This article reports on a study which evaluated five dimensions of first-year university students' engagement in Welsh universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilises a student engagement scale which was previously used with undergraduate students in Australian universities. Our findings provide insights on five dimensions of student…

Most of our current university student cohort, known as GenZ, have grown-up in a digitally connected world with access to various technological devices and social-media platforms. While technology can assist to engage students, in the learning environment many students spend a significant amount of time switching between devices engaging in…

Literature data show that acute, severe, and also chronic stress play an important role in the development of somatic and mental disorders. It is well documented in the literature that starting university studies results in anxiety in many ways for individuals. In this present work, we examined how perceived stress affects the appearance of…

Globally, statistical analyses have found a range of variables that predict the odds of first-year students failing to progress at their Higher Education Institution (HEI). Some of these studies have included students from a range of disciplines. Yet despite the rise in the number of criminology students in HEIs in the UK, little statistical…

This study examines the learning experiences including academic performance and assessments of Foundation students at a British University's campus in Malaysia during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A focus on foundation students is important because First-Year Experience is crucial to their academic success in higher education. Using a…

This article draws on findings from a qualitative case study of a first-year online unit (subject) offered by a large public university through Open Universities Australia. It includes the student voice, taken from formal evaluation surveys, and the voice of casual academic tutors, provided through first-hand interviews and questionnaires. What…

Student transition into higher education can set the foundation for success at university. However, some students, perhaps in increasing numbers, find this transition difficult. This study explores contemporary students' experiences when transitioning into Higher Education (HE) to gain an up to date picture of the multiple, potential sources of…

This paper investigates the expectations and culture that first-year students encounter when entering higher education. Induction activities are the first encounter with the new institutional setting and cultural context of the study programme, thus the students' first opportunity to develop ideas about what studying entails and what is expected…

To date, research has focussed on understanding how various contextual factors facilitate students' adjustments to university as they begin their studies. However, there seems to be limited or no research and instruments that have specifically conceptualised and measured students' adjustments, considering their transitional challenges, emotional…

The first-year university experience is inherently linked to student satisfaction, retention and academic success. A sense of academic preparedness can enhance the first-year transition experience. Subjects designed to assist students to transition to university can improve the transition experience; however, there is very limited evidence of…

The contribution of this article is to highlight how exploring various writing genres in the beginning of higher education can contribute to academic literacy. While many studies have addressed the transition into academia by focusing on academic writing, the use of various writing genres has scarcely been researched. Based on the thematic…

With respect to supporting student well-being and success, the current research developed a peer support scheme, built on the principles of Social Identity Theory (SIT). This was targeted towards first year undergraduate psychology students, in which measures of collective identity, sense of belonging, group efficacy, happiness and resilience were…

The first year of university is often considered challenging and difficult for students who are adjusting to different academic and social demands. In this context, teacher-student interactions can play a crucial role in fostering student motivation, engagement in learning, a sense of belonging to the university and academic persistence. Although…

A mixed-method study was undertaken to investigate factors affecting the transition to university of life sciences students at a research-intensive UK university. Questionnaire responses (N= 234) suggested that undergraduate students tended to agree that they had successfully transitioned to university level study in the first year. However,…

In an increasingly marketised UK higher education (HE) context, research on personal tutoring is crucial given its potential to positively influence both student outcomes and institutional measures of success. For example, students who experience poor personal tutor (PT) experiences may question the value of their degree in more economic terms and…