Enhancing Student Experience: Innovative Support Solutions

1. New ways to support an integrated student experience Sue Holmes Vice chair - Association of University Administrators Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

2. It's all about students • semantics • support • learning and living environment • holistic solution • what role do staff play? • delivering a quality experience • student as customer – the personalised service Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

3. UK views 2003 White Paper on the future of higher education (DfES 2003) • 'all students are entitled to be taught well and given the support they need to learn effectively’ UUK Report on student services 2003 UUK 2002:27 • specific recommendation that ‘HE institutions ensure co-ordination between academic and other kinds of student support ‘ • quality teaching is only part of the answer Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

4. Key issues • meeting global challenges- education, population, energy, environment feature high* • excellence and innovation • good practice • policy and process review and redevelopment • developing learning environments • meeting changing expectations of students *Rick Smalley Rice University Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

5. Global challenges • educate more with less • more diverse students, courses, expectations • management v scholarship- diversifying the student experience • growing research to show the importance of student support in the educational experience Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

6. Supporting students in their learning • the paying customer • effectiveness • critical to the quality of the university experience • increasing role in  recruitment and retention issues periods of massive change invalidate past decisions* *AT Kearney Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

7. Mobile working style • 40% work • 20% in between • 40% home Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

8. Information store • 22% electronic • 42% head • 12% electronic database • 24% paper Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

9. The snack society • coherent • friendly • minimally bureaucratic • institution wide should mean • no great increase on workloads • emulate external good practice • engagement and support of staff • adaptable , flexible and comprehensive programme Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

10. There’s a lot going on • partnership programmes • summer schools • interactive CD ROMs for 14 and 16 year old • joined up data and management information systems • corporate plan implementation projects Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

11. There’s a lot going on • business process reengineering • student relationship management strategies • enterprise- connecting students and business as well as research • focus on staff , students and stakeholders Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

12. Supporting students in their learning • strong developments innovation and excellence • in creating the  best of  environments to engender quality. • using technology successfully • institutional models where cross cutting is really making  difference • adapt and change Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

13. Excellence and innovation in student support • institutional culture • intra institutional links • customer focused approach • pastoral care and student support- professional and holistic approach • ‘front line approach to support’ • making partnership working a reality Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

14. Finding the way through the maze • a seamless service from the perspective of the customer • one stop shop • centrally and faculty managed student support • help desk escalation approach • helping all staff understand support, mechanisms and best help point Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

15. Providing quality services • clarifying needs and services • making all staff aware of best practice • explicit not implicit • from schools liaison to alumni • working with pupils at 14+ to maintain interest in subjects and study Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

16. Some more examples of good practice • training programmes for all staff • all levels- Deans to new staff • faculty and central departments • students shouldn’t recognise there is a difference • well written guidance material • handbooks and bulletins • sensitive use of electronic media • tms • using and developing good and better practice Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

17. Training and development • managing the electronic interface • seminars from the ‘rough guide’ to ‘expert’ • the student admin jigsaw • articulate the cross cutting nature of student interactions within institutions • involving all stakeholders • meant no duplication of variation in interpretations Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

18. Benefits • better awareness of student support issues • context • defined routes- especially in problem areas • team approach • use of generic support materials in the main • better experience for students Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

19. Common sense • sensible and appropriate information to students • clarity to find what they need when they need it • can link to social and residential orientation • quick wins • staff appointment to drive up customer care standards Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

20. Benefits • benefits to students and funders • cross institutional working- making virtual teams and improving relationships an knowledge • improves induction • helps in retention • meeting needs of more diverse student groups • review and reinvent Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

21. Environment • we can often a poor judge of what students need or want • bright and challenging • issue of cost, security, value of resources • technical support -in all senses • meeting employers needs- more than learning Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006

22. Background reading • 2003 White Paper • UUK reports • DfES reports • AUA Good Practice Awards • perspectives- AUA journal published quarterly • Student satisfaction surveys • QAA reports • http://www.aua.ac.uk/ Sue Holmes AUA HEA Conference July 2006