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UKAT offers conferences, webinars and other events throughout the year, both online and in various locations around the UK. These events provide professional development opportunities for personal tutors and academic advisors who are invested in helping students achieve academic success.

The UKAT Annual Conference is the major event of the year and provides an opportunity to learn in general sessions from experts in the field, gain knowledge and review best practices with colleagues in concurrent sessions, and participate in interactive workshops. The variety of learning formats also may include poster sessions, exhibitor presentations, and formal and informal networking opportunities.

Upcoming Events

  • Why don't they attend?

    Thursday 16 May 2024, 14:00 - Thursday 16 May 2024, 15:30
    Online

    Jean Assender, University of Birmingham; Melissa Jacobi, Sheffield Hallam University

    The UKAT Student Engagement Special Interest Group (SE SIG), led by Jean Assender, University of Birmingham and Melissa Jacobi, Sheffield Hallam University; are running a cross institutional, collaborative research project to explore barriers to student engagement with Academic Advising/Personal tutoring.

    It has long been suggested that understanding how students experience their time at university is vital in terms of ensuring we can tailor provision to meet the needs of diverse student populations rather than homogenising our understanding and potentially alienating groups of students (Sabri, 2011). This concept is taken further by Hews et al (2022) who identified that it is necessary to consider how students interact with the broader systems and processes at an institution, and how this affects how they derive value from their higher education experience.

    The project is therefore using Listening Rooms methodology- whereby friendship pairs undertake ‘recorded, private, guided conversations without a researcher present’ (Heron, 2020, p393) around a series of 6 flash cards that the SE SIG developed around themes such as student awareness of Personal Tutoring/ Academic Advising, barriers to student engagement and what might a good tutoring/ advising experience look like?

    By listening to the voices of our students we will be able to identify and rectify institution specific barriers, as well as identifying themes that resonate across institutions.  This could support further research into ways to overcome these challenges and we hope support the ongoing development of our advising/tutoring offer, as well as adding to sector knowledge about barriers to engagement.

    So far students from the University of Birmingham, Sheffield Hallam University and Manchester Metropolitan University who self-identified as not engaging well with their Academic Adviser/Personal Tutor have participated in a Listening Rooms conversation and the webinar will provide further details of the project and outline our interim findings.

    Learning Outcomes

    1. Understand some of the key variables that negatively affect student engagement with Advising and Tutoring.
    2. Recommendations for improving the student advising and tutoring experience and engagement.

  • European Access Network Conference 2024

    Tuesday 11 June 2024 - Wednesday 12 June 2024
    Abertay University, Dundee

    The European Access Network (EAN) conference 2024 has now opened its call for papers. Scotland will welcome the first EAN conference since the pandemic with an event entitled 'New Beginnings for European Access - Designing Equity, Transitions and Student Success'. Dundee will be the host city and we invite proposals for talks, workshops and posters for this engaging and welcoming international conference that will run from 11-12 June at Abertay University.

    The conference asks you to share your practice and/or research excellence across one or more of theses themes: 
    Preparation - how we prepare, set expectations, support and enable our students to successfully transition through well designed processes. 
    Diversity - how we reach out to and enable students from all backgrounds to progress to and succeed in tertiary education. 
    Partnerships - how schools, colleges, universities and other agencies and organisations are working together to support student and institutional success.

    We hope to welcome talks from schools, colleges, charities and universities who are innovating and learning from their work in the access space as we all strive to enable student success. We really look forward to reading your proposals and to welcoming you to the sunniest city in Scotland - Sunshine is guaranteed!

  • UKAT Annual Conference 2025

    Monday 7 April 2025, 08:00 - Wednesday 9 April 2025, 15:00
    University College London

    Join Us at our 10th Anniversary Conference

    UKAT will be celebrating its anniversary in 2025, marking ten years of shaping the future of personal tutoring and academic advising in higher education.

    We’ve come a long way in that time. Join us at this conference to celebrate our collective achievements, our impactful initiatives, and transformative collaborations.

    The theme of this conference is ‘Learning Well’, and it will celebrate the power of positivity, and the joy of learning and university life. We encourage submissions that celebrate how personal tutoring can create joyful learning and life experiences for both staff and students. Joins us for

    • Inspiring Sessions: Immerse yourself in thought-provoking keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops. Learn from visionaries who have shaped the landscape of higher education.
    • Networking Galore: Connect with fellow educators, researchers, and industry leaders. Forge new partnerships, exchange ideas, and explore exciting opportunities.
    • Vision for the Next Decade: Together, we’ll chart a course for the future. What innovations await us? How can we continue to empower students to flourish and drive positive change?

    We want to build connections between UKAT’s community of higher education personal tutors and advisors, and broader networks of colleagues with expertise in psychology, mental health, education theory, wellbeing, learning community and community engagement, student partnership, and student life.

    Who Should Attend?

    • Educators and Administrators: Whatever your level of experience, this conference is your platform for growth.
    • Researchers and Scholars: Dive into discussions that shape the academic landscape. Share your insights and learn from others.
    • Students and Emerging Leaders: Be part of the conversation. Your perspectives matter, and your voice will shape personal tutoring and academic advising for the next decade.

    So join us to celebrate the past, embrace the present, and envision an even brighter future for higher education.

Events in italic typeface are not provided by UKAT but are 3rd party events which may be of interest to UKAT members