University student life

How to support students beyond the classroom, in all facets of university life. Here you'll find resources to help enhance student services, foster well-being, support a rich extracurricular offering and build inclusive campus communities and student societies.

A new students arriving at his accommodation with a box of belongings

Stop making assumptions about students

By designing assumptions out of the welcome experience, we can better prepare students to navigate the transition to university. Kelly Edmunds and Lucy Kemp offer practical strategies

Kelly Edmunds , Lucy Kemp

The University of East Anglia

A student accompanied with her mother and carrying a box of belongins up the stairs of her new halls of residence

Why we should encourage a stretched transition to university

Offering more information before and throughout university reduces the pressure on both students and staff and can help build a sense of belonging, says Becky Lewis

Becky Lewis

The University of East Anglia

Young healthcare student in a coaching session

How academics can use coaching approaches to support students

Academic coaching assumes students are the experts who already know how to overcome their barriers and achieve their potential. The key is giving them prompts and space to set their own action plan

Helen Foster

Canterbury Christ Church University

Students hold brightly coloured speech bubbles up to their faces

How to turn student feedback into HR decisions that actually change their experience

Despite the amount of student feedback collected, it is not impacting on students’ day-to-day lives. How can we change that?

Igor Kim

Nazarbayev University

A peer-led approach to helping university students with information overload

Complex administration tasks and fragmented communication channels can cause students unnecessary stress and prevent them from accessing support. A centralised approach that offers peer guidance can be an answer

Véronique Hédou

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

Use short-form videos to build community in large courses

TikTok-style videos can give a face to a department and encourage students to take an active role in academic life. Learn how to work with students to create them

Ramin Nassehi

UCL

Listen to Esther Papies, professor of social and cultural psychology at Radboud University, on how to nudge people towards greener choices on our latest podcast.

Campus Talks: How can universities nudge students and staff towards greener choices?

A behaviour change expert explains what is required to shift a whole campus community towards more environmentally sustainable habits

Esther Papies, Miranda Prynne

Radboud University

Man sitting alone in a state of distress or worry

Understanding autistic grief to support staff and students through loss

Autistic grief can present differently from traditional understandings of bereavement. Imogen Varle explores how to better recognise and support autistic staff and students experiencing loss

Imogen Varle

De Montfort University

Woman talking into smartphone, AI as student support

‘AI should support student services, not impersonate them’

Are universities ready for GenAI in student support? When chatbots seem to offer a scalable, cost-effective way to meet rising demand for student support, universities need to consider how to shape their use without outsourcing care or increasing risk

Michael Cowling, Joseph Crawford

RMIT University, University of Tasmania

Let’s build a higher education system that works for first-generation students

Higher education expects first-gen students to conform to a rigid structure that doesn’t suit their lives. Here’s how to offer flexibility instead

Jerid Counterman

Colorado State University Global

A university student painting a blank canvas

Help students disconnect from their tech

How a ‘digital fast’ can give students time and mental clarity – and how to support them through the process

Multiple authors

The University of East Anglia

A mother works at a laptop while entertaining a small child

Small tweaks to better support part-time students

Part-time learners negotiate expectations across family, work and study. Here’s how universities can design the system to support them

Asrif Yusoff

University of Greenwich

A group of students outside a campus building

Six ways UK universities can better support international postgraduate students

International postgraduate students navigate complex transitions. To support them, universities need to offer more inclusive support built into core systems, says Perpetual Eze-Idehen

Perpetual Eze-Idehen

The University of Manchester

Students laugh together in front of a blue wall

Build student and community partnerships for safer campuses

Employ the local community and nearby institutions to address student safety issues in a collaborative way. Here’s how

Simon Merrywest

The University of Manchester

How to build a social transcript that helps students stand out to employers

A verified ‘social transcript’ can turn co-curricular activity into a credible record that boosts employability. Here’s how one university designed a points-based, evidence-driven system to capture students’ real-world skills

İhlas Sovbetov

Istanbul Aydin University

Three ways to build an engaged student community from the ground up

Here’s how to bring students together to create a community on campus and encourage their active participation in university life from governance to volunteering

