Perceptions and Experiences of Academic Advisers and Minoritised Students at a UK University

Abstract

Academic advising can support students’ academic development and intrapersonal skills whilst fostering a sense of belonging at university. Despite recent advancements in knowledge and practices, it is not clear how best to support minoritised students, who experience outcome differentials and life circumstances that differ from the majority. Following a reciprocal mentoring programme pairing academic staff and minoritised students at a UK university, we explored students’ academic advising experiences. Qualitative data were collected and analysed via framework analysis. The mentoring led to both groups improving relational understanding. Ten themes categorised into three domains (Personal Factors, Institutional Factors and Interplay Between Personal and Institutional Factors) highlighted complex issues that affect students’ day-to-day lives, their ability to engage with academic advising, and factors that affect academic advising practices. Recommendations such as strategies to improve relationships, structured and developmental advising models, and guidance to improve role-specific clarity are provided.