Session Outline

Challenge Accepted! Study or academic advise and coaching for delayed students.

Miriam Stikkelorum (Rotterdam Business School)

At the Rotterdam Business School, part of the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences we are working with a group of students who have been with us between their first year and sometimes even their 20th year. We’ve named these student 4+ students, as they didn’t graduate after the four year programme. The main goal of this session is to provide insights and give inspiration, even though the educational systems might differ, changes are on the horizon.

At the start of an academic year, for all students the opportunities in their study programme are open. A blank page on what they will learn and develop over the upcoming four years. We support them as being new to academia, during the main phase we provide support in time management and practical information regarding career choices and during the graduation year we guide them through writing a thesis, with the goal of graduation.

The curriculum in The Netherlands is designed for a four year study programme for students in the age between 17 and 22. Year 1 is the propaedeutic year, years 2, 3 and 4 are the main phase. Important to mention is as long as you pay your tuition fee, you have the right to remain registered. What about students with multiple reasons for not graduating after four years, can they still learn well? Challenge accepted!

I would like to share my experience as a study advisor for the group of students who did not graduate at the end of year 4. There are many causes of delay in a student’s study programme. Some students take a gap year, others join the board of a student association for a year. The main reasons why students delay is that they either build a career besides their study programme, some started their own business or family and the majority faces unforeseen personal circumstances.

Over the years it has become clear that there is an undeniable difference between study or academic advise for students who are in their regular programme and those who are delayed and have to extend their programme.

During my session I would like to explain more about my experiences, what approach has been successful and what the gain is from both the perspective of the student and the university.

My objective is to inform delegates at the conference about the importance of study advise for delayed students, who for numerous reasons need additional support in achieving progress and graduation.

Supporting care experienced students: using trauma informed principles

Serena James (London School of Economics and Political Science)

A "care experienced student" in Higher Education refers to a student who has spent some time in local authority care during their childhood, such as foster care, residential children's homes, or kinship care, meaning they were "looked after" by a local authority at some point in their life.

Care experienced students face unique challenges at university. They might not be able to go “home” for the holidays – where do they stay when the university only offers term time lets? Where do they go for Christmas? Who helps them move to university?

There has been a 23% rise in the number of children in care in the last decade (NSPCC, 2024). Yet less than 11.8% of care leavers (ages 18-23) attend university (Harrison, 2017) and around 13% of care leavers enter Higher Education by their 19th birthday compared to 45% of the wider population (Department for Education, 2022, Widening participation in Higher Education). This talk will explore how those in student advisory roles can best support care leavers during their time at university. The presentation will give an introduction to using Trauma Informed Principles to support care experienced students. The Trauma Informed approach recognises and responds to the signs, symptoms, and risks of trauma to better support the health needs of students who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

This talk will explain the six principles of Trauma Informed practice: safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, cultural consideration.

Learning Outcomes

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