Common use of Student Success Clause in Contracts

Student Success. UCLan’s student support mechanisms are wide ranging and impressive and, given the profile of our student body, we commit considerable resources to initiatives designed to smooth the transition of our students into HE; support them and maximise engagement during their critical first year of study; develop strong communities of learning and cohort identity to strengthen academic performance from under-represented groups; re-engage those students who have withdrawn or who are at risk of withdrawing; and provide specialist support for students with specific needs associated with, for example, disability or family hardship. Increasingly, however, we are also placing much more emphasis on working proactively with students to encourage and help them to make the most of the opportunities available to them, both as part of and in addition to their academic programmes and to build networks to support their future success. We believe that this is essential if we are to address the challenges to “social mobility” likely to be experienced by many of our students, and in particular those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have been encouraged by early signs of improvement in student retention and progression, but this, together with the overall success of our students, remains a key institutional priority. As reported in our 2014-15 Access Agreement one of the ways we are addressing the challenges is to bring a number of disparate initiatives together in a more integrated approach to the management of the “student journey”, focussing on interventions through the full student lifecycle and on student engagement and the development of leadership skills. A series of focussed student engagement activities and high energy ‘student engagement weeks’ are being delivered and further ones are planned across the University to ensure that all students are engaged with their learning journey throughout their time at UCLan and with all the opportunities that are available to them grow and develop. These activities specifically relate to the more vulnerable periods for student engagement (for example after vacations, before or after assessment periods) and to students who are returning to education in terms of identifying opportunities for buddying, volunteering and additional study opportunities (such as languages). Additionally two new ‘Future Leaders Programmes’ have been developed. In their first year of operation 60% of students attending were from low participation or under-represented groups. The programmes have drawn on leaders from industry and the professions, the armed forces and UCLan’s own expertise in leadership. Feedback from the programmes has been extremely positive, with students reporting increased confidence, engagement and career development awareness. To further support the learning development of students linked to the delivery of structured work experience, opportunities for placements, internships and other forms of work experience and volunteering are embedded in all courses. Peer mentoring and the leadership and management of personal development (to which all students are invited and supported to take part) is offered alongside tailored one to one careers’ advice and guidance. The Careers Service offers a series of dedicated subject based careers events supported by employers and cross-university events which are designed to engage all students with careers support. UCLan has made explicit the broad opportunities available to students through the packaging and promotion of “the UCLan Advantage”. Key elements of this are the structured work experience opportunities, overseas study, portable financial credit, sports facilities membership and the provision of “personal advice” to help students navigate through and make the most of the opportunities available. A comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the “Advantage” is underway and ongoing. Aspects of the Advantage which have been demonstrated to be effective are being strengthened. Through this we will be able to monitor the progress of students from different diversity and socio-economic groups through and beyond UCLan and assess the effectiveness of the package in addressing the gap between attainment and post-graduate destinations of different groups of students. It is clear from the feedback that employability built into the curriculum, the guarantee of structured work experience, and the availability of portable financial credit are the most highly valued parts of the offer. It is also clear that the proactive role of Peer mentors and Personal Tutors in contacting students before arrival and providing support during the first half of the year has proved an important part of the settling in process and for some students made the difference between early withdrawal and continuation. The aim is to identify and support students to engage with their academic studies and wider extra-curricular activities to maximise value added by their university experience. Further support for students is being rolled out through the use of Pebblepad, an e-portfolio interactive software package for use by students to record and reflect on their skills and academic development and careers’ advice, supported by academic tutors, personal tutors and the careers service and employability staff. Online literacy and numeracy software packages are being piloted to assess students’ performance and areas for intervention. The packages produce tailored interventions for students to engage with to support performance in conjunction with work of academic and personal tutors. Strengthening of face to face skills support is offered by ‘Wiser’ our targeted study skills intervention team. Alongside this a comprehensive and best practice informed programme of academic staff development is being rolled out from 2014 to further assist and inspire staff to create curricula and identify and support students