Student life

Students sitting together against a wall

Designing 24/7 hubs for students

What does it mean to create student-centric support? Here, Kieron Broadhead outlines the process and challenges in re-imagining a 24-hour student administration system

Kieron Broadhead

University of Southampton

A range of international flags, shot from below

Four key hurdles international students face – and what to do about them

How can we make international students’ academic journey a positive one? Katherine Mansfield suggests ways to alleviate their social, academic and language challenges

Katherine Mansfield

University of Westminster

Two women walk away from the camera, their arms around each other's shoulders

Ease the transition for international students with a holistic peer-mentoring programme

Enlist peer mentors to help make international students’ transition on to your campus a smooth one. Naia Robinson shows how

Naia Robinson

Australian National University

Five students wave national flags

Let’s make the international student experience as valuable as the degree

Given the unique challenges international students face, how can universities create an inclusive and supportive community? Educators share suggestions for helping international students thrive

Alistair Standish, Catherine Irving, Danijela Menicanin

The University of Adelaide

Young black girl dressed as superhero

Resilience and empowerment: reframing the narrative for first-gen students

First-generation students bring resilience and determination to their college journey. Based on her own experience, Lisa M. Lee explains how universities can support students from a place of strength rather than deficit

Lisa M. Lee

Virginia Tech

A buffet table, groaning with food, stretches nearly as far as the eye can see

A smorgasbord of strategies to help international students feel included

Educators are like seasoned chefs with the responsibility to create harmonious classroom environments that celebrate the flavourful cultural diversity of international students, says John Sinclair

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Young Asian student on campus

Supporting international students in their transition to US institutions

International students enrich and add value to American campuses. Here, Ashlee Toomey-Flinn offers practical tips for ensuring they transition successfully into their US university experience

Ashlee Toomey-Flinn

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Student in new city

How to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrival

Ayten Ordu provides five top tips that will help ensure international students have a smooth transition to their new surroundings

Ayten Ordu

Near East University

Walkway

How to use campus design to nurture a culture of belonging

Brian W. Casey and Graham Wyatt discuss the importance of campus design and beauty in support of the student, faculty and staff experience

Brian W. Casey, Graham Wyatt

Colgate University

Therapy dog

How to combat the mental health crisis on campus

From staff training to nap pods and on-campus emotional support animals, universities have well-established and novel ways to help students to better mental health and well-being

Jonathan Koppell

Montclair State University

Well-being and student support webinar

Campus webinar: Student support and wellness strategies for a new term

Academics from Campus+ partner institutions discuss effective ways to support students’ mental health, well-being and more

Helen Rowland, György Purebl, Kevin Friese

University of Southampton, Semmelweis University , University of Alberta

Group of students in discussion

How supported social groups create safe spaces

Connecting students who share a lived experience such as bereavement, family estrangement or loneliness can help to foster a sense of community and belonging at university, explains Hannah Moore

Hannah Moore

University of Bath

Two men competing in basketball

How to encourage students to engage in the broader university offering

Getting involved in campus life beyond the classroom brings multiple benefits for students, so how can universities encourage greater participation in the range of activities on offer?

Irina Shcheglova

Xi’an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

A male student moving into his college bedroom

How to create a home from home for students at university

Supportive steps that a university can take to help students adjust to life away from home

Adeola Matthew , Kerrie-Faun Nathan

The University of the West Indies

Students drinking coffee

From cohort to community: how to support student-led initiatives

Building a strong cohort starts with supporting students directly. Here, we, as student and staff co-authors in the humanities, share insights on how to encourage solutions designed for students by students

Ranita Thompson, Joanne Walmsley, Ben Graham

The University of Queensland

Statue of blindfolded Justice against the gay LGBT rights rainbow flag

How can universities support global LGBTQI+ human rights?

From more research to clearly signposted support for international students, UK campuses can do more to advance inclusivity worldwide. Drew Dalton offers four strategies

Drew Dalton

University of Sunderland

American football team starting a new play

Making male athletes key players in preventing sexual assault on campus

Young sportsmen have the influence to shift campus attitudes away from rape culture and misinformation towards accountability and support for survivors. A US-wide programme aims to empower them to do so

Tracey Vitchers

It’s On Us

Group activities can help HDR student belonging

We must help HDR students experience a sense of community and belonging

A University of Adelaide team on what can be done to enhance community for higher degree by research students and how to ensure they see this culture from the outside

Multiple authors

The University of Adelaide

Bag of groceries

A ‘grocery store’ model can help your campus food bank reduce waste

A move from pre-packed hampers can make university food banks more efficient and the space more welcoming – and build a stronger community. Erin O’Neil offers tips for switching to a grocery-store model

Erin O’Neil

University of Alberta

Student ROI is becoming a major factor in study abroad decisions

Is your university worth the investment for international students?

