A model of integrated support for students' retention and success in higher education

The Student Retention and Success (SRS) portfolio at the University of Tasmania comprises a range of services, programs and other initiatives to support students in their transition to university and enhance their academic, personal and career development throughout the university lifecycle. The portfolio also works closely with Academic Colleges to enhance student engagement and academic progression and to assist academic staff in their support of students.

Structurally, the portfolio comprises five teams: Early Intervention, Student Advice, Student Learning, Student Wellbeing, and Student Leadership, Career Development & Employment. However, in terms of functioning, the portfolio has progressed to an integrated model of support across three main themes related to students’ support and success at University:

• Academic Success
• Wellbeing, and
• Employability

This has allowed a more strategic and connected way of providing services, programs and interventions, rather than being piecemeal, and has also enabled a more responsive and multi-disciplinary approach to supporting students. It has also led to more targeted and networked partnerships and collaborations with academic disciplines to inform the work of the portfolio and ensure that resources are evidence-based and deployed to points of most need and impact for students.

This poster presentation offers a visual example that articulates this integrated functional model in practice. The example revolves around a recent opportunity for the portfolio to partner with the University's College of Business and Economics within a new course and to embed student support and development that is integrated across the portfolio areas and across the curriculum, and developed through a student lifecycle lens.