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The coordinator of the ENCE-CRUCH project, Gonzalo Zapata, pointed out that “it is key to understand that, beyond the socioeconomic or family context, what students do within the university has a direct impact on their academic success,» highlighting that student engagement explains between 30% and 50% of the variations in academic results.
The 2023 survey included undergraduate students from the 2020 and 2023 admissions cycles, belonging to 17 CRUCH universities, increasing the number of responses compared to the 2022 survey to more than 10,000 students.
At the seminar “ENCE 2024: Challenges of the university experience», held at the main campus of the Metropolitan Technological University (UTEM), the main results of the National Survey of Student Commitment (ENCE) 2023 were revealed, in which more than 10,000 first and fourth year undergraduate students participated, belonging to the 2020 and 2023 admission from 17 institutions of the Council of Rectors and Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH).
Regarding the importance of this survey for CRUCH universities, UTEM Rector Marisol Durán emphasized that "the ENCE provides us with key tools to better understand the student experience, not only in academic terms, but also in terms of emotional well-being and relationships with peers and faculty. It is a privilege to have this information, which guides our policies for more inclusive and meaningful learning.".
For her part, Ana María Moraga, head of research at CRUCH, emphasized that ENCE provides evidence for decision-making. “ENCE offers key data on the perceptions and realities of our students (…) and provides a foundation for strategic decisions that positively impact educational quality. In the context of our 70 years as the Council of Rectors and Rectors, and with a clear vision for 2030, this data is more relevant than ever for improving our institutional policies and practices,” Moraga noted.
Gonzalo Zapata, coordinator of the ENCE project and academic at the University of Talca, pointed out that ENCE explores how student engagement impacts learning in the university context, as well as the use of time by university students in academic activities, work, extracurricular activities and social life.
«This is a key inter-institutional effort to understand how students perceive their university experience. This study, based on real data, is essential to improving educational quality and adapting our policies to students» needs, contributing to better management in universities and helping to build a more inclusive and relevant higher education system,” Zapata emphasized.
Student experience and quality of education
The seminar program also included the participation of Erika Castillo, commissioner and vice president of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA), who spoke about “Student Experience and Quality of Education,” with comments from Eduardo Abarzúa, academic vice-rector of the Alberto Hurtado University, and Sandra Gaete, academic vice-rector of the Metropolitan Technological University; the session was moderated by Jacqueline Rojas, academic at the University of Playa Ancha.
Erika Castillo reflected on the new approaches to quality and the key dimensions that guide the accreditation of institutions in the country, referring to the importance of a comprehensive approach to educational quality and academic management.
According to Castillo, it is also important to consider the changing profile of students entering higher education. "Students have changed; their backgrounds, concerns, and realities are very different from those of past generations," Castillo noted, adding that this change presents an additional challenge for teachers, who must adapt to new forms of interaction and teaching.
Main results
ENCE was applied during the second semester of 2023, with the participation of 6,659 first-year students (Admission 2023) and 3,426 fourth-year students (Admission 2020) from CRUCH universities; which represents 17.8% of the universe of undergraduate students from the universities included in the sample.
The instrument includes seven dimensions of the experience reported by students: higher-order learning; student-teacher interaction; effective teaching practices; learning strategies; quality of interactions; interactions within a diverse context; and institutional support. It also gathered perceptions about time use, expectations, and achievements experienced during the learning process.
One of the most significant findings of the 2023 survey is the strong relationship between student engagement and academic performance. According to Zapata, "student engagement is a key predictor of learning outcomes (...) it is crucial to understand that, beyond socioeconomic or family context, what students do within the university has a direct impact on their academic success," highlighting that student engagement explains between 30% and 50% of the variations in academic results.
Another crucial point was the change in how students use their time, particularly during the two-year transition between remote and in-person learning. «The pandemic radically changed how students structure their time, and now, with the return to in-person classes, we are observing a new dynamic in which face-to-face interactions and collaborative activities are becoming more important,» Zapata stated.
Main challenges
Based on the survey results, the ENCE project director stated that the main challenges identified by the survey relate to mismatches in time spent on teaching and independent study, as the time dedicated remains below pre-pandemic levels; the impact of the pandemic on workload and personal time; comparing ENCE data between institutions to identify areas for improvement; and the development of more inclusive and equitable policies.
“It is crucial that universities reflect on how to distribute academic time more efficiently and how to foster student engagement (…) universities must address the diversity of their students and consider how to optimize their academic experience,» Zapata emphasized. She also stressed that time management is fundamental to improving both academic performance and the overall well-being of students.
To conclude the day, the panel “Challenges of the University Experience: Perspectives from ENCE” was held, featuring presentations from two institutions participating in the project: the Catholic University of Maule, represented by Gonzalo Cifuentes; and the University of Playa Ancha, represented by Boris González. The discussion was moderated by Carla Förster, an academic from the University of Talca.
For full details of the ENCE 2023 results, check the following link.
CRUCH Institutions
Seventeen institutions belonging to the CRUCH (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities) participated in ENCE 2023: Alberto Hurtado University; Arturo Prat University; Catholic University of the Holy Conception; Catholic University of Maule; Catholic University of Temuco; University of Atacama; University of Aysén; University of Chile; University of La Frontera; University of Magallanes; University of Playa Ancha; University of Santiago; University of Talca; University of Valparaíso; University of Los Lagos; Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences; and Metropolitan Technological University. Although part of the project, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the University of the Andes did not participate in the 2023 edition.
It is worth noting that the National Survey of Student Engagement Evaluation (ENCE) is an instrument that seeks to evaluate and improve the engagement of students from universities belonging to CRUCH.
The survey, which originated from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), was translated and used by the University of Valparaíso in 2015. Subsequently, in 2017, that institution, along with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the University of Chile, conducted a pilot project of the ENCE survey to adequately capture the characteristics of the undergraduate student experience in our local context. Since 2018, other universities belonging to the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) have joined the initiative, with 19 institutions participating today.
Text and photos: CRUCH Communications.
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