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 - Exploring the Impact of Grief in Higher Education and how Personal Tutors Can Support - Thursday, April 16, 2026
Research suggests that at least 10% of students will experience a significant loss by the time they’ve finished university. And yet, we rarely see people talking about grief, and support remains limited. This session will share key learnings about grief and how it can impact students, as well as practical tips for offering support. This is less about becoming an expert, or learning complex counselling skills, but building a basic awareness and confidence to have difficult conversations and knowing where to signpost.
The session will be led by Anna May, founder of The Student Grief Network and Executive Head of Kaplan International Grief Programmes. Anna lost her brother as a child, and her dad while studying at university. She now has over seven years of experience delivering training, consultancy and workshops for bereaved students and the staff that support them.
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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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UKAT Annual Conference 2026
Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
Monday 13 Apr 2026, 09:00 - Tuesday 14 Apr 2026, 16:00 -
Exploring the Impact of Grief in Higher Education and how Personal Tutors Can Support
Online
Thursday 16 Apr 2026, 14:00 - 15:30
Our Member Institutions
