Comparing and evaluating the impacts on student retention of different approaches to supporting students through study advice and personal development

This report examines two distinct approaches to supporting students at two different higher education institutions.

This document details the experience of first year undergraduate students within the contexts of an academic school and across an entire institution. The study looks at the Personal and Academic Support System (PASS) at Oxford Brookes University and at a holistic model of student support and development at the University of Reading. The findings from this report indicate that structured support fostering engagement managing expectations and enabling a sense of belonging provided by the institution plays a key role in ensuring students progress and facilitates student retention.