At Technical Sciences, efforts and activities to do with the first year of study are anchored in the Steering Committee for Retention, which aims to coordinate and exchange experience on student retention activities across the faculty’s departments.
The committee’s main tasks are to
collect and review the departments’ efforts in relation to reducing dropout and supporting the development and roll-out of ideas and efforts
identify which initiatives should be cross-faculty and which should be implemented locally at department level.
ensure coordination with key AU initiatives under the auspices of the Education Committee
establish goals and a process plan for joint coordinated efforts at the faculty level
obtain and share relevant knowledge in the area and, not least, make sure it is presented to the education committees so as to inform their work on retention
support a culture where departments can try out ideas and gather experience
The broadly composed group consists of the vice-dean for education (chair), department representatives, a representative from Student Counselling and Study Information (VEST), a representative from the Qualifying courses and upper-secondary school activities team, a representative from the Centre for Educational Development (CED), a student counsellor and student representatives.
At Technical Sciences, several degree programmes offer mentoring schemes under which older students mentor first-year students. The mentoring schemes provide first-year students with a safe forum for sharing their thoughts, doubts and any challenges, and the mentors facilitate a dialogue about how to handle study-related themes and dilemmas. The mentors serve as role models for the new students, offering support and input on what it means to be a student.
The departments are responsible for hiring, coordinating and managing mentors and their day-to-day activities. Student Counselling and Study Information holds a course where mentors are trained for their role.
