The university offers good access to well-maintained facilities and modern equipment, which has been valuable for my research. I appreciate the range of resources available on campus, from specialist laboratories to quiet study areas, as well as the support provided through training sessions, such as the library workshops, which help students make the most of these resources. My main challenge has been accessing certain academic papers. Despite attending a library workshop to learn the best search methods, I have still found that some essential papers are not available via open access. For example, during one day of searching, I was unable to access 8 out of 10 papers I needed. The inability to obtain critical literature directly limits the quality, depth, and timeliness of research. It would be essential for the university to provide stronger mechanisms such as more comprehensive subscriptions, faster interlibrary loans, or alternative access arrangements so that research is never hindered by paywalls. I am concerned that if this issue persists, it could negatively influence the university’s attractiveness to prospective students, particularly externally funded international PhD candidates, as I have heard similar concerns from other researchers.

I appreciate that I can reach my supervisors when I need support, which makes a big difference in progressing my research. Access to equipment is generally straightforward, even though some items require additional payment. It would be nice to have more opportunities to engage with other postgraduate researchers, as this could help build a stronger academic and social community.

Given the facilities and amenities the room offers, I find the price a bit high. Additionally, the kitchen has been lacking proper containers for waste sorting for quite some time. It would be great if more attention could be given to providing and maintaining these, as it would improve convenience and support sustainability efforts.

During my time at Surrey, I benefited from a wide range of workshops and entrepreneurship competitions, which helped me keep expressing and refining my ideas. The English courses and academic support for international students also enabled me to adapt quickly. The campus community is diverse and well resourced; by attending talks and taking part in industry projects, I expanded both my network and hands-on experience. At the same time, living in the Manor Park (MP) residences comes with practical challenges: unstable internet in common areas, year-on-year rent increases, limited capacity that makes it hard to meet overall demand, and high prices for accommodation listed on the university platform. The cleanliness of shared kitchens and the maintenance of facilities also have room for improvement. Overall, the strengths lie in the density of opportunities and a comprehensive support system, while the main challenges are the cost of living and core infrastructure. If the university continues to upgrade the network, make rent adjustments more transparent, improve commuting/transport links, and enhance the upkeep of communal areas, the overall experience would be even better. osen,

Overall, the School faces several systemic gaps in research and learning support: prolonged downtime of critical instruments has delayed experiments and created sample backlogs; PGR training, while flexible, lacks structured, systematic instruction; high thresholds for international exchange and conference funding limit travel and academic visibility; weak industry engagement and alumni networks narrow graduates’ career paths; the scarcity of large events and fragmented communications reduce participation; declining rankings dampen morale; and limited open-access and publication funding constrains submissions. To improve, the School could establish instrument-maintenance SLAs and a public repair dashboard and activate internal sharing/external backup testing; build a suite of micro-courses in methods and academic writing; create a small-grant, fast-track travel fund with transparent scoring and streamlined reimbursement; institutionalize industry roundtables and alumni days with added non-academic career coaching; unify a university-wide events calendar with a weekly digest and at least two weeks’ notice for major items; publish a roadmap with milestones for ranking recovery; and offer capped OA and figure-fee subsidies.

At the same time, living in the Manor Park (MP) residences comes with practical challenges: unstable internet in common areas, year-on-year rent increases, limited capacity that makes it hard to meet overall demand, and high prices for accommodation listed on the university platform. The cleanliness of shared kitchens and the maintenance of facilities also have room for improvement.