International student concerns have changed in recent years, and traditional study-abroad destinations need to keep up

Cagri Bagcioglu

Cintana Education

Paying cash for academic help

How can we encourage students to seek academic assistance ethically?

Following years researching paid academic support methods, Joel Heng Hartse suggests solutions that can help beat “academic help” companies at their own game

Joel Heng Hartse

Simon Fraser University

Architecture and new university buildings at Oxford University

Lessons learned from building a new university premises

Rick Trainor reflects on the trials and tribulations of constructing a new, multipurpose building from scratch at the University of Oxford

Rick Trainor

University of Oxford

How to help students and staff with online harms

Rather than waiting to be told, here’s how to do something about online harms

Emma Bond and Andy Phippen outline what institutions can do to better support their students (and staff) when tackling online harms

Emma Bond, Andy Phippen

University of Suffolk, Bournemouth University

The tastes of home can help international university students settle

Five tips for helping international students settle in their new surroundings

Ganna Pola and Önay Aktunç offer advice based on their experience as advisers to international students in North Cyprus

Ganna Pola , Önay Aktunç

Near East University

Woman casting a vote in a US election

Voting counts: how to get more students to the ballot box

Young people are less likely to vote than any other age group, so what can institutions do to engage students with the most fundamental of democratic processes? Rebecca Deegan shares some lessons

Rebecca Deegan

I Have A Voice

Students recording a video

Amplify the authentic student voice in university marketing

Any university can claim to be the best, but in the end, people will believe the students who study there. Here are tips on collaborating with students to create marketing content that amplifies their authentic voice

Ari Badlishah

The University of Edinburgh

International students require help when travelling to new countries

How to champion the international student experience from admission to graduation

An international student’s experience at your institution can be very positive with mindful handling every step of the way, says Preeti Aghalayam

Preeti Aghalayam

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Supporting university students in recovery

Universities must acknowledge the value of students in recovery

University throws up many temptations, but if we offer the right support for addiction we are often rewarded with strong, tenacious students and staff

Simon Lee

University of Sunderland

Three adult students working at a shared desk

A guide to promoting equity in HE for refugees and asylum seekers

Steps that universities can take to help refugees and asylum seekers access and successfully progress through higher education

Yeşim Deveci, Claire Mock-Muñoz de Luna , Jess Oddy

University of East London

Hands with 'hello' in many languages in speech bubbles

Welcome events make the transition to hybrid

A hybrid orientation programme can be immersive, flexible, interactive, engaging and fun. These tips offer a path to developing a blended online and on-campus programme that makes students feel they belong

Annabella Stover, Alicia Menendez Tarrazo, Rob Lowney

Dublin City University

Cancelled as a lecturer in university

What I learned from nearly getting cancelled

Being the subject of student complaints was a very difficult experience for all involved – one that I am trying to learn from

Anonymous

Campus

A female student writing in her diary

Student diaries as a tool to improve the university experience

Do you really know what your students experience during their studies? It is more complex than many surveys suggest. Using student diaries may support deeper understanding to improve student experiences, as Dan Herbert explains

Dan Herbert

University of Birmingham

Digital access is crucial and help is required for students to combat digital exclusion

We must remove technology worries from the student cost-of-living crisis

Students and parents cannot be left to make up the shortfall when it comes to financing their studies and tech needs – they need help from universities and government

Sarah Purdy, Steve Hall

University of Bristol

Woman holding up her hands against someone or something

What does ‘taking sexual violence seriously’ look like at universities?

Rates of sexual violence in universities are the highest in society, ONS data show. So what actions must universities take if they are serious about tackling this pernicious problem?