to maximise their potential and future success regardless of levels of prior attainment. Further support for the employability agenda has been provided through the creation of additional posts in our Careers’ Service and in our Innovation and Enterprise service, to give advice and act as the interface between employers and our academic Schools and, amongst other things, to generate structured work experience opportunities for our undergraduates. This service also has an important role to play in seeking to arrest the decline in part time participation, through the development of more customer-friendly options for employers and employees. There is a renewed focus on providing tailored one to one careers’ advice and support to students. Recognising the importance of work experience in the student lifecycle, as a pilot all 2013 graduates who were not in work after graduation have been offered paid graduate level work experience or a free place on a post graduate Certificate in Project Management, alongside employability and enterprise workshops, to boost their careers prospects. This has been done in conjunction with university services, regional employers and specialist agencies. While the project is still being evaluated initial feedback is extremely positive and qualitative data collected suggests many participants in the scheme have been positively supported through the programme into permanent full time graduate employment. For 2014 and beyond we are working to enhance and expand the programme to extend opportunities to students prior to graduation. From 2014 it is intended that all undergraduate degree programmes will offer a placement year option to increase work experience. Our experience of administering the Xxxxxx Bursary Fund is that quite small amounts of support – provided in the form of, for example, food vouchers, book tokens and essential IT equipment – can make a substantial difference to students when given the opportunity to apply for support at different times of the year. We have used the Funds available to target support to mature students, those with family responsibilities, and students in hardship who are living at home but struggling to meet the costs of travel. Through the enhancement of the funds available we also want to direct support to students who would find it difficult on financial grounds to access work experience and global experience opportunities.

Student Success. UCLan’s student support mechanisms are wide ranging and impressive and, given the profile of our student body, we commit considerable resources to initiatives designed to smooth the transition of our students into HE; support them and maximise engagement during their critical first year of study; develop strong communities of learning and cohort identity to strengthen academic performance from under-represented groups; re-engage those students who have withdrawn or who are at risk of withdrawing; and provide specialist support for students with specific needs associated with, for example, disability or family hardship. Increasingly, however, we are also placing much more emphasis on working proactively with students to encourage and help them to make the most of the opportunities available to them, both as part of and in addition to their academic programmes and to build networks to support their future successprogrammes. We believe that this is essential if we are to address the challenges to “social mobility” likely to be experienced by many of our students, and in particular those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have been encouraged by early signs of improvement in student retention and progression, but this, together with the overall success of our students, remains a key institutional priority. As reported in our 20142013-15 14 Access Agreement one of the ways we are addressing the challenges is to bring a number of disparate initiatives together in a more integrated approach to the management of the “student journey”, focussing on interventions through the full student lifecycle and on student engagement and the development of leadership skills. A series of focussed student engagement activities and high energy ‘student engagement weeks’ are being delivered and further ones are planned across the University to ensure that all students are engaged with their learning journey throughout their time at UCLan and with all the opportunities that are available to them grow and develop. These activities specifically relate to the more vulnerable periods for student engagement (for example after vacations, before or after assessment periods) and to students who are returning to education in terms of identifying opportunities for buddying, volunteering and additional study opportunities (such as languages). Additionally two a new ‘Future Leaders ProgrammesProgramme’ have been developed. In their first year of operation 60% of students attending were from low participation or under-represented groups. The programmes have drawn on leaders from industry and the professions, the armed forces and UCLan’s own expertise in leadership. Feedback from the programmes has been extremely positive, with students reporting increased confidence, engagement and career development awareness. To is being developed to further support the learning development of students linked to the delivery of structured work experience, experience opportunities for placements, internships and other forms of work experience and volunteering that are embedded in all courses. Peer , peer mentoring and the leadership and management of personal development (to which all students are will be invited and supported to take part) is offered alongside and tailored one to one careers’ career advice and guidance. The Careers Service offers a series of dedicated subject based careers events supported by employers and cross-university events which are designed to engage all students with careers support. UCLan has made explicit the broad opportunities