How to Support Mature Students: 5 Action Points for Universities
Since the Government announced plans to roll out a Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) by 2025, many working in higher education institutions have been considering ways to support learners of all age groups and from all walks of life.
Undoubtedly, attracting mature learners has become a challenge for universities over recent years. With rising tuition fees and the reduction of loan entitlement for part-time courses, those at later stages in their life may not consider higher education to be a feasible pathway.
While there is limitations on what practitioners can do to influence government policy, there are steps that can be taken to create a more inclusive environment for mature students within universities.
This blog article explores a selection of small actions you can take to enhance the experience of mature learners in your institution. We hope that these practices will inform the ways in which the LLE influences the mature student experience in coming years.
Acknowledge the Mature Student Experience
Mature learners often arrive in higher education with different experiences, qualifications and approaches to the archetypal undergraduate student, who is likely a school-leaver that has completed A-Levels. This can create a barrier between mature students and the rest of the student body, especially for learners who are returning to education after a considerable hiatus or without traditional qualifications.
This sense of differentiation is only exacerbated when younger students are treated as the ‘norm’, leading administrative processes and academic expectations to feel exclusionary for mature learners.
Outlining the positive attributes mature learners can bring to their studies – such as enhanced work or life experience – while acknowledging the challenges they may also face can bolster a sense of belonging.
The University of Leeds does this well. The Lifelong Learning Centre’s online information hub immediately acknowledges the diversity of the mature student population and affirms that, while there is no ‘typical’ mature student, the experience can be quite different. They also have a dedicated YouTube channel, which includes a playlist dedicated to the mature student experience.
Provide Guidance for Academic Staff
It’s not just administrative processes that can feel exclusionary to mature students, but also the academic experience. Mature learners are often returning to education after a significant break and may feel unequipped or unexperienced in lectures and classes.
The University of Plymouth have put together guidance for academic staff on how they can better support mature students in teaching delivery. This includes recommendations such as drawing on mature learners’ expertise in class, providing preparatory reading lists and being flexible to accommodate other commitments these learners may have.
They have also developed a guide to inclusive teaching for mature students, which includes questions for reflection and further suggestions for good practice.
Offer a Physical Space
Mature learners are significantly less likely than their younger peers to live on campus. They are also more likely to have other commitments, such as parenting or work, which means they generally spend less time in the physical space of the university.
Providing opportunities for mature students to feel at home when they are in the physical space of the university is crucial. The University of Essex provides a common room where mature students can meet to have lunch or conduct individual or small group study sessions.
You might also consider organising library tours specifically for mature learners. This will help them get to grips with the resources available to them and give them the chance to meet other students with similar experiences to them in the space of the institution.
Deliver Targeted Academic and Administrative Support
Mature students who are returning to university after a significant break may find academic and administrative processes daunting. So, providing extra support to help them navigate these processes can have a huge impact.
You might consider running workshops for students on the following topics:
Essay writing
Referencing
Exam preparation and techniques
IT skills
Enrolment
Timetabling and time management
While many institutions already provide this kind of support to their study body, we recommend running these workshops exclusively for mature learners or offering one-on-one sessions. This will develop their confidence when interacting with younger students and engaging with their studies.
Bolster Student Voice and Representation
In order to feel heard, mature learners must be represented within universities.
Many Student Unions have a dedicated representative for mature students. Make sure that mature learners are aware of their representation by signposting it clearly in communications and website pages targeted at mature students.
Nottingham Trent University’s SU have taken this a step further: they have set up a Mature, Postgraduate and Non-Traditional Students Network. The network includes a board of representatives covering areas such as welfare, sport and education. It also organises a range of events targeted at mature students’ network.
It’s imperative to think of the specific needs of mature students when developing these initiatives. As a report by MillionPlus found, mature students are more likely to be disabled, come from deprived areas or having caring or family responsibilities. So, include mature students in your Widening Participation and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agendas. For example, you might have a dedicated support officer for mature students in your disability or careers service departments.
The Future of Lifelong Learning
The steps outlined in this blog post aim to make higher education institutions a more inclusive and welcoming space for mature learners.
As the sector continues to postulate how new government policy will translate into practice, there is hope that higher education will become a more feasible and attractive option for different types of learners. For those working to enhance student experience and outcomes, mature learners are a key area of focus.
