Roehampton's Student Support and Success team is celebrating a year of remarkable achievements since its launch in September 2022. This initiative brought together various teams to create a new directorate focused on enhancing student support and success.
The team's efforts have resulted in significant improvements across the board. They introduced the 4P Approach, which emphasizes being Proactive, Preventative, Personalised, and Predictive, using data metrics to identify and address issues early.
Notable achievements of the directorate include:
- Meeting Increased Demand: Despite a 25% surge in the demand for support, the team successfully delivered a range of services:
- The Careers and Placements team assisted over 8,000 students with interviews, CV-building, and job connections.
- Disabilities and Wellbeing supported more than 6,000 students with complex mental health conditions, with disabled students outperforming their peers.
- Sport & Active Communities engaged 1,500 students in competitive and recreational sports.
- The newly established Nest team handled approximately 1,000 queries per day.
- Money Advice distributed £400,000 in hardship financial assistance.
- Student Engagement worked with around 7,500 students, resulting in improved outcomes for many.
- Academic Achievement: The Academic Achievement team embedded their activities across subjects, leading to a 12-point increase in average student attainment for those who participated in embedded academic achievement modules.
- Improved Services: The directorate enhanced induction activities and organised collaborative campaigns and events, addressing critical issues such as mental health, sexual violence awareness, and cultural celebrations. They also introduced several improvements, including tailored career support and streamlined counselling services.
- Enquiries Management: The launch of the Nest team streamlined general enquiries, improved organisational processes, and significantly enhanced the student experience. This initiative reduced the workload for academic colleagues in responding to queries.
- Technological Advancements: The directorate invested in multiple technological platforms, including Handshake, which connects students with employers, and GoodCourse, designed to support students in their transition before they arrive. Furthermore, the addition of a Data Analyst has empowered the team to build dashboards that offer insights into students' journeys, allowing for proactive support and predictions to better allocate resources.
Dr Aleata Alstad-Calkins, Director of Student Support and Success stated "It has been truly amazing to lead the formation of a new integrated directorate and transform the way we support students. Everyone has worked exceptionally hard over the last year to develop a more effective model of support across teams to ensure that students have a positive student experience and achieve successful outcomes. Our main priority has been to create the best support system that enables all students to feel welcomed, engaged and part of a community through their university experience and onto their next steps and beyond."
Looking ahead to the 2023/2024 academic year, the team's priorities include improving student life through increased engagement, sustaining access to mental health services, and launching Student Futures (formerly Careers and Placements) to enhance real-world learning opportunities and employer partnerships.
The Student Support and Success team at Roehampton has made remarkable strides in just one year and is committed to further enhancing the student experience ensuring that our students are supported to fulfil their potential and ready for their next step in the coming year.