, like it's not. No one's asking you to do a backflip like, I just feel like I think some of these things, I think some of it is accountability.
00:16:10:22 - 00:16:29:06
Mubaraq
Like you just have to make. I think people that are good at certain things aren't good because they woke up and they were amazing. It's like practice, practice over time, like just soft practice entering a room and introducing yourself or choosing to speak when you don't necessarily have to. I think those moments are what allow people to seem good naturally, but it's really just practice.
00:16:29:06 - 00:16:36:13
Mubaraq
And I think if you're in a position where you feel like, oh, I don't have these necessarily soft skills, you just have to kind of put yourself out there and you will got them eventually.
00:16:36:15 - 00:17:01:15
Elif
You kind of have to like, go out of your comfort zone to become like a functioning human being. And now we have campus confessions that we got from students. I'm in two minds about whether to drop out of uni or not. I'm really not enjoying my course and I haven't made many friends yet. Besides, London is super expensive and I'm starting to struggle and it's only been a few months.
00:17:01:17 - 00:17:12:03
Elif
I'm only here because I don't know what else to do with myself. It was either this or keep working part time at my local Primark hub. What would you do?
00:17:12:05 - 00:17:29:10
Mubaraq
I think one of the biggest things about university is that I feel like before you got to uni, a lot of the happiness that you enjoyed was manufactured by the people around you. So your teachers were setting up fun days. Your parents would set up days out, but then by the time you get to university, you're the only one responsible for your good days on your bad days.
00:17:29:15 - 00:17:46:07
Mubaraq
So you have to be really intentional about crafting your own happiness. If you don't have any friends, there's not like you're not going to be in a classroom forced to talk to the person next to you. You have to, like, reach out to people, find a society, find the community to make you happy. If things are really expensive, you have to like budget, like everything's in your hands.
00:17:46:07 - 00:18:03:13
Mubaraq
I think especially with London. Aside from the money aspect, having a bad experience in London, I think a lot of the time the like, the like the world, your oyster in London, I think. So you're having a bad experience. Some of it is partially. I feel like you're for that. There's nothing you can't find in London, I think.
00:18:03:14 - 00:18:26:03
Elif
Yeah, I agree with that. This really like up to you what to do with your life. There's always like different ways to make friends. You can join societies, you can go literally go out, talk to people in your cause. I'm pretty sure if your first year, the people in your courses as miserable as you are about the course because no one is actually, like you said, their course in first year.
00:18:26:05 - 00:18:47:23
Elif
So you can actually like talk to people that is around you. You don't have to be shy about it. I feel like everyone is on the same boat in university, but to be fair, London is really expensive and if you have a part time job, keep it. It's really hard to find a part time job to begin with.
00:18:48:00 - 00:19:08:04
Cat
I think it's also important for us to say that UCL offers so much hope in terms of. There are so many bursaries that are open throughout the year, especially towards the end of the year and the start of the year, which you can apply for. And there's no shame in applying for, let's say, a bursary fund or a hardship fund like these are all like UK situations to be in, and so many people are in those situations.
00:19:08:04 - 00:19:28:12
Cat
But I feel like they shame away and hide away from that. London being expensive is a very, very like real thing for everyone, not just as students. And like you can see that throughout like families, your parents, everyone like people do struggle with this and it's okay. I think it's also okay to reach out for that help. And like we've been saying the thing like everyone's in the same boat, but I feel like you need to take that step and be like, you know what?
00:19:28:12 - 00:19:35:08
Cat
Let me be like, let me try approach something the worst thing. But they say no and like, walk away like it's okay.
00:19:35:10 - 00:19:53:10
Mubaraq
And look into the person on your left and saying, we've never spoken before, but let's, let's go grab a meal or something like you. Be surprised. It's actually not that hard to make friends. Like, yeah, I think friendship is one of those things that's really like people stress about in their head, too much. But really and truly, I don't think there's often a smile, can't say smile at someone.
00:19:53:10 - 00:19:56:08
Mubaraq
Somebody will eventually come and be your friend, I don't think. Is that serious?
00:19:56:09 - 00:20:03:05
Elif
I wouldn't be weirded out if someone next to me in a lecture says, oh hi. Like I was like, hi.
00:20:03:07 - 00:20:13:00
Cat
For both you and that person. I feel good for you for being like, oh, like I, I'm reaching out to someone and that person, like, probably inside, like, feels like really good. And I actually really needed this.
00:20:13:02 - 00:20:29:04
Mubaraq
So yeah, I would say don't stress like it. Also a lot of the time things sort themselves out. Like you look back at this moment, if you like, tough it out. You look back and be like, oh, I can't believe I will say that about you. I'm having a great time now. You just have to trust in yourself that it will get better and eventually it does get better.
00:20:29:06 - 00:20:29:13
Mubaraq
Yeah.
00:20:29:19 - 00:20:53:19
Elif
So piece of advice from us keep the job, talk to people and, decide if you actually like a degree. And if not, you can just choose it next year. Thanks for tuning into campus conversations. We hope you had as much fun listening as we did chatting. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like and subscribe on our various podcast streaming platforms!
00:20:53:19 - 00:21:06:07
Elif
Link in the. But we'll be back again with more stories, ideas and debates from across UCL exploring the people and perspectives shaping our university and world. Until next time, let's have this conversation.