Student Support Strategies in Higher Education
Summary
Student support strategies in higher education encompass a diverse range of academic, pastoral and digital interventions designed to foster student engagement, retention and holistic development. Central to these approaches are academic advising and personal tutoring, which provide structured guidance on curriculum planning, study skills and progression. Pastoral support extends this remit by addressing emotional well-being and helping students navigate non-academic challenges such as financial constraints or mental health concerns. In response to the rapid shift towards online and hybrid modes of delivery, institutions have also invested in digital relational competence, equipping staff with the skills to detect and respond to student needs in virtual environments. Pre-arrival and transition programmes further underpin success by orientating incoming students to academic expectations and social life on campus. Taken together, these strategies recognise the interconnected nature of cognitive, affective and social dimensions of learning, and aim to cultivate environments in which students feel valued, supported and empowered to achieve their full potential.
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Student Support Strategies in Higher Education publication trend
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Technical terms
Academic advising: A structured process of guidance in which trained staff support students’ academic planning, goal-setting and progression within their programme of study.
Personal tutoring: A pastoral support mechanism where tutors address students’ non-academic concerns, including personal development, well-being and transition challenges.
Emotional intelligence: The capacity to perceive, understand and manage one’s own and others’ emotions, used here to foster engagement and community in learning environments.
Fully online learning communities (FOLC): Virtual cohorts of learners and educators who interact primarily through digital platforms, relying on mediated signals to establish social presence and support.
References
- Beyond content delivery: harnessing emotional intelligence for community building in fully online digital spaces. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (2024).
- “You've already, kind of, got the wheels moving a little bit”; students' value of pre-arrival support in transitioning into higher education. Journal of Hospitality Leisure Sport & Tourism Education (2024).
- “It’s where learning and teaching begins ‒ is this relationship” — insights on the teacher-student relationship at university from the teachers’ perspective. Higher Education (2022).
- Skills and Competencies for Effective Academic Advising and Personal Tutoring. Frontiers in Education (2020).
- Digital relational competence: Sensitivity and responsivity to needs of distance and co-located students. Seminar net (2018).
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