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Leadership for the First Year Experience: The evolving role of personal tutors.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Leadership for the First Year Experience: The evolving role of personal tutors.
Authors: Herriot, Pauline1, Duncan, Peter1
Source: Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice. 2026, Vol. 14 Issue 2, Part 2, p228-232. 5p.
Subject Terms: *Tutors & tutoring, *First year experience programs, *Student activities, *Virtual classrooms, *Academic support programs, *Educational leadership, *Academic achievement, *Student engagement
Abstract: This vignette examines how Personal Tutors (PTs) can act as ‘champions’ for supporting the first-year experience, while enhancing student engagement and retention within a large undergraduate Business Management programme. With increasing marketisation and diverse student cohorts, proactive support is essential. Many first year and direct-entry students face barriers to assessment submission including uncertainty about processes and limited awareness of support available. To address this, a streamlined system was introduced using Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) data to identify low engagement and trigger timely outreach. Complimentary measures, such as a centralised MS Teams channel, improved communication between Programme Leader, PTs and Module Leaders. These changes aimed to make the PT role more meaningful, reduce non-submissions and foster a supportive culture. Early adoption by other programmes suggests wider applicability. Future evaluation will explore the long-term impact and stakeholder perceptions to refine practices and strengthen institutional strategies for student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:This vignette examines how Personal Tutors (PTs) can act as ‘champions’ for supporting the first-year experience, while enhancing student engagement and retention within a large undergraduate Business Management programme. With increasing marketisation and diverse student cohorts, proactive support is essential. Many first year and direct-entry students face barriers to assessment submission including uncertainty about processes and limited awareness of support available. To address this, a streamlined system was introduced using Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) data to identify low engagement and trigger timely outreach. Complimentary measures, such as a centralised MS Teams channel, improved communication between Programme Leader, PTs and Module Leaders. These changes aimed to make the PT role more meaningful, reduce non-submissions and foster a supportive culture. Early adoption by other programmes suggests wider applicability. Future evaluation will explore the long-term impact and stakeholder perceptions to refine practices and strengthen institutional strategies for student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:20519788