Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee

International Benchmarking: Student Support Services

Scottish Institutional Case Studies

These are a selection of case studies in various areas of student support offered by higher education institutions in Scotland. Each case study can be accessed by clicking its title. When collecting the case studies institutions were asked to focus on practice in key aspects.

We would be very pleased to receive additional case studies from Scottish HEIs in any of these Theme areas to add to the case study resource. If you wish to submit a case study it would be helpful if you could use this template.

Institution Title of case study Aspect
Aberdeen Foundation Skills for Life Sciences Academic Skills
Aberdeen Mentoring First Year Students Peer supportand mentoring, transition, retention, graduate attributes
Aberdeen Pre-sessional Academic On-line Induction Induction, Transition, Student Support, Retention & Progression, First Year Experience
Dundee Academic Skills Unit Life and study skills
Dundee Online Access course Pre-entry qualification and preparation for undergraduate study
Dundee Peer Connections Peer suppport and mentoring
Edinburgh Bibliotherapy at the University of Edinburgh Use of technology and Life and study skills
Edinburgh Mental Health Monitoring Peer suppport and mentoring (although not by peers)
Edinburgh Review of Academic and Pastoral Support Range and Balance of Services
Edinburgh College of Art Setting up an Equalities Feedback Channel Engaging Students and Staff
Edinburgh College of Art Creating a contact group of disabled studentst Engaging Students and Staff
Glasgow Caledonian Student Journey Staging Life and study skills
Glasgow Caledonian Student Single Session Therapy Engaging Students
Glasgow Caledonian The Base Range and Balance of Services; Engaging Students
Heriot Watt International student peer mentoring scheme Peer suppport and mentoring
Heriot Watt Student Volunteering Service learning - volunteering and the co-currriculum
Heriot Watt Systematic Approach to Identifying First Year Students at risk of non-progression Student support and retention
Edinburgh Napier Creation of Student Affairs Department Overall policy and structure for student support; Quantifying benefits and continuous development and improvement
Edinburgh Napier Engaging Students in Student Support Students' associations/unions
Edinburgh Napier Re-engineering student induction: the week 1 project Overal policy and structures for student support; Academic/campus orientation; Engaging students: building student communities and a sense of belonging
Queen Margaret University Academic Disabled Student Coordinator Student support and retention
Queen Margaret University QM Advance Academic/campus orientation
Queen Margaret University QMConnect mentoring programme Peer support and mentoring
Robert Gordon University Degree Link Engaging students; Support for students prior to entry
Robert Gordon University Development of Library Services to distance learning students Library and information services
Robert Gordon University Student Ambassador Programme Academic/campus orientation; Engaging students; Peer support and mentoring; Service learning
Scottish Agriculture College 24 hour availability of learning materials Use of technology; Life and study skills
Scottish Agriculture College Agriculture and the Environment: the Generation of Responsibility Engaging Students: building student communities and a sense of belonging. Life and study skills
St Andrews Orientation Programme for entrant students Overall policy and structure for student support
St Andrews Support Services Link Project with School of Physics and Astronomy Range and balance of services
Stirling Scotland Insight/Scotland Connect projects Careers and employability support
Stirling Scotland's Mental Health First Aid Training Mental wellbeing
Stirling Student Diary Academic/campus orientation
Strathclyde University Looked After Children Project Engaging Students: building student communities and a sense of belonging
Strathclyde University Maths Skills Support Centre Student support and retention
Strathclyde University Student Advisory and Counselling Service: First Year Advisor Student support and retention
UHI Millenium Institute Moray College Early Intervention Scheme Academic/campus orientation
UHI Millenium Institute Networked Student Support Use of technology.
UHI Millenium Institute Supporting UHI Students Community of Practice Range and balance of services
West of Scotland Student Volunteering Renfrewshire Partnership Project Student learning – volunteering and the co-curriculum
West of Scotland Employability Link Project Range and balance of services, Careers and employability support and Staff training and development.
West of Scotland Spaces for Learning Project Library and information resources; range and balance of services and use of technology.