Academic performance and adjustment to university life are the principal drivers of student success and retention, and the University recognises the significant challenges that our new students will face in their transition to Western Sydney University. Students must adapt to new expectations and ways of learning and writing to excel in their studies. The need to identify, support and retain students during their transition is essential to help the University achieve the goals of Sustaining Success (opens in a new window), and meet the Higher Education Standards.
Western Sydney is committed to ensuring equal access to education for all, and our evidence-based approach considers the particular circumstances of women, Indigenous Australians and those from low socioeconomic status or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
The majority of Western’s broad suite of curricular and co-curricular student-support services are inclusive and accessible to all students. Nevertheless, there are cohort-specific strategies to improve retention in identified at-risk cohorts. These may include scholarships, targeted workshops and professional development for staff.
Western supports the development and delivery of effective transition and retention initiatives and programs, and recognises the need to support staff to achieve these. Below you will find appropriate support resources at the University to address the academic factors to promote retention.
Connect and collaborate with Dr Colin Clark, Project Officer, Learning Futures.
Transition and Retention Documents
Support Services for Students
Mathematics Education Support Hub (MESH)
MESH (opens in a new window) provides Western Sydney University students at all stages in their programs of study, with mathematics and statistics support. Students can build confidence in using mathematics by engaging with high quality online resources, attending workshops and talking one-on-one with the MESH team during Library roving sessions.
Connect and collaborate with Associate Professor Leanne Rylands, Head of MESH.
Study Smart
Study Smart (opens in a new window) is a service offered by the Library (opens in a new window) to support the development of students' academic literacy and study skills. Study Smart Advisors both online and F-2-F can assist students to find and appropriately use resources for assignments, and work with students to improve study skills and academic communication skills. The Library also provides a team of Academic Literacy Advisors assigned to each school to work directly with students and staff in the Schools on embedded academic literacy support.
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
PASS (opens in a new window) is a free and voluntary student-centred learning program offered face to face or online. In PASS, students can meet and work collaboratively with other students from your subject to understand the subject content and develop study strategies to help improve your academic performance. Through actively working together with other students, students become more engaged and develop a deeper understanding of the subject content. PASS and PASSOnline sessions are facilitated by a senior student who has successfully completed the subject and who has been trained in collaborative learning techniques.
Connect and collaborate with PASS Coordinator Renee Boucher
Mentoring & Transition Equals Success (MATES)
MATES (opens in a new window) is a mentoring program for new students. MATES stands for Mentoring and Transition Equals Success. MATES provides first year students with an opportunity to connect with other new students and mentors in later years of study. This helps new students meet other students, network with other students and gain knowledge and skills to settle into life at university.
Connect and collaborate with Michelle Gillard , MATES Program Coordinator.
Workshops, programs and online study resources
Students can access free workshops, programs and online study resources (opens in a new window) to improve their skills in academic literacy, maths and statistics, information technologies for learning, public speaking, and much more. Life skills and career related workshops are also available.
Counselling
Students are encouraged to access free, confidential counselling services (opens in a new window) as early as possible before their studies are affected. Students are able to use the free Western Sydney University Counselling Service face-to-face sessions. In situations where face-to-face counselling is difficult for students, the service also offers Skype counselling, phone counselling, or eCounselling services (opens in a new window) In general, particularly for more sensitive or complex matters, students are recommended to make a personal appointment at one of the counselling offices.
Website: westernsydney.edu.au/counselling
Email: counselling@westernsydney.edu.au
Phone: 1300 668 370
