1) The document discusses how converging factors like changing enrollment patterns, student expectations, and perceptions of value are driving the need for increased student engagement. It also notes that retention is important for institutional sustainability. 2) Findings from the Gates Foundation emphasize the importance of collaboration between academic and professional services, measuring effectiveness of programs, focusing on student ownership of success, and establishing the right culture for student success initiatives. 3) The Starfish Student Success Partnership uses a holistic, data-driven approach to identify at-risk students and match them to targeted interventions through an integrated digital hub. It aims to put students at the center, connect them to resources, and remove obstacles to support.

1. S t u d e n t S u c c e s s w i t h S t a r f i s h
Benjamin Stein
Hobsons Plc
London, UK | 24 February 2016

2. A holistic approach to student success
Student success and engagement with Starfish
Q&A
The approach
The context
Students at the centre

3. Converging factors driving student engagement
Retention = sustainability
Institution finances are reliant on student
tuition fees for continued operation
Policy shifts
At a minimum, the TEF will boost the
importance of retention and satisfaction
Changing enrolment patterns
Increased access means more students need
more and more varied support
Student expectations
Engagement must occur through
various channels to reach busy students
Perception of value
The debate continues about the consumerisation
of higher ed
The shift toward student-centricity

4. Closer to home
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Insufficient tech resources
Too many tech resources
No student buy-in
Lack of executive support
Insufficient financial resources
No academic buy-in
Not knowing what works
Poor cross-dept coord
Data silos
Cultural barriers
Importance
Importance
Others receiving votes
• OFFA-relevance
• Complex IT systems
and processes
• UKVI demands (2)
• Personalised support
for students
• Entry levels of
students
• Lack of agreement on
what the goal is

5. Findings from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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1
2
3
4 Academic faculty and professional services must work
together for student success
Measure effectiveness and scale what works
Students own their own success
Change management and the proper culture are critical to any
student success initiative
Students fail to succeed for a complicated combination of
academic, financial, motivational and other reasons
Lessons of success

6. Findings from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
5
1
2
3
Academic faculty and professional services must work
together for student success
Measure effectiveness and scale what works
Students own their own success
Change management and the proper culture are critical to any
student success initiative
Students fail to succeed for a complicated combination of
academic, financial, motivational and other reasons
Lessons of success
4

7. What works?
Make the HE experience relevant to
students’ goals.
Develop identity as successful HE
learners
Nurture engagement with peers,
tutors and staff
The Starfish Student Success
Partnership
Academic study supports this approach

8. Draw on the experience and skills
of 300+ partner institutions
A community of practice

9. Starfish in context

10. Data-driven, action-oriented

11. “At the end of the day, even the best system and the best data
depend on people to translate them into actions and
behaviors that can influence student retention and completion.”
“…simply knowing who is at risk and why is not enough...if you
don’t have an action strategy that goes with the
predictions, knowing who is at risk is almost a liability.”
Melinda Mechur Karp, Senior Research Associate
at Community College Research Center
Inside Higher Ed, 13 Jan 2014
Ellen D. Wagner, Chief Research and Strategy Officer, PAR
Framework. “Moving the Needle on Predictive Analytics,” ACE
May 2015
Correctly balancing analysis and intervention
Moving past analysis paralysis

12. The Starfish approach

13. A holistic picture of every student
Intelligent data integration
VLE Starfish OthersSRS

14. Put students at the centre
A digital hub connects dozens of success factors

15. Match intervention to risk
Quickly determine who needs help and take action

16. Show next steps and resources
Offer specific tasks that connect to other providers

17. Give students a voice
Let students initiate their own help-seeking

18. Remove obstacles between students and support
Let students know when and where they can have your undivided attention

19. Connect, record and share appropriately
Online appointments synched with your external calendar

20. Capture academic feedback without disruption
Harness critical academic relationships

21. Next steps

22. Help us shape the Starfish UK community
Seeking UK foundation partners
Every student matters
Lead in advance of TEF
Identify resource gaps
Immediate
impact
• 300+ institutions, 2 in the UK:
seeking 4-6 pilot institutions
• Gather a quorum of diverse
institutions to shape
• Contribute to best practice in
student engagement and
success
• Guide roadmap
Starfish pilot project
Establish
infrastructure
Build on success
Act while analysing
Create culture change
Generate early wins
Focus on adoption
Modular approach
Measure outcomes

23. Questions?
benjamin.stein@hobsons.com
0207 250 6619

24. What are your current student-centered priorities at the institutional level?
What resources and initiatives have you invested in to address those priorities?
Which are the most successful?
What are the biggest obstacles to meeting your goals for student success?
How do you currently identify disengaged students (or staff)? How do you
get them back on track?
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Key questions to consider
NSS, TEF, league rank, employability
People/teams, physical spaces, technology resources
People/teams, physical spaces, technology resources
Early warning/alert system, referrals, self-identifiers