The Elephant in the Advising Room: Tackling Academic Engagement
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
ADVISING IN A TIME OF CHANGE
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Session Outline
Higher education institutions face unprecedented pressures—shifting regulatory requirements, widening participation commitments, worsening student mental health, and increasing expectations around belonging, continuation, and graduate outcomes. In this context, academic advising has never been more critical, yet remains one of the most challenging areas in which to secure consistent staff engagement. This workshop draws on the University of Kent’s institution-wide transformation of academic advising over the past year, led by an academic with strategic responsibility for advising across all Schools.
Kent has introduced a unified advising framework designed to provide clarity, consistency, and a shared pedagogic rationale. The most significant challenge has been cultivating meaningful engagement among academic staff, particularly where advising has historically been uncoordinated and peripheral to core academic responsibilities. To address this, the University has developed clear expectations for advisers, aligned with institutional priorities and external drivers such as the Access and Participation Plan (APP) and the OfS B2 condition. Transparent mechanisms now track engagement with advising meetings and mandatory training, visualised through a central dashboard shared with School-level senior leaders who hold responsibility for local implementation.
The workshop will explore the operational model, cultural barriers, and lessons learned in repositioning advising as structured, essential academic practice. Through group discussion, scenario-based exploration, and a guided design activity, participants will examine barriers and enablers within their own institutions and develop actionable strategies to strengthen advising during a period of ongoing sectoral change.
Learning Outcomes
Design a context-appropriate advising accountability model or action plan that strengthens adviser engagement, aligns with institutional priorities, and supports consistent, high-quality academic advising in times of change.
Competencies
This session addresses the following competencies of the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and Tutoring
C1 - Core values of academic advising and tutoring
C2 - Theory relevant to academic advising and tutoring
C3 - Academic advising and tutoring approaches and strategies
C4 - Expected outcomes of academic advising and tutoring
C5 - How equitable and inclusive environments are created and maintained
P4 - Understand the implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement, and engage in on-going evaluation and development of advising and tutoring practice
P3 - Commit to students, colleagues, and their institutions through engagement in continuing professional development, scholarly enquiry, and the evaluation of professional practices
P1 - Create and support environments that consider the needs and perspectives of students, and respect individual learners
R4 - Plan and conduct successful advising and tutoring interactions
R7 - Collaborate effectively with campus services to provide support to students
I1 - HE Provider mission, vision, values, and culture
I3 - HE Provider policies, procedures, rules, and regulations
I6 - Campus and community resources that support student success
I7 - Data and information technology applicable to tutoring