Student experience is a central concern for universities in the United Kingdom – and elsewhere. The Higher Education Academy defines student experience as “the totality of a student’s interaction with the institution”. This includes student learning, career development and wellbeing as well as other factors that contribute to enhancing a student environment. 

Since the implementation of higher fees, the marketisation of the higher education sector in the UK has transformed student culture. The burden of debt has led to higher expectations of the student learning experience which is reflected in student surveys. Hence universities are under pressure to deliver. 

In 2017 the Times Higher Education surveyed 2,000 UK students who reported high stress levels, not only in relation to the debt burden, but also due to the pressure of course work. Universities are expected to address these issues by creating a student experience and learning environment that supports student wellbeing. 

In the transforming cultural environment of the UK higher education system, universities have had to reassess academic and professional roles and develop innovative approaches to enhancing student experience, learning and wellbeing.

In the UK there are consultants who provide universities with expertise on developing student experience, wellbeing, and entrepreneurial or learning strategies. Scriptor Cube is unique as it is the first company in the UK to blend student experience and learning programmes for undergraduate, masters and doctoral students in the context of promoting wellbeing. 

Writing with confidence

Many of Scriptor Cube’s courses are based on two bespoke (core skills) pedagogical strategies: academic writing and networking. Confidence development is embedded into these methodologies. For example, the academic writing course is designed to help students cope with writing anxiety and build confidence in their ability as academic writers. 

According to Dr Margarita Huerta in Higher Education Research and Development, writing anxiety is the cause of 50% of American and Canadian students dropping out of their doctoral programmes.

My writing strategy addresses this by embedding confidence development into the seven-step process of starting and finishing an essay or chapter and involves turning the traditional strategy of approaching academic writing on its head. 

I developed the seven-step methodology from my own experience as a PhD student and it has helped many students and academics – including with their teaching of academic writing – over the years to overcome writer’s block and build confidence as academic writers. 

The focus of the workshop is on argument construction – another major source of anxiety – and removing blocks that generate writing apprehension. In a typical three-hour workshop students are encouraged to bring along research for a chapter or dissertation. By the end of the workshop students will have a detailed plan, down to the last paragraph, of the structure of their chapter or essay with some parts written. 

Over the years I have taught this to undergraduate, masters and doctoral students and it has had a positive impact. Recently I gave the workshop to doctoral students at Cardiff University and the student feedback registered a 30% increase in confidence in their academic writing ability. 

Developing self-confidence in academic writing is important as this will impact on the student’s career decision about becoming an academic, where publishing is a major factor – or any career that involves writing. This new methodology is currently part of my research into writing apprehension and will be published in the near future.

Networking

Scriptor Cube’s networking courses were constructed from a model I developed at Swansea Metropolitan University, which aimed to encourage postgraduates and academics to form interdisciplinary research groups – which included other universities and companies – that would target funding. Interdisciplinary research and teaching collaborations developed from that model, including successful funding applications. 

The success of that formula inspired me to turn it into a pedagogic tool for postgraduate students entitled the Creative Networking Module. 

This model was constructed as a way to encourage the creation of networking opportunities between universities and companies and is offered by Scriptor Cube as a pedagogical tool that teaches students how to plan, organise, moderate and manage themed interdisciplinary seminars and their impact.

The Creative Networking Module workshop is designed to develop student confidence in external engagement and enhance their career prospects while also providing opportunities for the host university. This model is an advanced form of networking for the student who is the principal organiser and moderator of the seminar. 

Coordinating the themed seminar with international input is challenging, especially in terms of gauging the interest of international company directors or university academics. However, being part of a global interdisciplinary research group that targets funding will always attract potential international participants. 

Entrepreneurial opportunities

The challenge of using such a model for students includes having the confidence to approach company directors and university academics in the UK and abroad; but also, as moderator of the themed seminar, the student will be central to the process and will develop skills in order to undertake this role. 

The focus of my three-hour workshop is based on building student self-assurance to run one of these seminars by providing communication strategies, moderating techniques, developing skills through role play, planning a seminar and other guidelines. I ran this workshop recently with doctoral students at Cardiff University and the feedback indicated a 25% increase in confidence to run the Creative Networking Module. 

The potential outcome for this project is vast. It encourages interdisciplinary research engagement both nationally and internationally – a major focus for any university; it will create post-doctoral opportunities for the student and other potential opportunities for the host university in the commercial sector. 

According to a Santander study, more than 25% of university students are or plan to be self-employed after graduation and the skills learned from the Creative Networking Module provide vital networking and entrepreneurial opportunities for the student.

There is an undergraduate version of the Creative Networking Module. In this model students are encouraged to understand the power they have to use the university environment to their own advantage. 

They have the brand name of the university and free rooms on campus so they can organise events with potential external partners (companies or universities) to enhance their leadership skills, career prospects and potential partnership opportunities for the host university. This workshop could also contribute to a university’s plans to enhance student experience in the corporate sector. 

Dr Catriona Ryan is director of Scriptor Cube Ltd and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Email: info@scriptorcube.com