Enhancing the student experience 2022

These are past events

They are unavailable to book

Overview

As we emerge in a post-pandemic world, universities must show agility and foresight to continuously improve the student experience. From fine-tuning blended learning and supporting mental health to ensuring safety and inclusion on campus, join us as we assess all areas of the student experience.

This conference will be taking place in-person at Woburn House on 26 May 2022.

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Why should you attend?

Alongside informative, timely content from the most pertinent speakers on the topic, we will also be providing a wide range of opportunities to network, discuss, and make connections with colleagues within the sector.

Testimonials from last year's conference:

"I appreciated the good range of speakers and content - the agenda was in line with current issues and priorities."
"I liked the fact there were multiple speakers with examples - the many different perspectives were really helpful and gave much food for thought."
"The sector-level insights and senior team strategic responses were incredibly valuable."

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If you have any questions about this or any other of our events, please contact us at events@universitiesuk.ac.uk or 07500 441505.

We allow delegates to cancel their bookings up to one month before the event and receive a refund. If this applies to you, please contact us at the email or phone number above.

If you want to stay up to date with our events, news and publications, you can sign up for our newsletters here.

Agenda

9:30

10:00

Woburn House: Registration and refreshments

Room: Tavistock

10:00

11:40

Opening plenaries

Room: Woburn Hall

10:00

10:10

Opening remarks from the chair

Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University

10:10

10:40

Student engagement priorities: moving forward from the pandemic

Benjamin Hunt, Student Engagement Manager, Office for Students (OfS)
Professor Linda Bauld OBE, Chief Social Policy Advisor, Scottish Government
Nehaal Bajwa, Diversity, Access & Participation Officer, University of Sussex

Kicking us off for the day, we start by hearing about the most pressing priorities in student engagement as we emerge from a post-covid environment. Our speakers will explore what impact this may have had on the student journey and their experiences at university, and how to address this.

10:40

11:20

Student drug use: reducing harm and tackling supply

Hanna Head, PhD student, University of Birmingham and Chair, Student Advisory Panel, Student drug use taskforce, Universities UK
Luke Trainor, Project Manager, Better Than Well Collegiate Recovery Programme, University of Birmingham

A new taskforce has been set up to help universities understand and address drug use. This session will not only introduce the work of the taskforce and research conducted so far but harness an open conversation about student drug use and harms across the sector and what we can do about it.

11:20

11:40

Measuring student engagement to improve student outcomes

Ed Foster, Head of Student Engagement and Analytics, Nottingham Trent University

In this session, we will hear how Nottingham Trent University are using learning analytics to improve student success and their approaches to student support that have impacted retention and transition.

11:40

12:00

Refreshment break

Room: Tavistock

12:00

13:00

Breakout sessions (choose one to attend)

12:00

13:00

The impact of trauma on wellbeing

Clare Dickens MBE, Academic Lead Mental Health, University of Wolverhampton
Catherine Glew, Project Manager, AVA (Against Violence and Abuse)
Chair: Professor Dawn Edge, University Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Race Equality), University of Manchester

Trauma throughout our lives has great impact on wellbeing. This session will explore the intersectionality’s of exposure to various different traumas experienced by students and how this is likely to impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

Room: Bloomsbury

12:00

13:00

Inclusivity for Trans and non-binary students

George Virgo, Trans Officer, University of Manchester Student Union.
Caspian Priest, Final year medical student, St George’s, University of London and Trustee, St George’s Students’ Union
Chair: Myles Hanlon, Policy Researcher, Universities UK

The struggles faced by Transgender and non-binary students are often different to those of the wider LGBTQ+ community. This session will highlight exemplar inclusive practices for trans and non-binary students as well as the work of Trans networks in Students’ Unions.

Room: Foster

12:00

13:00

How can you remove barriers, and motivate students to normalise helpseeking?

Dr David Pike, Head of Digital Learning Systems, University of Bedfordshire
Lewis McKinnon, Head of Partner Development, Studiosity

We know that students who ask for help are more confident and submit better quality, more thoughtful work; but how and when are they asking for help? In order to remove barriers and motivate students in an effort to normalise helpseeking, first you need to understand existing student behaviours. Lewis McKinnon, Head of Partner Development will introduce how our UK university partners are enhancing their students’ experience by providing them with 24/7 online, personalised, core study support. Joining Lewis, Dr David Pike, Head of Digital Learning Systems, University of Bedfordshire will share key early insights from his as yet unpublished behaviour research, on how their students are seeking academic writing help, and crucially how this knowledge will be used to inform key pedagogical changes to ensure students seek timely help, in order to achieve student success.

