In Higher Education (HE), bridging the gap between institutions and their student bodies has become increasingly crucial. Effective communication, support, and engagement strategies are key to fostering a sense of community and ensuring student success. In our series The Interview, we’ve gathered insights from leading HE professionals to provide actionable advice on connecting with students in meaningful ways. Here are five expert tips to help bridge this gap and enhance the student experience:

1. Implement Comprehensive Feedback Mechanisms

Kerry Matthews, Chief Student Officer at The University of Surrey, discusses the critical role of feedback in understanding and addressing student needs. At Surrey, an intricate feedback system helps ensure that student voices are heard and considered in university decision-making. Matthews highlights the university's use of representative roles, student panels, and surveys to maintain a continuous dialogue with the student body, thereby fostering engagement and improving student experiences:

We have an incredible representation structure across our Student Union. All our elected representative roles are filled, which drives engagement across the student body. More recently, we’ve established a student feedback panel of 160 students that reflects the diverse demographics of our student population. New ideas and initiatives are tested through the network of these panel members. We also run termly student voice forums and pulse surveys. All these mechanisms are in place to access the student voice as authentically and broadly as possible.

Learn more from Kerry's experience and expertise in her full feature here.

2. Maintain Consistent and Engaging Communication

Bob Green, Student Engagement Coordinator at the University of Kent, highlights the importance of regular and engaging communication to build a sense of community among students. By shifting focus to a broader range of topics relevant to student life, he managed to increase engagement significantly. Green’s experience underscores the need for consistent and relevant communication that resonates with students' interests and fosters a sense of belonging:

When I first arrived at Kent, I started a newsletter that I sent out to students every week. It started as a series of forensic science articles, but they didn’t get much engagement; so over time, it evolved into a community newsletter, updating students with news about societies, extra-curriculars, and campus life. It had to be written with students in mind and with their interests at heart. We also have an active social media presence, posting every day to engage with students. Consistency is key. It’s not enough to reach out once a term: you need to be interacting with students all the time. Feedback isn’t just one way — you need a 360-degree perspective.

Learn more from Bob’s experience and expertise in his full feature here.

3. Ensure Inclusivity in Support Initiatives

Christine Broughan, Interim Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Middlesex University, sheds light on the importance of inclusivity in student support initiatives. Broughan notes that students who need support the most are often the least engaged with university services. To address this, Middlesex University integrates support directly into the curriculum and considers the diverse challenges faced by students:

Middlesex University has fantastic initiatives, yet the students who need access to them the most often end up being the least engaged, emphasising the importance of having support built into our curriculum…we don’t just plan and execute initiatives for students who have enough time and money to be engaged with them, we also consider how these initiatives will be made available – and relevant – to a student with care responsibilities or a commuter student. To that end, we try to foster two-way communication through networks that students actually use, and our Students’ Union is a big help when it comes to discussing challenges, potential improvements, and the best ways to engage the wider student body.

Learn more from Christine's experience and expertise in her full feature here.

4. Speak the Students’ Language

Lesley Black, Director of Student Support and Success at the University of Winchester, emphasises the importance of understanding and adapting to students' communication preferences to effectively engage with them. Black argues that some students are perceived as hard to reach not because they are disengaged, but because the university is not communicating in ways that resonate with them:

There’s a mentality that some students can be hard to reach; I believe it’s actually that we’re not talking their language. We need to change our approach and take time to learn about our student body. We can’t give up on one approach if it doesn’t work for everyone; we need to try something else. We’ve set up a program called Student Collaborators to explore key themes intended to attract marginalised groups of students to come forward and share their feedback. We also leverage various media to reach students in ways they feel most comfortable.

Learn more from Lesley’s experience and expertise in her full feature here.

5. Provide Tailored Academic Support

Professor Ian Pickup, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Students (PVCS) at The Open University, highlights the importance of personalised academic support to address the unique needs of each student. The Open University’s Access course serves as a launching point for students transitioning into undergraduate studies. By offering tailored advice and support, the university helps students start their academic journey on the right foot:

We know that three key areas matter when it comes to students beginning their studies with us – their motivation to study, confidence levels, and readiness for HE studies. These factors vary for all our learners, so it’s vital they receive tailored advice to begin their learning journey at the right place. A great example is our Access course…it’s an academic launching point for students planning to transition into their first undergraduate-level course. We know that some students who start with the access course and then progress to the first level of undergraduate study can have significantly improved outcomes.

Learn more from Ian's experience and expertise in his full feature here.

Conclusion

Bridging the gap between students and universities is a multifaceted challenge that requires continuous effort, innovative strategies, and genuine engagement. By adopting these expert tips, HE professionals can create a more connected and supportive environment that fosters student success and well-being. Implementing modern communication tools, comprehensive feedback mechanisms, consistent engagement, and a holistic approach to student needs will help institutions build stronger relationships with their student bodies and enhance the overall educational experience.

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