National Student Forum (Autumn 08)
- National Student Forum Report
- Introduction
- Gaining an overview of information, advice and guidance provision
National Student Forum Report
Kathrine Jensen, Higher Education Career Services Unit (HECSU) researcher, looks at the main issues in the first annual report from the National Student Forum, which is the body tasked by DIUS to ‘give a greater voice to students on higher education courses’.
Introduction
The chair of the forum, Maeve Sherlock, said in the Times Higher Education:
"Although there is a huge amount of information out there, it is really hard to navigate your way through it"1
The area of information advice and guidance (IAG) was identified as a key issue and the report sets out to address the following problems:
- Patchiness of local provision
- Lack of focus on the long term
- Insufficient information about individual universities and colleges
- Lack of information about additional sources of funding
- Complexities in the visa process
- Lack of preparation for culture shock
- Lack of adequate information when leaving higher education
The forum found that a more systematic approach to improving careers guidance in schools and colleges is needed and that institutions should introduce best practice guidelines for IAG provision to ensure that prospective students can make informed decisions.
Gaining an overview of information, advice and guidance provision
The forum acknowledged that a number of organisations with substantial amounts of information exist but points out that an organising framework is not provided which would help student’s navigate through the information gathering, application and entry process. The report also highlights the need for offering IAG provision to support a diverse student group and that IAG is a continuing process. However, in this report the focus is on IAG issues facing 14-19 year olds and therefore the group will develop further thinking on IAG for adults, postgraduate, mature, international students and for students already in or preparing to leave Higher Education.
The forum came up with five recommendations:
- Develop a ‘first port of call’ IAG portal
- Professionalise and raise the profile of school and college advisers
- Increase the use of student ambassador schemes
- Define and introduce best practice guidelines for pre-entry information provided by universities and colleges
- Introduce an entitlement for all Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) students to visit at least two universities or colleges
Other issues discussed include student finance, employability, improving the experience of disabled, international and postgraduate students, For the full document go to
http://www.dius.gov.uk/policy/nsf/documents/NSF_annual_report_2008.pdf
For more information on the National Student Forum go to http://www.dius.gov.uk/policy/nsf/
1 http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=404052&c=2
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