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Bangor University - Sue Niebrzydowski.

Under the theme of Student Engagement, initiatives include:

• Peer Guide Scheme: A well established scheme at Bangor where volunteer students are trained to act as peer guides who provide general support to new students, particularly at the start of the academic year.
• Peer guide scheme 
• Evaluation of peer guide scheme 
• Enhancing pastoral support: In some Schools, the traditional personal tutor scheme has been modified with initiatives like the use of postgraduate research students and setting-up tutor teams.
• Enhancing pastoral support 
• Coordination of induction process: We have a centrally co-ordinated programme from Fresher’s week that attempts to balance central and School activities. 
• Initial statement 
• Support for 'local' students: Over recent years we run pre-session induction sessions for local students who will not be living on-campus. These provide a means for students to get to know each other and to give them confidence as they prepare for Freshers’ Week.
• Home students 
• Mapping of student support: We have mapped the support available to students, presenting the information as a web-based resource.

Under the theme of Communities of Practice, initiatives include:

• Podcasts etc: Some Schools have introduced podcasts as a way of providing students with accessible information to supplement more formal lectures. We are investigating the use of podcasts (or equivalent) to provide feedback on assignments.
• Skills sessions: We provide drop-in skills sessions to provide one-to-one support and to supplement the teaching/learning that occurs in formal modules. 
• Master classes for 1st years  
• Study skills drop in 
• Academic study leaders 
• Academic study leaders - information on master classes 
• Academic skills practical timetable 
• Academic skills homework sheet 
• Summary of masterclasses 
• Generic skills modules: Some Schools have generic skills modules in Year 1, some linked formally to PDP. There are also College level skills modules that are provided across several Schools.
• Pilot project summary and progress 
• Level 1 personal development 
• Level 1 PDP 
• PDP planning for undergraduate students 
• Bilingual provision: Modifications to the traditional module (i.e. delivering material in English and Welsh in separate sessions) are being explored, including the use of simultaneous translation.
• Standardisation of practice/experience: Considerable emphasis has been placed on standardising practice across Schools and disciplines. The aim is to ensure consistency of student experience, e.g. in expectations for assessment load and timeliness of feedback.
• Large class sizes: Some Schools have large classes and have explored means to deal with this. For example, supplementing lectures with tutorial groups; use of electronic keypad systems for ‘quick-tests’. 

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