Graham Towl

Durham University

Dinosaurs taking over the city

Safeguarding conferences are becoming the land that change forgot

The lack of a firm steer from the universities regulator means a sector left in limbo when it comes to tackling sexual misconduct – and events covering the same issues year after year

Emma Bond, Andy Phippen

University of Suffolk, Bournemouth University

How universities can ensure first-generation students and their families feel connected

How universities can ensure first-generation students and their families feel connected

A first-generation college student herself now working in enrolment, Aimee Huffstetler, shares insight into what administrators can do to ensure first-generation students and their families feel connected to their university

Aimee Huffstetler

Gwynedd Mercy University

Image showing a woman sitting alone surrounded by chatting groups

What can your university do to combat student loneliness?

Five practical steps universities can take to reduce student loneliness and provide better mental health support, by Georgia Wheadon

Georgia Wheadon

Umii

Image of women in a yoga class

From tree rings to tree pose: exploring varied approaches to well-being in universities

Universities should employ a varied range of psychosocial support and well-being therapies to support students with diverse needs and improve mental health literacy, Kathleen Chim and Benjamin Chan write

Kathleen Chim, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Self-care tips such as setting a regular wake-up time can help mature students handle the stresses of university life

Coaching students in self-care lessons that will help them manage stress

From setting a consistent wake-up time to sound financial planning, there are many beneficial changes that you can encourage to help your students

Matthew L. Brown

Colorado State University Global

Student motivation and engagement can be about helping university students to untangle difficulties in personal lives

How to use the ‘motivation and engagement wheel’ to keep students on board

I developed the wheel as a model to help demystify student motivation and provide a source for targeted help where and when necessary, says Andrew J. Martin

Andrew J. Martin

UNSW Sydney

Male student choosing a book in his university library

Using digital technology to get student affairs and faculty working together for better results

When student affairs staff and faculty work together, it results in better learning experiences for students. Amy Greenstein and Steven Goss explain how digital tools can be used to support such partnerships

Amy Greenstein, Steven Goss

Manhattan College, Northeastern University

University students wearing covid masks as they walk around campus

Engaging public health faculty to make healthier campus decisions

As universities move from a crisis response to ongoing management of Covid-19, this guide outlines why and how to engage public health faculty in campus decision-making

David Johnson, Sarah Walsh

University of Louisville, Eastern Michigan University

University emoji friends: encouraging students to make friends on social media before starting university is a great idea, as long as there are protections in place

Social media can help new students make friends – but we must regulate it

There’s much to like about employing social media to help nervous students make connections before being dumped on campus, but universities must not overlook their duty of care

Andy Phippen

Bournemouth University

Advice on promoting democracy among students in higher education

How universities can promote ‘democratic competences’ among students

A guide to how higher education can help develop a culture of democracy among students, through study programmes, a whole institution approach and community engagement, by Sjur Bergan

Sjur Bergan

Council of Europe

Advice for educators to take proactive steps that help students form social bonds and support networks, in person and online

WhatsApp and campus trails: supporting students in building peer support networks

Group activities and social networks help students to feel supported. Here’s how to facilitate interactions that build peer-support networks

Kelly Edmunds , Helen Leggett, Becky Lewis

University of East Anglia

The university library needs a dramatic pivot to online to help academics and students alike in the new normal

Covid-19 showed that the academic library requires digital evolution

As we face our new reality, library services need a new vision, becoming ubiquitous and available no matter the challenges of time and space

José Vladimir Burgos Aguilar

Monterrey Institute of Technology

The way university teachers and lecturers speak to first-generation students can make a huge difference to how they get on in higher education

Gatekeepers or greeters? We must demystify university for first-gen students

Stone Meredith gives advice on using positive introductory phrases and how this can help first-generation students navigate university

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Advice on helping students to form social bonds and join clubs and societies after two years of isolation

Building student social networks offline

Becky Lewis explains how to purposefully encourage and support students in forming social bonds and groups after two years of remote learning, isolated from their peers and lecturers

Becky Lewis

University of East Anglia

Advice on applying user experience thinking to enhancing your student services in teaching and on campus

Are you optimising the user experience for your students?

Kevin Curtis provides an introduction to simple user experience (UX) techniques that can help when considering how students and staff engage with higher education services and their campus surroundings

Kevin Curtis

The University of Portsmouth

Advice on using music as a way to bring students together and rebuild a sense of community on campus

Play on: how to build community on campus through music

Nick Merwitzer explains why and how music projects can help build a sense of connection and belonging on campus and outlines the key considerations for supporting student ‘bands’

Nick Merwitzer

Xi’an Jiaotong - Liverpool University