Room: Woburn Hall

13:00

13:40

Lunch and networking

Room: Tavistock

13:40

14:40

Breakout sessions (choose one to attend)

13:40

14:40

Engaging students in sustainability

Professor Carolyn Hardaker, Head of School of Fashion and Textiles, De Montfort University
Anna Breward, Student, Fashion Design BA (Hons), De Montfort University
Catarina Costa, Student (Bachelor of Engineering), University of the West of England (UWE), Highly Commended Student Sustainability Champion, Green Gown Awards and Sustainability Officer, UWE Built Environment Society, The Students’ Union at UWE
JR Candia, Student, University of York (PhD), and #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)

Engaging students in sustainability is resulting in transformative approaches to climate action. Students at all levels are being given the knowledge, skills and opportunities to invent solutions and contribute to a greener world. This session will highlight case studies and sustainability champions that will inspire and galvanize further action.

Room: Bloomsbury

13:40

14:40

Safety and inclusion on campus

Lindsey Lockey, Consultant, Freelance
Maisha Islam, Strategic Plan Project Officer, University of Winchester
Helen Clews, Senior Consultant (Visas & Immigration), Cultural Engagement/Education, British Council
Lisa Ravenscroft, Communications Manager, ProtectED
Chair: Sarah Bevan, Policy Researcher, Universities UK

This session will discuss the various experiences of harms that students face and how we can ensure that students are safe in all aspects of their experience. From co-producing initiatives with student unions to evidence gathered about experiences from international students, we will hear about initiatives to create a safe and inclusive environment.

Room: Woburn Hall

13:40

14:40

Creating the most inclusive university of its kind with scalable student support from Smarthinking

Dr Alistair Morey, SFHEA, Head of Library Teaching and Learning Support, Queen Mary University of London
Jo Corwood, Services Consultant, Pearson

Queen Mary University of London offers a research-led education to learners currently under-represented in universities like ours. The 2030 strategy is to be ‘The most inclusive university of its kind, anywhere’, creating a truly inclusive environment in which learners can flourish and reach their full potential.

This session will explore some of the ways in which Queen Mary is developing new approaches to support its learners with transition to university, increasing support to help students develop their academic literacies and providing scalable, individualised advice to a diverse student body of 32,000 learners. Recently, Queen Mary has started using Pearson’s Smarthinking service to provide 24/7 online writing support and this session will provide some initial insights into that experience.

Room: Foster

14:40

15:00

Refreshment break

Room: Tavistock

15:00

16:30

Closing plenaries

Room: Woburn Hall

15:00

15:10

Welcome back from the Chair

Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University

15:10

15:40

‘Say my name’: fostering a sense of belonging

Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor of Sociology, Nottingham Trent University
Umme Sumaiyah, Student, University of Portsmouth (PhD) and #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)

Names are a crucial part of a person’s identity and by mispronouncing them or normalising ‘anglicised’ names we risk creating barriers and making students feel like they do not belong in our university communities, impacting the international student experience. Dr Pilcher will discuss her ‘Say My Name’ research and how taking the time to learn and pronounce names correctly we can let all students know they are welcome, valued and respected. We are also pleased to welcome an international student to reflect on their own experience.

15:40

16:25

The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on students

Dr Sammy Li, Adviser on Student Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, University of Birmingham and Executive Member, AMOSSHE
Kellie McAlonan, Chair, National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) and Student Funding Team Leader at University of the West Scotland
Jenny Smith, Policy Manager, Student Minds

With the cost-of-living crisis affecting so many people nationwide, students are being hit particularly hard. With bills rising, what should universities be doing to support students not only with financial advice but with their wellbeing, their studies and those from disadvantaged backgrounds that will be impacted the most?

16:25

16:30

Closing remarks

Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University

Who should attend?

This conference is open to all with an interest in this topic, however will be particularly useful for staff who have responsibility for or play a part in any aspect of the student experience. Relevant job titles include: