Student Engagement

Student Engagement and Welfare Advisors are available to all students at the University and provide advice, support and guidance to students based on their individual personal circumstances.

Student Engagement focus is on supporting to retain students on their course by reviewing the options available and by liaising with other support teams, academic staff and external partners.

The team provide advice, guidance and support relating to:

Interruption of Studies, where students are thinking of taking a break from studies, pastoral advice and support is provided by Student Engagement (for international students we will also refer a student to visa advice). To apply for a break in studies, students must follow the Change of Circumstances process owned by Academic Registry - Interruption of Studies
Withdrawal of studies, where students are thinking of ending their studies, pastoral advice and support is provided by Student Engagement (for international students we will also refer a student to visa advice). If students wish to withdraw from their studies students must follow the Change of Circumstances process owned by Academic Registry - Withdrawing from studies
Recommendations on Post Graduate Research student requests, advise and recommendations for interruption of studies and extension requests.
Review of applications for discretionary grant requests, where students who are retaking units due to mitigating circumstances can apply for a grant on this basis.
Award mitigation - including advising students who have complex and multiple mitigation applications. Contact students who apply for mitigation more than once in an academic semester and offer appointment with an engagement advisor to review support options.
Attend Fitness to Study and Cause for Concern meetings to support, advise and follow up with any student needs.
Support+ is also managed by Student Engagement. Here students can find advice and guidance covering Carers/ Estrangement/Pregnancy/ LQBTQ identity/ Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault and Harassment/ Homelessness and Under 18 Students' Support.

Support with Student Welfare

Student Engagement and Welfare advisors support students with a range of personal circumstances including safeguarding and incident responses i.e. harassment, bullying, personal relationship issues, pregnancy, domestic abuse/violence, housing issues and assault.
Student Engagement and Welfare advisors are all SASH responders (Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment) and respond to disclosures made by students. Advisors provide specific tailored support and guidance including reporting to police and Sexual Assault Referral Centres.
Student Engagement and Welfare advisors make external onward referrals to appropriate agencies, i.e. Police, Luton All Women's' Centre, Domestic Abuse Services, Children Services, Housing Services, Local Councils and Foodbanks.

Contact Student Engagement

Students can request an appointment by emailing studentengagement@beds.ac.uk and a member of the team will provide them with the next available appointment based on students circumstances. Or students can call SID on 0300 300 0042 and the next available appointment will be provided.
Staff are encouraged to email studentengagement@beds.ac.uk or log a MyEngagement referral for any student cases. Where information is sensitive please keep to emails.
If you need to speak to an advisor please contact them on Teams or visit our offices in person.
For any Policy/ Process queries or concerns please contact Jamie Nelson in the first instance.

Find us in person

Student Support Bedford Campus – P Block, P0.31A, opposite The Hub.
Student Support Luton Campus – Campus Centre, Level 2, behind SID.