available to students through the packaging and promotion of “the UCLan Advantage”. Key elements of this are the guarantee of structured work experience opportunitiesexperience, overseas study, portable financial credit, sports facilities membership and the provision of “personal advice” to help students navigate through and make the most of the opportunities available. A comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the “Advantage” is underway and ongoing. Aspects of the Advantage which have been demonstrated to be effective are being strengthenedunderway. Through this we will be able to monitor the progress of students from different diversity and socio-economic groups through and beyond UCLan and assess the effectiveness of the package in addressing the gap between attainment and post-graduate destinations of different groups of students. It At this early stage we are only able to report on students’ initial experience and the perceived value of different elements of the package. However, it is clear from the early feedback that employability built into the curriculum, the guarantee of structured work experience, and the availability of portable financial credit are the most highly valued parts of the offer. It is also clear that the proactive role of Peer mentors Personal Advisers and Personal Tutors in contacting students before arrival and providing support during the first half of the year has proved an important part of the settling in process and for some students made the difference between early withdrawal and continuation. The aim is We are currently considering how best to identify and embed the elements of support which students have found most useful during their first 6 months at UCLan in the day to engage with their academic studies and wider extra-curricular activities to maximise value added by their university experience. Further support for students is being rolled out through the use of Pebblepad, an e-portfolio interactive software package for use by students to record and reflect on their skills and academic development and careers’ advice, supported by academic tutors, personal tutors and the careers service and employability staff. Online literacy and numeracy software packages are being piloted to assess students’ performance and areas for intervention. The packages produce tailored interventions for students to engage with to support performance in conjunction with day work of our academic schools whilst increasing engagement with opportunities such as structured work experience and personal tutors. Strengthening of face global opportunities to face skills support is offered by ‘Wiser’ our targeted study skills intervention team. Alongside this a comprehensive which we believe will do most to improve their life and best practice informed programme of academic staff development is being rolled out from 2014 to further assist and inspire staff to create curricula and identify and support students to maximise their potential and future success regardless of levels of prior attainmentemployment chances over the longer term. Further support for the employability agenda has been is being provided through the creation of additional posts in our Careers’ Service and in our Innovation and Enterprise service, to give advice and act as the interface between employers and our academic Schools and, amongst other things, to generate structured work experience opportunities for our undergraduates. This service also has an important role to play in seeking to arrest the decline in part time participation, through the development of more customer-friendly options for employers and employees. There is An enhanced careers advisor role and service with a renewed focus on providing tailored one to one careers’ advice and support to studentsstudents including on the development of their personal skills and employment ‘e portfolio’ is also under continued development for roll out during 2013-14 onwards. Recognising Our evolving understanding of the importance role of work experience financial support in student success has led us to reduce the “standard” package of support available to students in the student lifecycle, as £20-£25k category in Year 1 and to all students in Years 2 and 3 in order to create a pilot all 2013 graduates who were not in work after graduation have been offered paid graduate level work experience or a free place on a post graduate Certificate in Project Management, alongside employability more substantial fund from which we can provide more flexible and enterprise workshops, to boost their careers prospects. This has been done in conjunction with university services, regional employers and specialist agencies. While tailored support for students at greatest need throughout the project is still being evaluated initial feedback is extremely positive and qualitative data collected suggests many participants in the scheme have been positively supported through the programme into permanent full time graduate employment. For 2014 and beyond we are working to enhance and expand the programme to extend opportunities to students prior to graduation. From 2014 it is intended that all undergraduate degree programmes will offer a placement year option to increase work experienceyear. Our experience of administering the Xxxxxx Bursary Fund is that quite small amounts of support – provided in the form of, for example, food vouchers, book tokens and essential IT equipment – can make a substantial difference to students when given the opportunity to apply for support at different times of the year. We have used the Funds available Fund to target support to mature students, those with family responsibilities, and students in hardship who are living at home but struggling to meet the costs of travel. Through the enhancement of the funds available we also want to direct support to students who would find it difficult on financial grounds to access work experience and global experience opportunities.

