The approach

The team considered a range of options: continuing with personal tutoring while investing in additional training or embedding new professional services staff directly within schools. Ultimately, following consultation with staff and students and considering a range of models operating in the sector, the university chose a "Team Around a Student" model, an approach that some of the larger schools, including the Aberdeen Business School, were already moving towards independently.

The first principle is straightforward: any student should be able to approach any member of staff, and any member of staff should be able to help — either by solving the problem if they have the professional expertise and remit to do so or, often, by connecting the student with the right specialist support. This "no wrong door" philosophy means students can start anywhere, rather than having to reach out to one designated person. As professional services staff in schools were already carrying out attendance monitoring, escalating concerns when students stopped engaging, and providing a frontline point of contact, the foundations were already in place; the new approach formalised and extended this work. The model also recognises that multiple staff may be involved in supporting a student and this will be coordinated, with the student remaining at the centre. The aim is to avoid students being passed from person to person and having to repeat their story several times.

The model was presented, on behalf of the Review of Personal Tutoring Working Group, to the Academic Council, where it received approval with strong backing from the Deans of Schools. Students were involved throughout, with representation on the steering group from the start. A Student Support Coordinating Group (SSCG) was established, with representation from each school, Student Life, the Students' Union, HR and the Academic Quality & Learning Enhancement Team. The group oversaw the implementation of the approach and continues to play an active role in communicating with students and in monitoring the data to assess impact. School Student Support Coordinators act as champions within their own schools, offering guidance to colleagues on how to operate the new model effectively.

Central to the implementation was a new two-hour training programme which has been rolled out extensively across Schools to hundreds of staff in year 1, with training for Professional Services staff in central services following this year alongside top up sessions for staff who missed out on the first round. The training covered boundaries, referral processes, specialist support available, and drew upon anonymised real-life scenarios. Staff were reminded to operate within professional boundaries and were encouraged to ensure students in crisis or those with complex support needs were linked up with specialist services rather than attempting to address all issues themselves. The training drew the distinction between routine and urgent referrals, with urgent referrals guaranteed a response from Student Life within two hours. In this way, staff making a referral would feel supported and students would receive the right support at their time of need.

A further training plan is being developed: the SSCG will identify and coordinate arrangements for future training. Alongside this, a new Supporting Staff to Support Students Share Point site will be launched in autumn 2026.