Caroline Hoyle (School of Social Sciences) for Educational leadership

Caroline’s submission focused on her sustained and strategic leadership as Senior Academic Advisor for the School of Social Sciences between 2021 and 2025. It highlighted her role in developing a new academic advising model for the School of Social Sciences. What began as a pilot project in 2021 led to the introduction of a distinctive blended model of academic advising across the School. Caroline established and supported a team of 13 specialist academic advisors, known as School Academic Advisors, who now provide tailored support to first-year students and have developed expertise to support a wider range of student needs across SoSS.  The project improved communication, increased student engagement, and created a more consistent and personalised advising experience. Following positive evaluation, the model was made permanent in 2024 and is now embedded across the School as a blended approach to advising. Alongside leading this project, Caroline has to date supported around 240 academic advisors across SoSS, promoting a student-centred approach to advising that prioritises inclusion, wellbeing, and belonging.  Her approach has seen the creation of a new Special Interest Group within UKAT (UK Advising and Tutoring) to share this practice nationally.