Student Success. UCLan’s The underlying principle of our approach to retention and student success is to engender, from the very outset, a sense of belonging both within the institution and within the relevant discipline area. From 2017 we will further embed our pre-entry mentoring scheme in order to better support potentially vulnerable students from the outset. We will continue to actively monitor the concerns of these students, even before they commence their studies, and the nature of support they require. This will further inform our future mainstream communications strategies with applicants and students and will help inform our early proactive student support mechanisms strategies. Although we are wide ranging and impressive and, given in the profile of our top 20 Institutions for providing an ‘excellent early student bodyexperience’1, we commit considerable resources to initiatives designed to smooth recognise that students are particularly vulnerable during the early weeks at University. We will therefore review our communications with students through the transition from applicant to student to ensure they remain coherent and effective in establishing supportive relationships and a sense of our belonging. Our activities remain evidence-based and we have undertaken extensive research into the student experience in the very early days of their attendance. We will use the outcomes of this research to further enhance the early student experience to ensure we effectively engage students into HE; support them and maximise engagement during their critical first year enrolment, at Welcome Sunday, Freshers’ Week and through their induction processes. In doing so, we recognise the importance of study; develop strong communities taking a whole institutional approach across central support services such as Academic Registry and Student Services as well as the primary focus at Departmental and Programme level. Working in partnership with the SU is also vital as they make an invaluable contribution to creating an early sense of learning belonging through their investment in Freshers’ Week and cohort identity in engaging students in a broad range of groups and societies. 1 YouthSight Survey reported in the Times Higher Education 4th September 2014 Building on existing best practice in some academic areas and acknowledging the importance of identifying early disengagement, the University is developing a a university-wide system to strengthen academic performance from under-represented groups; re-engage those monitor attendance and engagement. This will flag key risk points in the journey and will be fully integrated with the personal tutor system to ensure early, effective intervention with students who have withdrawn or who are appear to be at risk of withdrawing; and provide specialist support for students with specific needs associated with, for example, disability or family hardship. Increasingly, however, we are also placing much more emphasis on working proactively with students to encourage and help them to make the most of the opportunities available to them, both as part of and in addition to their academic programmes and to build networks to support their future successattrition. We believe that this will also continue with proactive interventions at potentially vulnerable points such as first assignment and during progression between levels. In order to further join up our academic and non- academic support services we have created more formal links and structures between Faculties and Student Services and will review the potential for doing the same with other service areas. In 2016, a university-wide programme, made up of 25 project groups seeking to examine the student journey and better understand interrelationships between institutional processes, systems and cultures was established. This two-year programme is essential if we are to address the challenges to “social mobility” likely to be experienced by many of our students, and in particular those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have been encouraged by early signs of improvement in student retention and progression, but this, together with the overall success of our students, remains a key institutional priority. As reported in our 2014-15 Access Agreement one of the ways we are addressing the challenges is to bring a number of disparate initiatives together in a more integrated approach committed to the management concept of the “supporting a holistic student journey”experience working in partnership with faculties, focussing on interventions through the full student lifecycle and on student engagement and the development of leadership skills. A series of focussed student engagement activities and high energy ‘student engagement weeksour Students’ are being delivered and further ones are planned across the University to ensure that all students are engaged with their learning journey throughout their time at UCLan and with all the opportunities that are available to them grow and develop. These activities specifically relate to the more vulnerable periods for student engagement (for example after vacationsUnion, before or after assessment periods) and to students who are returning to education in terms of identifying opportunities for buddying, volunteering and additional study opportunities (such as languages). Additionally two new ‘Future Leaders Programmes’ have been developed. In their first year of operation 60% of students attending were from low participation or under-represented groups. The programmes have drawn on leaders from industry and the professions, the armed forces and UCLan’s own expertise in leadership. Feedback from the programmes has been extremely positive, with students reporting increased confidence, engagement and career development awareness. To further support the learning development of students linked to the delivery of structured work experience, opportunities for placements, internships and other forms of work experience and volunteering are embedded in all courses. Peer mentoring and the leadership and management of personal development (to which all students are invited and supported