FAQ - frequently asked questions

TUCpanel is Chemnitz University of Technology’s annually repeating student survey. This survey takes place in summer semester, and asks students about their current studies. Since students take this survey multiple times throughout their time at the university, we can see how various aspects of their course of study evolve during their time in their respective study program. Depending on their progress in their studies – meaning, whether they are at the beginning or the end – the surveys contain questions specific to their situation. However, all surveys include common themes concerning the quality of teaching and studying at Chemnitz University of Technology, as well as difficulties encountered while studying.

The undergraduate programs – meaning bachelor, teacher’s qualification and diploma – receive a different version of the survey than the master’s students.

The main topics of all surveys are as follows:

• Degree program and program entry
• Organisation of teaching and studies
• Teaching
• Exams
• Workload
• Mobility
• Advising and support
• Equal opportunities
• Overall satisfaction with studies and degree program

All students who were enrolled in winter semester 2019/2020 have been surveyed for TUCpanel.

All students have been surveyed, except for first semester students. Since they have just started their studies, they are unable to answer various questions (for example, regarding examinations). They can take part as of summer semester 2021.

Urgent feedback on study programs and study conditions will be gladly accepted via our feedback page, and will be forwarded anonymously to the responsible parties.

The panel design was chosen, as it offers several advantages. For one, it enables cross-sectional analyses that can allow for comparisons between different cohorts. This can help map out cohort-independent influencing factors on study success. If, for example, aspects of examination organisation (such as overlapping exams) are assessed negatively across multiple cohorts, this can point to structural deficiencies. Additionally, this design enables longitudinal analyses, meaning the analysis and recording of cohort-dependent aspects as they appear during an entire course of study. The analyses provide information that point to where measures of improvement can be applied, and where other reasons may need to be investigated.

The panel structure can also enable individual focus within the survey instruments according to survey timelines. Some topics are not always relevant throughout an entire course of study, but only apply at specific points of time (such as the selection of a degree program or an internship).

Your participation will contribute to the improvement of study conditions, both for yourself and for future students. These surveys are intended to inform Chemnitz University of Technology of situations where it may not work as it should. As such, the more students who participate in the survey, the more valuable the survey results. In addition, the results serve as the basis for a number of other processes within the framework of the management system for studying and teaching, for example, internal accreditation, as well as for study success.

Results from TUCpanel are used as a basis for assuring and improving the quality of teaching and studying at Chemnitz University of Technology. This means that answers from the surveys are not simply stored somewhere, but are instead actively used and discussed by various parties.

1. Each study commission receives an evaluation specific to their respective degree program. On the basis of these results, for example, the study commission can confer decisions on measures to improve study conditions.
2. Separate evaluations are also made available to central divisions of the university (for example, the Student Service or the university library).
3. The evaluations relating to specific degree programs and the decisions made based on these evaluations constitute the primary component of the biennial teaching reports of the respective faculties.
4. The evaluations relating to specific degree programs are also the primary component of the internal accreditation self-report that is carried out every eight years.

In addition, annual results are published as an overall report on the homepage of the TUCpanel. This report can be accessed by all members of the university community.

Yes, the survey is web-based and responsive – meaning, it can also be displayed on smartphones and tablets. However, the display of the surveys can be a bit distorted or confusing if they are viewed on a small screen.

The survey was open between 27th April 2020 and 14th May 2020.

The protection of your personal information is very important to us. That is why we are providing you with our data privacy statement prior to the start of the survey, where we inform you of what will happen to your data. The data privacy statement can also be found on our data privacy website, in addition to other relevant information.