Denisa-Georgiana Nistor

Valahia University of Târgoviște

A group of smiling university students outside a campus building

Welcome new university students with inclusive events

Five ways to make welcome activities more inclusive, helping students engage at their own pace, build connections and feel a sense of belonging from the start

Megan Jones

The University of East Anglia

Spotlight guide: Duty of care, making university safe for all

Duty of care: making university safe for all

Safeguarding advice to help universities look after students and staff, both on campus and online

Campus team

Campus

More than singing: a university choir as a cultural hub

Flexibility, pedagogical sensitivity, community and well-being – far more than artistic perfection – emerge as strong notes in the process of establishing a university choir

László Matos

Semmelweis University

A teacher helping a student with mental health issues

I’m a well-being adviser: here’s how to support students with mental health issues

As students arrive at university with increasingly complex mental health needs, academics are often keen to help but unsure where to start. Tessa Warinner shares practical tips

Tessa Warinner

The University of Edinburgh

Use social media to create a digital community for international students

Students are already relying on social media to help them settle in when studying abroad, so why not harness its power for support services? Here are six ways to do so

Liubov Darzhinova

The Education University of Hong Kong

Students sitting at a table with their laptops

Why fixing student problems one by one does not work

When efforts to improve student satisfaction fall short, the problem is often design rather than speed. İlkay Karaduman reflects on planning a more coherent student journey shaped by key transitions and connections

İlkay Karaduman

Istanbul Aydin University

Two Asian students in a coffee shop looking at a laptop

How sustained mentoring can drive international students’ success

True integration for international students doesn’t happen during orientation week. It takes place over months and years, through ongoing mentorship, cultural events and year-round academic-career scaffolding

Jennifer Clevenger

Virginia Tech

Spotlight How to factor family into higher education

How to factor family into higher education

Practical advice for universities to support staff, faculty and students with parenting and caring responsibilities

Campus contributors, Eliza Compton

Campus

How financial literacy empowers first-generation students

Institutions that aspire to be truly inclusive must go beyond scholarships and access policies to embed financial literacy, writes Manjari Sharma. This can be done through workshops, mentoring and career services

Manjari Sharma

Christ (Deemed to be University)

Office workers discuss around a meeting table

Don’t forget HR when building a student-centred university

HR staff can be invaluable in shaping the student experience. Here’s how to keep them in the loop

Igor Kim

Nazarbayev University

A young man admiring a view from a bridge in Stockholm

How can we revive the popularity of exchanges and study trips? Make students feel safe

In the first of a five-part series on outbound student mobility, Lucas Lixinski looks at what care is due to students travelling overseas as part of their studies, and how this can incentivise or deter them from spending time in other countries

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

The best way to market a university? Start with the students

University students can be lifelong brand ambassadors for their institution. To harness the power of word of mouth, create an environment where students feel they belong

Youssef Chetioui

Al Akhawayn University

How can we model empathy in the classroom?

Curiosity, connection and communication are vital components of empathetic teaching, says Bhawana Shrestha. She explains how to make students feel safe, seen and supported

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

An educator talks to international students

Tips to support international students’ mental health

Studying abroad may seem exciting, but many students can suffer from social isolation. Here’s how to offer support

Sarvenaz Safavi

Near East University

Group of four smiling college students walking

A warm welcome is a strategic imperative for higher education

If we want incoming students to flourish, we must stop treating belonging as a bonus and start seeing it as an essential condition for learning. Scott Dunning offers strategies on welcoming students to succeed

Scott Dunning

Virginia Tech

Happy multiracial group of college students

Reimagining the student experience using tips from start-up culture

Start-up principles such as rapid iteration, co-creation and agile teamwork can be used to transform the student experience, enabling faster, more effective responses to evolving student needs

Melissa Padfield, Sarah Wolgemuth

University of Alberta

An illustration of a woman, her face obscured by a giant scribble

Diversify university mental health services beyond CBT

With the number of students experiencing mental health issues rising, CBT is being applied as a one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s how to branch out into other approaches

Ava Doherty

University of Oxford

Turning a student-led initiative into a language-learning community

Simple steps to foster informal, institution-wide language learning can develop into a sustainable programme that builds confidence, encourages cultural exchange and strengthens student community

