Policy on Academic Advising

The University has implemented an institution-wide system for the provision of academic and career guidance and the monitoring of student performance. For undergraduate students, responsibility for the coordination of the system rests with the Year One Director for Stage 1 (typically involving School of Languages lecturers), and with other academic units for Stages 2 to 4. Students on Master’s and Master of Research (MRes) programmes are also assigned an Academic Adviser by Programme Directors.

1. Academic Advisers

a) Each member of academic staff should act as Academic Adviser to a group of named students. The role of Academic Advisers is to

i. Arrange group meetings with Advisees to make general introductions when necessary (typically, in the beginning of each academic year).
ii. Arrange to meet new Advisees as soon as possible after allocation.
iii. Reserve one hour per week for meeting with their Advisees when necessary.

b) The role of Academic Adviser shall be:

i. To answer questions and give advice to their Advisees about their academic and career development such as selections on optional modules, Extended Study Scheme (ESS) modules and the undergraduate programme of study, and planning on postgraduate studies and career;
ii. To discuss any prolonged or recurrent absences or lack of engagement;
iii. To support their Advisees if they meet academic difficulties;
iv. To provide references for their Advisees as appropriate;
v. To help their Advisees (normally, undergraduates) fulfill the requirements of work placements and sign off on completion on e-Bridge;

c) Communications between a student and the Academic Adviser are, in the first instance, confidential. Where there is any concern about the health or safety of the student or of other members of the university community, the Academic Adviser may share that information with the relevant office on campus for follow-up. The student’s academic record remains confidential to the Academic Adviser, and other designated staff in the University.

2. Allocation of Academic Advisers

An Academic Adviser is a full-time member of academic staff.

a) The Registry coordinates the allocation of advisers for Stage 1 students. Stage 1 Students whose progression status is progression pending should remain with a School/Academy Adviser.

b) From Stage 2 through to Stage 4, other academic units (or the Registry, on the request of the schools/academies) allocates students to an academic adviser on their respective programme. This is achieved in a manner that assures approximately equal numbers of undergraduate advisees for each academic staff in the School/Academy.

c) Master’s and MRes students are allocated to Academic Advisers by Programme Directors.

d) If an Academic Adviser leaves the University, the relevant head of academic unit should immediately make arrangements to assign that person’s Advisees to a new Adviser, and inform the new Adviser and Advisees accordingly.

e) The allocation of Advisees to Advisers must be completed in Week 0 of Semester 1 each academic year. Should departments fail to meet these deadlines, the Registry will undertake the allocation by default.

f) The Adviser-Advisee information should normally be recorded on e-Bridge, the University student information system. The Academic Adviser will have access to the academic performance record of the advisee. Academic Advisers receive support from the Year Coordinators and Programme Directors.

g) All new academic staff are required to attend an induction session on Academic Advising presented by the Educational Development Unit (EDU) as part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework.

(Last Review Date: Oct 2023)