Wednesday 21st March 2012, Guoman Charing Cross Hotel - London, 09:00 - 16:30
Improving the Student Experience: Putting Students at the Heart of Higher Education
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Overview
Improving student experience is a top priority for the UK government. With higher education being a major contributor to the economic and social success of the UK, it is imperative that improvements are continually made to encourage all prospective students to continue with their education.
In June 2011, the government published the Higher Education White Paper: Putting Students at the Heart of Higher
Education. The white paper sets out the government’s vision for a sustainably funded HE sector and covers four broad areas – reforming funding, improving student experience, increasing social mobility; and reducing regulation. The White Paper aims to "create a more dynamic sector in which popular institutions can grow and
where all universities must offer a good student experience to remain
competitive". In an ever growing market place it is essential for relationships between institutions, employers and students to be strengthened, creating a better student experience and eventually leading to better-qualified graduates.
With universities now being able to charge students up to £9,000 per academic year in light of the 'Browne Review', published in 2010. It is now even more essential that higher education institutions deliver a holistic educational experience that combines leading studies with an outstanding student social life.
Agenda
This essential forum will allow delegates to discuss and analyse methods to improve student experience in the UK. This forum will also seek to draw on examples and procedure from experts to share
best practice and understand students needs, in the hope of recruiting and retaining top student talent.
| 09:00 |
Registration and Coffee |
| 10:00 |
Chair’s Welcome Address Dr Annie Grant, Dean of Students, UEA (CONFIRMED) |
| 10:10 |
Morning Keynote: The Future of Student Experience Within Higher Education Reform
- The future of higher education: the impact of the government white paper
- Discovering how new government proposals affect student experience
- Opening up the market and responding to student choice and demand
- Taking responsibility for social mobility
- The impact of the new funding system
- Stimulating competition amongst the UK’s institutions in order to aid student choice
- Providing an increasingly efficient and cost effective experience for the UK’s student population
- Diversifying higher education provision: what does this mean for student experience?
Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10:30 |
Special Keynote: Funding Reform - Assuring Quality in Higher Education
- The importance of the Higher Education White Paper in enhancing the student experience
- Improving student experience and maintaining academic excellence during times of austerity
- The proposed cash increase in funding for higher education in 2014-2015
- Guaranteeing students are getting value for money through quality teaching
- The impact of the fee increase on students expectations of academic provision
- The importance of educational institutions working together and opportunities for shared service delivery to develop the best teaching resources
Professor Patrick McGhee, Vice-Chancellor, University of East London & Member, HEFCE Board's Strategic Advisory Committee on Teaching, Quality, and the Student Experience (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10:50 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 11:10 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 11:35 |
The Future of Graduate Employability: Transforming UK Students into ‘Global Grads’
- Work-based learning and apprenticeships as key features of graduate employment
- Improving careers services in the midst of financial constraint
- Raising awareness of the global economy and encouraging global employability
- Creating the right environment and opportunities to develop global competencies
- Guaranteeing that higher education is a catalyst for social mobility
- Making the U.K. the best place in the world for university-industry collaboration
- Supporting entrepreneurship and highlighting internship opportunities
Peter Forbes, Associate Director, The Council For Industry and Higher Education (CONFIRMED)
|
| 11:55 |
Using Digital Technologies to Improve The Student Experience
- The positive impact of ICT in improving student experience
- The influence of digital technologies in creating a new context for Higher Education
- Engaging students via distance learning, personal devices and public networks
- Developing the digital skills of students allowing them to excel in a digital society
- Technology and social media as a force for social participation
- Social media as a vehicle to improve student engagement in academic activities
Tish Roberts, Director, e-Learning, JISC (CONFRIMED)
|
| 12:15 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 12:35 |
Lunch and Networking |
| 13:35 |
Using Leadership and Evidence to Create an Outstanding Student Experience
- The future of the student experience
- The relationship between academic vision, student engagement and government policy
- How senior leadership can transform teaching and the student experience
- Looking at lessons from Australia
- Using evidence to evaluate performance and drive change in higher education institutions and systems
Professor Paul Ramsden, Visiting Professor, Institute of Education (CONFIRMED)
|
| 13:55 |
Case Study: The Importance of Surveys in Raising Standards of Student Experience
- Improving the student experience through working alongside the student body
- Using feedback from surveys as a way to improve the standards of student experience
- Using student experience data to support academic development and the enhancement of learning and teaching
- Highlighting the areas of improvement before changes are made
- Encouraging institutions to publish anonymous information about teaching qualifications and the expertise of all staff
- Identifying the information needs of the prospective student body
- Tailoring service delivery and teaching methods to suit the particular needs of the student population
- How to use student survey data to support academic development
Professor John Raftery, Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience, Oxford Brookes University (CONFIRMED)
|
| 14:15 |
Widening Access and Improving the Student Experience For All
- Developing a holistic approach to university education as a way in which to encourage participation
- The impact of the Social Mobility Strategy published in April 2011
- Building access agreements to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply
- Ensuring the delivery of access agreements and therefore a diverse student body
- Educating students on the financial help, such as grants, that is on offer to them
- Building on the successes made in widening access in the UK’s academic institutions
- Improving access to university as a way to boost social mobility
- The relationship between university education and future income
Alex Kelly, Chief Executive, The Access Project (CONFIRMED)
|
| 14:35 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 15:00 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 15:25 |
Increasing Retention Rates Through Positive Student Experience
- Encouraging a happy student population to increase retention rates
- The importance of personalizing service delivery to improve student experience
- Embracing students of all students regardless of age, cultural heritage or ability
- Guaranteeing optimum teaching provisions
- The importance of a multi-agency approach to student experience
- Increasing support throughout the academic calendar, highlighting the periods when students are most likely to drop out
James Haywood, President, Goldsmiths Students' Union (CONFIRMED)
|
| 15:45 |
Closing Keynote: Improving the International Student Experience: Building A Global Community
- The changing landscape for international student recruitment
- Living, working and studying in the UK: Improving the full student experience
- Helping international students with finances to improve their experience
- Ensuring teaching methods suit the needs of an international student body
- Guaranteeing cultural sensitivity from application to graduation to achieve the optimum student experience
- Providing the correct information in terms of visa application: helping all students through this difficult process
- Overcoming the language barrier
- The importance of working with multiple agencies such as FCI, UKCISA, BIS, BA and HE Institutions
Pat Killingley, Director Higher
Education and Education UK, British Council (CONFIRMED)
|
| 16:05 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 16:30 |
Afternoon Chair's Summary and Close |
*programme subject to change without notice
Exhibitor:
BLACKBOARD
Audience
Delegates will include vice chancellors, deans, pro vice chancellors, skills directors, heads of strategy development, heads of knowledge transfer partnerships, apprenticeship managers, careers advisors, heads of department, directors of studies, lecturers, directors and managers of enterprise and business development, and will be drawn from public local and central government departments, academia, research councils, further education, learning providers, businesses and employers, the charitable sector and the private sector.
