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Personal Academic Tutors and student continuation: the importance of establishing relationships.

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Title: Personal Academic Tutors and student continuation: the importance of establishing relationships.
Authors: Pritchard, Diana J. (AUTHOR), Kaya, Sibel (AUTHOR), Nethercott, Kathryn (AUTHOR), Briggs, Steve (AUTHOR)
Source: Studies in Higher Education. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 2, p309-325. 17p.
Subjects: Tutors & tutoring, Higher education, School dropout prevention, Mentoring, Qualitative research
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
Abstract: Students studying in higher education (HE) in the UK are reported to be increasingly facing challenges concerning their studies. Personal Academic Tutoring (PAT) systems are widely used in the UK HE sector since research has shown the importance of having an academic mentor to guide students throughout their learning journey. This study contributes to the literature by establishing the relationship between the PAT system, at an English university with a diverse student body, and continuation rates. As such, it responds to the requirement that HE institutions investigate factors that affect student continuation in contexts where there is increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies. Conducted in 2023, this study explores PAT practices in low and high-continuation courses using a mixed-method approach. Data was collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 47 academics and 18 students, triangulated with additional sources. The analysis includes descriptive and comparative assessments of quantitative data and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Findings indicate that academics and students recognised that effective support is contingent on good personal relationships. PATs acknowledged their limitations in addressing both academic and personal difficulties that students face, as well as the implications of safeguarding and data protection. Comparisons between low and high-continuation courses revealed significant differences in student allocation numbers and clarity about the PAT role and notable differences in strategies adopted to enhance support. The study concludes with an acknowledgment of its limitations, points to recommendations that have been taken forward by the University and the relevance for other universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Personal Academic Tutors and student continuation: the importance of establishing relationships.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 2, p309-325. 17p.
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  Data: Students studying in higher education (HE) in the UK are reported to be increasingly facing challenges concerning their studies. Personal Academic Tutoring (PAT) systems are widely used in the UK HE sector since research has shown the importance of having an academic mentor to guide students throughout their learning journey. This study contributes to the literature by establishing the relationship between the PAT system, at an English university with a diverse student body, and continuation rates. As such, it responds to the requirement that HE institutions investigate factors that affect student continuation in contexts where there is increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies. Conducted in 2023, this study explores PAT practices in low and high-continuation courses using a mixed-method approach. Data was collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 47 academics and 18 students, triangulated with additional sources. The analysis includes descriptive and comparative assessments of quantitative data and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Findings indicate that academics and students recognised that effective support is contingent on good personal relationships. PATs acknowledged their limitations in addressing both academic and personal difficulties that students face, as well as the implications of safeguarding and data protection. Comparisons between low and high-continuation courses revealed significant differences in student allocation numbers and clarity about the PAT role and notable differences in strategies adopted to enhance support. The study concludes with an acknowledgment of its limitations, points to recommendations that have been taken forward by the University and the relevance for other universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2465698
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: School dropout prevention
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      – SubjectFull: Mentoring
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      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
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      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
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              Text: Feb2026
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              Y: 2026
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