Enhancing Academic Advising and Personal Tutoring in Higher Education
UKAT, the United Kingdom Advising and Tutoring association, is a learned society of professional practitioners and researchers interested in advancing the scholarship and practice of student advising and personal tutoring in Higher Education in the UK. We advance the field through our conferences, symposia, workshops, support for original research, peer-reviewed academic publications, accreditation of practice, professional courses, and resources.
Webinar - Charting the Path: Exploring the Professional Model of Academic Advising – Pros, Cons, and Best Practices - Thursday, June 18, 2026
Join us for an engaging and interactive webinar focused on the vital role of academic advising in fostering student success and institutional flourishment. In this session, we will touch upon the essential goals of academic advising, including supporting the development of ‘whole’ students (Grit, 2023), empowering decision-making (Ramwell and Farrell, 2023), cultivating student agency (Ramwell and Joash, 2025), and nurturing personal and academic growth (Grey and Osborne, 2018).
Through online activities, participants will explore the professional advising model by comparing and contrasting it with others, such as the pastoral and integrated institutional archetypes (Earwaker, 1992). Based upon our experiences, we will explore the professional paradigm’s potential advantages, including targeted specialist support and greater consistency, while addressing challenges, such as resource allocation and potential divides between academic and professional teams, among others.
Read more...Free Resource - Because of My Tutor poster campaign
Demonstrate the value and impact of personal tutoring to students and colleagues on your campus using our free, customisable Because of My Tutor poster campaign, which features real student stories. You can customise the posters, change the terminology, add your own stories, and even use your institutional logo to give it a personalised touch, all by editing a simple spreadsheet. The resource contains all the images and stories showcased in the gallery and detailed instructions on customising them. All you need is access to Abode InDesign, a spreadsheet application, and your institutional logo to enable you to create a poster campaign for your institution.
Download the Because of My Tutor resource. [ZIP, 140MB]
Community
UKAT promotes collaborations and the sharing of research-informed effective practice. We offer many ways to get involved, connect with others and further your professional development, including
- Special Interest Groups
- Conferences
- Committees
- Professional development and mentoring
- Research development and support
- UKAT Blog
Membership
Becoming a member means joining a nationwide community of professional advisors, personal tutors, academics, researchers and students who are working to support student success and enhance their educational development.
Members enjoy various benefits, including access to resources, events and professional mentoring.
We offer Institutional Membership, Personal Membership and Student Membership.
Resources
UKAT offers a wealth of resources to help members stay abreast of latest developments, share effective practice and support professional development. Member resources include
- UKAT Professional Development Curriculum of scaffolded professional development opportunities for personal tutors and academic advisors
- Publications
- Webinars
- Masterclasses
- Access to consultancy
- Sign up to our mailing list
Events
UKAT organises and supports regular events for both members and non-members.
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Charting the Path: Exploring the Professional Model of Academic Advising – Pros, Cons, and Best Practices
Online
Thursday 18 Jun 2026, 14:00 - 15:30 -
Supporting Students at transition points: A Structured Recovery Framework for Academic Advising
Online
Thursday 16 Jul 2026, 14:00 - 15:30
Our Member Institutions
