Student Success - Strategy

Introduction

At the heart of the University’s new Strategy 2035 is our ambition to create opportunity and transform lives by ensuring the success of our students. We will achieve this by delivering a culture of educational excellence, centred on the development of lifelong learning, where everybody feels ready and able to embrace new opportunities.

Our focus on educational gain will be underpinned by the development of an inclusive curriculum that is skill centred, research and industry led and one which equips our students with the relevant skills, knowledge and behaviours to be professional, ambitious, adaptable and resilient. Our graduates will also have digital mastery, environmental literacy and be comfortable operating in and influencing an ever-changing, interconnected world.

This Student Success Strategy was informed by contributions from our staff and has been co-created with our students. We are committed to co-creating the student experience to foster high levels of student engagement, satisfaction and equitable outcomes through excellent teaching and research.

Gill Knight
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Leadership and Student Experience)

Our Goals

Goal 1: Ready to study

Inspire our wider learning community to study higher education with the University of Wolverhampton and ensure our students have
an informed, smooth and supported induction to University life.

• Inspiring: Work with all our communities to raise our future students’ aspirations by equipping them to make informed choices about entering higher education and studying at the University of Wolverhampton.
• Opening doors: Develop accessible entry requirements and selection criteria that extends beyond formal qualifications to
  create opportunity.
• Welcoming: Prepare our students for university life, by offering bespoke communications before they arrive, a well-planned welcome that is aligned with our Students’ Union, and an extended induction period to develop belonging and enhanced
  academic skills.
• Mentoring: Create mentoring schemes where our students are guided and supported to build their confidence and abilities during the different stages of their learning journey.

Goal 2: Student journey

Ensure our students can engage with consistent and appropriately timed opportunities, knowledge and support throughout their educational lifetime.

• Unified support network: Provide an infrastructure of accessible, transparent and easy-to-navigate support services, working in partnership with faculties and the Students’ Union, to provide an enjoyable, successful student experience.
• Social engagement: Support our students with the opportunities to build connections of common goals and interests, that enhance their sense of belonging, awareness of the diversity of local and global communities, leading to lifelong friendships.
• Health and wellbeing: Supply comprehensive advice and support tailored to our students’ requirement, which enables a positive and informed approach to their wellbeing and financial stability.
• Tracking of success: Implement data informed processes to track student success and engagement, design impactful initiatives that enhance student outcomes and educational gain to close awarding gaps and address inequality.

Goal 3: Prepared for the future

Education that enhances lifelong career potential, that inspires our students to be curious, to think expansively, consider multiple perspectives, and approach new challenges with confidence.

• Future education: Design an ambitious and stimulating educational portfolio, informed by industry leaders, research, our professional bodies and the University graduate attributes, which is aligned to the needs and aspirations of our communities and which contributes to the creation of a more inclusive and environmentally sustainable world.
• Professional practice: Develop a well sequenced curriculum that provides credit-bearing opportunities where our students are supported by dedicated career experts to develop their expertise and confidence in the skills needed for their future careers.
• Relevant assessment strategy: Ensure our curriculum has authentic and inclusive assessments that provide our students with the competencies and skills to demonstrate their learning, whilst delivering success.
• Lifelong skills: Work with a range of stakeholders to provide opportunities to enhance our students’ cultural, digital, environmental and entrepreneurial literacy, whilst raising their future career aspirations.

Goal 4: Learning culture

Recognising the importance of a supportive and inclusive learning community to enable our students to feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.

• Student-centred: Embed inclusivity and respect in all activities, creating a welcoming
  and informed learning environment.
• Welcoming campus: Provide high-quality learning and informal social spaces, with learning and digital resources that are tailored to our students’ needs.
• Student voice: Empower our students to influence their student journey, working in partnership with the Students’ Union, to provide the opportunities to have their voice recognised, understood and valued.
• Co-creation: Work in partnership with our students and wider communities, utilising their knowledge and skills to inform future
  educational initiatives to enhance their educational gain.

Delivering the Strategy

The delivery of the Student Success Strategy will be led by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Leadership and Student Experience), working closely with Faculty and Directorate leaders across the University.

The delivery of the Strategy will be overseen by the University’s Strategy Delivery Board and Academic Board, a committee of the University’s Board.