Student communications: cutting through the noise
Keeping students informed about life at university is complex but Suzanne Wigley of the University of Derby likes a challenge. She shares what they've been doing to ensure students have the information they need and also reveals what didn't quite work.
The modern day student and the ever changing university life
Earlier this year Ben Stone, university student, introduced the Student Coin, sharing his experience as a university student, demonstrating that there are opportunities outside of a course that could assist career progression and personal achievements. In this blog Ben explains where the business is now, shares their app teaser and introduces their Initial Coin Offering (ICO).
How to make volunteering matter to university students
Do you want to get more from your university experience than just your degree? Are you someone who wants to help in the community, but feels a student life won't offer the time to get involved? In this blog Joe Crook from the University of East London, talks about volunteering, student life and explains how it can all fit into a busy student lifestyle.
Service design for universities
Sometimes solutions are under our noses - you just need the right approach to unlock them. In this post, consultant Jean Mutton explains service design, which she says is for anyone who often thinks "there must be a better way".
The rise of the new academic advisor
Could the advent of the TEF see the emergence of a new breed of data-empowered academic advisors? Student experience consultant Brian Hipkin says the growth in student-generated ‘teaching excellence’ metrics could herald the introduction of this role.
John Lacey: ‘my perception of value for money has definitely improved’
Some 20 universities have joined forces to create a more defined path for graduates interested in a career in higher education with the Ambitious Futures programme. John Lacey, who has had placements at two universities in the north west of England, describes how these experiences have offered him new perspectives on the student journey.
Student mental health and wellbeing – why does it matter?
While universities can do much to support their students by developing policies and practices, students can also benefit from the support of charities. In this blog Grace Anderson outlines what Student Mind offers.
EDITORIAL. Never Alone: Universities’ key role in supporting students’ wellbeing and mental health
Among the many issues universities are currently concerned about, students’ mental health and wellbeing have become a core concern. According to a YouGov’s survey (2016) a quarter of our students suffer mainly of depression and anxiety, or, mostly, both combined. The need to perform, financial worries, and being in a different and new social environment can all contribute to making students feel overwhelmed at times. The IPPR study Not by Degrees (Thorley, 2017), however, paints an even more disturbing picture.
The CATS Campaign: raising cancer awareness among students
In the second blog of our student experience series, Ellie Dunstone, a student at the University of Cambridge, shares with us the experience of the society she is involved with, the Cancer Awareness in Teenagers and young people Society, also known as CATS. Universities have a wide range of societies run by students which include sports, lifestyle choices, religion, hobbies and health. Societies can be valuable to students, learning skills which can support them in their future careers, supporting their own mental and physical health as well as others, demonstrating that there can be more to the student experience than the course.
How can e-learning support higher education after and during Brexit?
As the debate over the status of international students remains unabated and uncertainties over the likely impact of Brexit still unknown, Vitaly Klopot suggests the use of e-learning as a way for universities to continue having an impact beyond geographical constraints.
