Transcript STAR Project - Ulster University

STARlite:
Life after funding
Tony Cook
[email protected]
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
The STAR Project
(Student Transition and Retention)
Consortium of
– University of Ulster
– University of Manchester
– University of Brighton
– University of Sunderland
– Liverpool Hope University
• Identify and disseminate good practice in managing
student transition
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Deliverables
• A clear set of objectives …. that will promote realistic
student expectations and foster social and academic
integration of students.
• A set of case studies documenting examples of good
practice
• A web site where the case studies and other information
will be available.
• A cadre of academic staff with the necessary experience
and expertise to continue to disseminate good practice.
• A set of working examples in which evaluated institutional
practices will be published as a book
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Delivered
• Objectives
• Case Studies
• Website
• Cadre
• Book
• Guidelines Booklet
• 49 case studies in 12
booklets
• www.ulster.ac.uk/star
• Over 50 in 17 institutions
• 3 books
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Dissemination
Nos of presentations
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
web
Booklets
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
10
Books
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Books
Cook, A. and Rushton, R. (2009) How to Recruit
and Retain Higher Education Students: a
handbook of good practice. Routledge
Cook, A. and Rushton, BS. (2008) Student
Transition: Practices and Policies to Promote
Retention SEDA paper no 121.
Davies, M., Cook, A. and Rushton, BS (2007) How
to get your kids through University- Accent Press
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Conclusion
– Important that key staff remained engaged
– New messages developed
• Initially research based (“ROOTS OF ATTRITION”)
• Moved to a staff development message
– AUDIT
– “IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT”
– Message is in demand
– Dissemination focus
• Web cheap- hosted by university
• Talks funded by hosts
• Books – extension of personal scholarship
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
Live on for a while
• Cannot live on much longer
– Information is getting dated
– Academic staff develop
– New groups occupy the space
• Publications are permanent
• Problems remain the same
All information freely available at STAR website
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/
And finally
• Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's
the transition that's troublesome."
– Isaac Asimov
• Of course there's a lot of knowledge in
Universities: the freshmen bring a little
in; the graduates don't take much away,
so knowledge sort of accumulates
– Lawrence Lowell
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/