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Enhancement and Development

How colleges and universities communicate with students at difficult moments shapes whether those students seek help, stay on course and feel they belong. QAA Scotland has worked with staff and students from across Scotland’s tertiary sector to understand what compassionate communication looks like in practice. That work has produced a national report, a suite of case studies and a set of ‘Before and After’ examples of student communications – with more to come through 2026–27. The work was created for Scotland, and its lessons apply to colleges and universities across the UK.

Compassionate Communication in Scotland’s Tertiary Sector


QAA Scotland held five national roundtables and a session with sparqs’ Tertiary Quality Student Expert Group. We heard from 218 people across 39 colleges, universities and tertiary institutions, in professional services, academic and student representative roles.

 

The report brings together the themes from those conversations. It covers what compassionate communication means in practice, what is already working, the challenges of embedding it and the support the sector needs next.

Case studies


Compassionate communication is already happening across Scotland’s colleges and universities. Our case studies share current examples of practice from across the sector to help institutions adapt approaches to their own context.

Explore the case studies

Compassionate communication in practice: ‘Before and After’ examples


Small changes in wording can make a big difference to how a message lands. These examples show common student communications before and after a compassionate rewrite. They show how tone, clarity and structure can change a student’s experience of the same information.

What’s coming in 2026-27

Every resource has been shaped by the roundtables and developed with the Compassionate Communication Advisory Group, which brings together staff and students from across Scotland’s tertiary sector. The first set of resources were launched at our sector conference on 7 October 2026. Further resources will be published through the academic year: 
Winter 2026:

A ‘Top Tips’ poster, designed live by an illustrator with attendees at our in-person event in October

 

Winter 2026:

Annotated templates of key institutional communications

 

Spring 2027:

A Student Co-Creation Toolkit to support staff to develop communications in partnership with students

 

Spring 2027:

Customisable training materials and a train the trainer programme

To learn more about the project or to share institutional practice, contact Megan Brown, Quality Enhancement Manager, QAA Scotland: m.brown@qaa.ac.uk

Why compassionate communication matters


Compassionate communication means interacting with students in ways that are clear, empathetic and supportive. It is grounded in kindness, respect, timeliness and inclusivity. The project draws on the Principles for Compassionate Communication [link], developed in 2024 by the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce and now owned and maintained by the Academic Registrars’ Council.

 

The work began when the Scottish Funding Council asked QAA Scotland to include a focus on compassionate communication in the National Review of Awarding Arrangements. QAA Scotland has subsequently identified it as a priority for the whole tertiary sector, within the context of a student population significantly impacted by mental health challenges; a continued focus on digital education and what student support looks like in online spaces; and ongoing considerations of the use of AI in communications with students.

 

Compassion should underpin every interaction, but it matters most where conversations are sensitive and the stakes for students are high – from extensions, appeals and misconduct to results, finance and complaints. Embedded well, compassionate communication can support earlier intervention, increase engagement with services and reduce distress. It also has the potential to improve retention, satisfaction and completion.