to take part) is offered alongside tailored one to one careers’ advice and guidance. The Careers Service offers a series of dedicated subject based careers events supported by employers and cross-university events which are designed to engage all students with careers support. UCLan has made explicit the broad opportunities available to students through the packaging and promotion of “the UCLan Advantage”. Key elements of this are the structured work experience opportunities, overseas study, portable financial credit, sports facilities membership and the provision of “personal advice” to help students navigate through and make the most of the opportunities available. A comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the “Advantage” is underway and ongoing. Aspects of the Advantage which have been demonstrated to be effective are being strengthened. Through this we will be able to monitor the progress of students from different diversity and socio-economic groups through and beyond UCLan and assess the effectiveness of the package in addressing the gap between attainment and post-graduate destinations of different groups of students. It is clear from the feedback that employability built into the curriculum, the guarantee of structured work experience, and the availability of portable financial credit are the most highly valued parts of the offer. It is also clear that the proactive role of Peer mentors and Personal Tutors in contacting students before arrival and providing support during the first half of the year has proved an important part of the settling in process and for some students made the difference between early withdrawal and continuation. The aim is to identify and support students to engage with their academic studies and wider extra-curricular activities to maximise value added by their university experience. Further support for students is being rolled out through the use of Pebblepad, an e-portfolio interactive software package for use by students to record and reflect on their skills and academic development and careers’ advice, supported by academic tutors, personal tutors and the careers service and employability staff. Online literacy and numeracy software packages are being piloted to assess students’ performance and areas for intervention. The packages produce tailored interventions for students to engage with to support performance in conjunction with work of academic and personal tutors. Strengthening of face to face skills support is offered by ‘Wiser’ our targeted study skills intervention team. Alongside this a comprehensive and best practice informed programme of academic staff development is being rolled out from 2014 to further assist and inspire staff to create curricula and identify and support students to maximise their potential and future success regardless of levels of prior attainment. Further support for the employability agenda has been provided through the creation of additional posts in our Careers’ Service and in our Innovation and Enterprise service, to give advice and act as the interface between employers and our academic Schools and, amongst other things, to generate structured work experience opportunities for our undergraduates. This service also has an important role to play in seeking to arrest the decline in part time participation, through the development of more customer-friendly options for employers and employees. There is a renewed focus on providing tailored one to one careers’ advice and support to students. Recognising the importance of work experience in the student lifecycle, as a pilot all 2013 graduates who were not in work after graduation have been offered paid graduate level work experience or a free place on a post graduate Certificate in Project Management, alongside employability and enterprise workshops, to boost their careers prospects. This has been done in conjunction with university professional services, regional employers and specialist agencies. While the project is still being evaluated initial feedback is extremely positive and qualitative data collected suggests many participants in the scheme have been positively supported through the programme into permanent full time graduate employment. For 2014 and beyond we are working to enhance and expand the programme to extend opportunities to students prior to graduation. From 2014 it is intended that all undergraduate degree programmes will offer a placement year option to increase work experience. Our experience of administering the Xxxxxx Bursary Fund is that quite small amounts of support – provided in the form of, for example, food vouchers, book tokens and essential IT equipment – can make a substantial difference to students when given the opportunity to apply for support at different times of the year. We have used the Funds available to target support to mature students, those with family responsibilities, and students in hardship order to understand, from a student’s perspective, their interaction with a range of services and support throughout the student lifecycle which enable student engagement and success. The Student Journey Programme will also act as a consultancy for staff teams across the University and delivers a range of development opportunities to up skill faculty and service teams regarding at risk student groups, student life issues and routes to appropriate support mechanisms. We are therefore also using this valuable work in increase our overall capabilities to support non-traditional learners. Enhancing student resilience remains a priority and our specific project bringing together specialist and academic staff to work with students will continue. This will lead to improvements in students’ ability to cope with their academic studies, work based placements and their wider life experience. We are developing a new approach to providing support to students with all aspects of their wellbeing. This has a particular focus on positive mental health as this is a growing area of need, both in the institution and the sector more widely. The recent investment in more qualified staff and a new strategy to provide both reactive and proactive support