Call for Proposals
The conference focuses on advising students through transitions in further and higher education, highlighting how our institutions can use integrated approaches that combine curriculum and professional services to enable this ambition. The conference will bring together college and university staff and students to explore how, through advising, our curriculum and support services can improve the transition for students moving from schools and colleges to university and beyond. Are universities aware of student expectations from school and college, and do those in the schools and colleges really know what is required at university? How do we advise and support students through new challenges that they face? How do we advise students who are moving on to prepare them for the next stage of their journey? And how do we prepare our staff to think differently to address issues with which they may be unfamiliar?
The Further and Higher Education sectors have a great deal to learn from each other. Widely applicable to all tertiary education settings, albeit created for Scotland, the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (https://www.sfc.ac.uk/assurance-accountability/learning-quality/scotlands-tertiary-quality-enhancement-framework/). This has been recently introduced by the Quality Assurance Agency in Scotland and aims to ensure better alignment across the Tertiary education sector to enable student success. This conference will explore the themes identified in that framework and their relationship to student success through effective, integrated academic advising and tutoring.
In particular, proposals are welcomed from college and university staff and students on how advising:
- enables successful student transitions, into, through and out of institutions.
- takes a personalised approach to enabling student success.
- is integrated into the curriculum.
- approaches at the institutional, faculty or departmental level are holistically integrated with institutional policies and processes.
Conference Session Formats
Proposals are invited in one of the following formats. View our Submission Instructions for details of how to develop and submit a proposal.
Presentation [50 minutes]
Individual, a pair or a small team of presenters, present in depth for 50 minutes on an area in which they have significant experience/expertise, and which will be of interest to and have impact for the audience. Time should be allocated for a few questions.
Interactive Workshop [50 minutes]
A participatory interactive workshop should enable delegates to work actively towards learning something new in relation to a specific topic. It should include discussion and collaborative activities which enable reflection on delegates’ own and others experience and sharing and analysis of knowledge.
Lightning Talk [15 minutes]
10-15 minute presentations grouped on a common theme managed by a facilitator within a 50 minute session (three Lightning Talks per session). Each presentation is on a single topic, issue, experience, research area, or innovative practice. Maximum of 5 slides per talk. Any questions to be asked at the end of all the talks. Where possible we will attempt to make time and space available immediately after the session for informal discussions to continue between presenters and delegates.
Discussion Panel [50 minutes]
50 minute discussion focused on a specific topic by a panel of experts. The facilitator and/or audience ask questions of the panel pertinent to the topic and the panellists each give their expert perspective on the questions. The proposal must identify the topic for the session, the name of the facilitator and the names and brief biographical details of the experts who will constitute the panel. Note that including the names of the experts in the proposal does not commit them to participating at this stage, it simply provides useful information to reviewers on likely panellists and their depth and breadth of experience
Demonstrations
Similar to lightning talks, this session type focuses on demonstrating a particular activity, platform, module, and/or/and tool that supports student development. Each presenter will demonstrate to a small group, and delegates will rotate around the room after 10-15 minutes.
Submission Instructions
If you want to present a session at the conference, please complete the online proposal form to submit a proposal which complies with the guidance given in the Understanding the Online Application Form section below. You don’t need to create the presentation or other materials at this stage. View our Submission Instructions for details of how to develop and submit a proposal
You can submit as many proposals for consideration as you like. Your proposal(s) must be submitted through the online proposal submission system.
Access the Online Submission System
The conference team will consider all the proposals, and choose which to accept for presentation at the conference. UKAT will give you feedback about your proposals in week commencing Friday, January 15, 2027
What happens if my proposal is accepted?
If your proposal is accepted, you’ll be asked to do the following:
- Register as a delegate to attend the conference. Any co-presenters must register too.
- Create your session presentation (PowerPoint is the preferred format) and any handouts or other resources you require.
- You will be responsible for providing all resources and handouts for your session.
- Submit electronic versions of presentation slides, handouts or other materials used in your presentation sessions to UKAT one week prior to the conference.
- Bring your presentation and materials to the conference on a USB flash drive/memory stick.
- You and/or your co-presenters must be present to deliver your session at the time and location specified in the conference agenda. We cannot guarantee to offer your session on a specific day or time, but we will make our best efforts to accommodate constraints on your availability if possible.
The closing date for submissions is Thursday, December 17, 2026