Achieving Success in Student Counselling: NCUK Student Counsellor Conference 2023
NCUK recently hosted its third online NCUK Student Counsellor Conference aimed at discussing higher education, Student Support available to NCUK Students and University admissions processes. The conference was aimed at NCUK Student Counsellors and it welcomed over 100 colleagues, including NCUK Study Centre staff, University Partner representatives and students, who provided valuable insights and shared their experiences.
On the first day, Stuart Smith, NCUK’s Chief Executive Officer, emphasised the importance of Student Counsellors at NCUK Study Centres and thanked them for their hard work in helping students whilst completing their NCUK qualifications and progressing to University.
Our focus as an organisation is on three key themes: Quality, Reputation and Impact. And if I look at one of our stakeholder groups with the most impact on students, it is you as counsellors, who help students access university. We want to recognise how important you are to us, how important you are to students and how important you are to our University Partners.
Stuart Smith, NCUK CEO
The NCUK Student Support team led a session on ensuring students are well supported once an application is submitted to university. The session generated great engagement from NCUK Student Counsellors, who shared their experiences supporting students at each stage of the application process. The team discussed strategies to ensure student success and how to offer support to those in transition. Furthermore, the session covered topics such as time management, stress management and networking opportunities. This was followed by an interesting panel discussion about an increasingly competitive admissions landscape across universities.
The day ended with a workshop aimed at supporting students in applying for their study visas. The study visa application process is often complex and can be difficult to navigate for many students. NCUK Student Counsellors and the NCUK Student Support team shared great insights on how best to support students both agreeing that early preparation is key in order to ensure students are well prepared and receive their study visa in time.
On the second day, delegates participated in a hands-on workshop aimed at sharing knowledge and learning more about Australia as a study destination.
Representatives from NCUK University Partners in Australia were there to answer any questions and provide guidance.
The conference ended with a session hosted by Ruth Jones, NCUK Student Support Associate Director, who was joined by NCUK University Partners and Student Ambassadors. They discussed how best to support students upon arrival at university, the support available to help students settle in well, and provided lots of valuable insights on what to look out for when arranging student accommodation.
I am delighted to be part of the third NCUK Student Counsellor Conference. There was lots of engagement from counsellors and colleagues from universities across the NCUK global network sharing their experiences and asking questions. A real highlight was the feedback from student Abdel Boukhezer who reflected on the research he did when he was looking at university options, and the support available from NCUK.
Ruth Jones, NCUK Student Support Associate Director
The conference was a great success, with significant engagement from student counsellors and colleagues from Universities across the NCUK Global Network. If you would like to work with us to deliver world-recognised qualifications, click here and get in touch today.