will further improve the experience of students and their wellbeing. Work will continue to build relationships with our local partners to ensure the best access into local medical services for our students. Working in partnership with these services we will support students to access the most appropriate services for their needs and will make continuous improvements to those services provided by the University. A recent review of the support we provide to students “out of hours” will result in revised structures of support for the future. This review has enabled resources to be used in the most effective way to develop our on campus provision. Investment in staff who will have a remit to enhance the engagement of students in the community both on and off campus will lead to an enhancement in student sense of belonging. Staffing structures which provide high quality wellbeing, pastoral support and responsive services will improve support for those students who are living most vulnerable. Care Leavers are offered a wide variety of support including targeted pastoral and financial assistance by the University (plus enhanced access to on campus accommodation). Potential students who are identified as Care Leavers have access to a dedicated point of contact who will support them through their student journey. This support will be extended to young students estranged from their families. In order to support the sense of belonging and community, we will provide additional financial support to departments for them to invest in department-led cohort-building activity such as trips and events. Also at home a local level, we will seek to build on some excellent examples of peer mentoring and look at ways of disseminating this best practice which we consider plays an important role in student retention. We are proactively developing our curriculum to ensure we continue to attract a diverse student body and will, by 2017, have a broader offer likely to be more attractive to young, men. We are also investing in the physical infrastructure to support such diversification to ensure an outstanding student experience. Our continued capital investment programme is fundamental to our retention strategy in providing facilities for a vibrant on-site community which encourages integration and has 24 hour support services. In September 2015 saw the opening of a major new Sports development, providing outstanding amenities for the whole student body as well as specific facilities for our popular Sports and Physical Activity programmes. We have continued to invest in our on campus residences to allow a larger proportion of students to live in our popular and supportive community. We will continue to significantly subsidise access to the Sports facilities and the on campus Arts Centre, not only to promote wellbeing but struggling to enable students to have exposure to experiences which may not otherwise be available to them. The specific targets we have selected for consideration in retention (see Table 7) follow from a review of our current performance. Whilst we have made major improvements in retention overall and closed what were significant gaps in relation to some characteristics in the past (gender, disability, age), we consider there is scope for further improvement in retention for some students and these will be the particular focus of our retention work e.g. students from low participation neighbourhoods; BME students and all students in relation to qualifications at entry. As noted above, the contribution of the SU in working in partnership to ensure students are well supported is invaluable. We work closely together to ensure that collectively we provide integrated and coherent support mechanisms for our students whilst we each maximise our resources. In 2015/2016 the SU changed their sabbatical officer structure to move away from a faculty focussed structure to one where roles had a greater focus on the student experience as a whole. As a result we now have 4 full time elected officers made up of a President, VP Welfare, VP Activities and VP Academic Representation. In addition to these changes, the SU also committed to the introduction of 6 new part time officer roles which focus around representation for liberation groups to meet the costs needs of travelour diverse student body. Through As a result we now have a BME Officer, Disabled Students Officer, LGBT Officer, Mature/Part Time Students Officer, Postgraduate Students Officer & Women’s Officer ensuring that a wide range of students are now better represented through our democratic functions. Over academic year 2015/2016 the Students’ Union has invested in the expansion and growth of both the course representative system and student opportunities. An annual ‘Student Leaders Development Day’ has been established to identify those students who are leaders, through either representing their peer group as a course represeentative or supporting the running of a society group, and working with them to identify and enhance their leadership qualities both within and beyond these roles. This day was hosted in partnership with the Careers Service and is something that we are committed to expand year on year with a focus on providing employability enhancement of the funds available we also want to direct support to students who would find it difficult on financial grounds engage in SU activities. A continuing objective is to access work increase the number of academic societies allowing students the opportunity to take greater ownership over their learning experience by moulding their extracurricular activity. As well as increasing engagement levels we are committed to working with our society groups in order to recognise their skills and global experience opportunitiesto ensure that that the skills gained in this area are transferable and articulated well in order to enhance students’ employability. As well as the direct, tangible benefits which will come from this to individual participants, these activities will play a major role in building the community and providing opportunities for engagement. They thus support both student retention and success and progression.