Viktória Sirokmány

Semmelweis University

A healthy array of vegetables and pulses

Put food sustainability on your university’s menu

Steps for embracing food sustainability and fostering behaviour change across campus, which any higher education institution could take

Graeme Collie

King’s College London

The power of breakfast to boost student attendance

Learn how a free weekly breakfast initiative has strengthened student belonging, improved attendance and proved surprisingly easy to sustain on a small budget

Jean O’Donoghue, Jessica Thackeray, Adrian Penny

The University of Edinburgh

How to help autistic students adjust to life on campus

With autistic students’ drop-out rate spiking, here’s how to help them ease into their university career, allow for neurodiversity-friendly socialising and reduce their anxiety with a furry friend

Tabitha Biller

De Montfort University

Campus webinar: The secrets of international student success

Four academics based in the UK and France discuss how universities can ensure international students fulfil their potential throughout and after their studies

Allan Atlee, Joanna Daaboul, Helen Galbraith, Felipe Koch

University of the Arts London, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, University of Chester, Université Paris-Est Créteil

An illustrated image depicting two groups of people arguing with each other headed by a leader holding a megaphone

Dealing with division: the polarised university

How can universities encourage respectful disagreement, empathy and compassion while handling sensitive topics with care and protecting academic freedom – keeping higher education open, inclusive and intellectually rigorous?

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

Mapping employability skills across curricula

A mandatory university-wide initiative shows how mapping professional skills against all programmes can tailor students’ work readiness no matter their career path

Katy Gordon

University of Southampton

Three ways to hone your university library services for ultimate student satisfaction

Ditch the doughnuts and cut your cloth – find out the small changes that can have a big impact on student satisfaction in their university library

Karen Lloyd, Ruth Clark

University of Chichester

An illustration of a businessman attempting to hit three targets with one bow

Why range may be a crucial skill for the employees of the future

Students today will be treading a career path that doesn’t exist yet. Here’s how to encourage them to develop the agility and resilience they’ll need for an uncertain world

Yılmaz Köylü

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Tips for inducting student reps into your faculty

Clear guidance and tailored training can empower student representatives. Mary Woolley shares strategies that have strengthened student-staff collaboration and led to more constructive feedback

Mary Woolley

The University of Edinburgh

How to harness AI for student support: a human-centred approach

Drawing on the creation of a virtual assistant for her MBA students, Zemin Chen shares lessons for educators seeking to introduce GenAI into the classroom

Zemin Chen

University of Lancashire

Ease student climate anxiety through nature and community

As climate anxiety grows among students, connecting with nature and building supportive communities nurture resilience, purpose and well-being, say Mireia Bes and Vivienne Kuh

Mireia Bes, Vivienne Kuh

The University of Bristol

What I learned about South Asian women when we built a space for them

Instead of building broad-spectrum equity programmes and hoping for the best, what about a more tailored approach? Sobia Razzaq explains how a careers programme tailored to final-year students from South Asian backgrounds helped them find confidence and community

Sobia Razzaq

University of Westminster

Study abroad coordinators need more support

Study abroad academic coordinators manage everything from paperwork to pastoral care, yet their roles are often undervalued and under-resourced. Vasilica Mocanu explores the challenges they face and solutions to them

Vasilica Mocanu

University of Salamanca

Campus Talks: What today’s hyper-connected students need from their first weeks on campus

Students taking their first steps on to university campuses this month will arrive more informed – thanks to AI and social media – and more focused on career outcomes than previous intakes. So, how should universities tailor their welcome to set incoming cohorts up for success?

Rachel Gable

William & Mary

Greeting first-year university students with ‘structured serendipity’

Students start university with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Institutions should address that emotional landscape early – to help incoming cohorts adjust to newfound independence, discover what it takes to succeed academically and find their place to belong

Stephen Biscotte

Virginia Tech

Designing inclusive welcome experiences in creative education

In creative education, where students’ confidence in identity and self-expression are central, their question at induction might not be ‘Where’s my timetable?’ but ‘Do I belong?’ This consideration is key for universities welcoming diverse cohorts

Sachan Williams

University of the Arts London

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