Senior Leaders Network Special Interest Group

Institutions face several decisions when considering the development of a personal academic tutoring/academic advising (PAT) strategy. The role of the personal tutor/academic advisor is complex and multifaceted, and the operational delivery of PAT services also presents various challenges.

Across the higher education sector, there is clear evidence of changing support needs (e.g., greater emphasis on promoting mental health and well-being) and student behaviours (e.g., time spent on campus). Many institutions are undertaking reviews of their personal academic tutoring delivery models, and it is clear they are grappling with similar challenges. These typically constitute complex problems in that they are often interconnected with various other issues.

This group has been created in response to these challenges. 

Audience

Membership of this Special Interest Group is open to anyone from the UK higher education community with senior, strategic-level leadership responsibility for developing and delivering personal tutoring/academic advising. This would typically mean anyone at the Associate Dean level or above or anyone who works in central administration teams and is responsible for the policy and codes of practice that govern personal tutoring provision.

Aims

This group provides senior leaders with a safe space to consider these complex problems, share what works, learn from each other's mistakes, and provide opportunities for collaboration to improve PAT provision and student outcomes in their own institutions. 

The group holds three meetings a year. Each meeting is focused on a specific theme and lasts no longer than 90 minutes. A variety of session formats are used, including expert presentations and focused discussions, lightning presentations, critical friend reviews, and 'hack' sessions focused on solving a specific problem. Meetings are normally held online.