STUDENT SUPPORT STRATEGY
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: To Provide a High Quality Experience to all Students.
VISION: To work in collaboration, in building a University community in which students feel properly engaged, and
who are enabled to fulfil their academic and personal potential by making an effective and relevant contribution.
AIMS AND PURPOSE: The University undertakes to ensure: High Quality Student Support Services and Experience,
Equality of Opportunity, Support for Success, Student Engagement and Responsiveness to Change, Fair Access to
Services, Caring for the Wellbeing of all of our members, Community and Belonging.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
Health and Wellbeing
The emotional and physical wellbeing of our students is of
primary importance if they are to achieve their potential.
We will:
• Further develop our multidisciplinary Counselling &
Emotional Wellbeing service alongside access to mental
health and wellbeing support and access to various external
support agencies and services should they be required.
• Further develop a range of Pre-arrival and transitions
information, activities and events for disabled students and
their families.
• Develop an on-site Disability Access Centre in which Keele
students can be ‘needs assessed’ in order for relevant
support to be arranged.
• Work with external support providers to ensure that
excellent personal, social and academic support is put in
place, which is specific and relevant to the individual
student.
• Routinely review the estate to ensure the campus is as
accessible as possible for students who experience mobility
challenges.
• Ensure student’s access to the Medical Centre on the Keele
Campus, or alternative health centres in the local area.
• Provide students with excellent, cost-effective Sports and
Recreation Facilities and which encourage increased
participation amongst our students.
Careers and Employability
We will continue to develop the career management and
employability skills of our students, through:
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The provision of professional careers advice and guidance
at all stages of the student experience from pre arrival
through to post-graduation.
Providing students with the opportunity to meet with
graduate employers though events and by forging strong
links with the graduate job market
Supporting academic departments and other colleagues in
creating internships and offering placements where
appropriate and practicable
Embedding key employability skills within programmes of
study via the Distinctive Keele Curriculum
Working in liaison with the Keele SU to offer students the
opportunity to take part in volunteering activities and
other development opportunities such as committee
representation as Student and Academic Representatives
(STARS)
Student Communication and Engagement Activity
Student Living Experience
We are committed to ensuring that students are well
supported in their living environment, whether it be
University Halls of Residence, in accommodation off site with
friends and fellow students or if commuting from the family
home. There is a commitment to ensure that the activities
and services developed on campus and in the Students’ Union
are engaging, relevant and accessible.
We aim to:
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Provide comfortable, affordable and safe
accommodation.
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Provide students with an effective residence support
service, which delivers welfare support to students 24
hours a day.
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Facilitate effective transport to and across campus,
including the provision of Keele SU safety buses
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Deliver an effective social programme and relevant
support to students who are living on campus
accommodation during the vacation periods
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Ensure that accommodation is prioritised and
appropriately enabled for disabled students wherever
possible.
Supporting Students through Transition
Students will be appropriately supported from pre-application
through to post-graduation. The University recognises the
many transitions that students negotiate throughout their
student journey and will as such ensure:•
Effective, considered and relevant communication to
students (including prospective students and Alumni)
throughout and beyond their student experience.
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Regular evaluation of the welcome experience for
students in order to ensure that new and returning
students are provided with the information and support
they require, and which enables them to make a smooth
transition to the next stage of the student experience.
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Tailored pre- arrival support and information offered to
key student groups e.g. Foundation, UG, PGT, PGR,
mature students, international students, disabled
students etc.
Support for International Students
The University is committed to developing more effective
communications with students across the University and will:
As a diverse, multicultural, global University, Keele strives to
ensure that International students have access to appropriate
student support, have the opportunity to engage and have a
positive experience whilst studying in the UK. To achieve this
we are committed to delivering:
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Routinely review the development of printed information
and guidance on student support issues, including that
within Programme Handbooks for both students and staff;
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Extend access to student support information and
guidance through the Keele Learning Environment,
Webpages and other appropriate and accessible
technologies
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Establish/strengthen mechanisms for effective planning of
appropriate student support between academic, technical
and specialist support staff;
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Explore and evaluate opportunities for student feedback in
order to ensure that the ‘student voice’ informs the
development of student support;
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Ensure the student representation system developed by
Keele SU (StARS) is effectively delivered and received.
To use a range of media channels to appropriately
communicate key news, events and activities to the
student body; working in close partnership with KeeleSU
to develop a participative approach to engagement with
the student body
Supporting Personal Growth through Learner enhancement
and through the Distinctive Keele Curriculum
Keele believes that the development of life and employability
skills should be embedded across the whole student
experience. In order to achieve this we will:
• Promote further the implementation and development of
the Distinctive Keele Curriculum by bringing together related
areas of student learning and development through the
Graduate Attributes; the Distinctive Academic Curriculum;
the Co-curriculum; and the Development Strand.
• Provide a series of integrated activities, in liaison and
collaboration with academic programmes and the students’
union, which support delivery of the Development Strand
and the Graduate Attributes.
• Promote and support further opportunities for the personal
growth of students through self-knowledge, self-directed
learning and the development of life-skills (as recognised by
the Institute of Leadership & Management) which are
embedded across the whole student experience
• Provide a learning support service, developing technology
that assists students with particular needs and which offers
broad based learning support.
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Effective pre-arrival information, communication and
support;
A comprehensive International Orientation programme
and extended transit support;
A programme of support and activities, which provides
students with opportunities to meet new friends whilst
exploring local regional and national attractions.
Opportunities to further develop language skills and
learning, and through communication with peers on
programmes such as the Keele Mentors scheme.
Services, which sensitively consider the cultural needs
and expectations of international students /student
groups are provided for, including the ongoing
development of increasing alcohol free and social spaces
across campus and catering that is representative and of
appeal to Keele’s diverse international student
community.
Effective timely, comprehensive Immigration advice and
support.
The Provision of excellent student support Services
We will ensure:
• The provision of a comprehensive Financial Support and
Education Service to students.
• Multi Faith Provision through the University Chaplaincy
Service.
• Relevant and responsive Information Technology and
Library Support.
• On-site Childcare Provision.
• Provision of effective and relevant services and
information for students studying at other campuses and
locations, including the Hospital Site and also campuses
in other countries.