Student Wellbeing Advisor - Dubai Campus

at  Heriot Watt University

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential

• Educated to first degree level or equivalent or equivalent practical experience in the workplace
• Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above
• Competent in the use of relevant IT packages
• Proven relevant experience in enhancing the student wellbeing experience, which will have been acquired over a number of years, with a basic understanding of the relevant theory
• Good knowledge and understanding of relevant legal, statutory and governance applications and turning them into good practice
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively
• Demonstrable excellent customer service
• Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
• Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation
• Ability to research, analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail
• High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
• Demonstrable professional and proactive approach

Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
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Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification
• Professional qualification relevant to the role
• Experience of working in Higher Education

Ability to use Excel to interrogate, analyse and report on student data
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HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY VALUES

With a history dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and professionally relevant, leading-edge research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for business and industry.
We are a vibrant, forward-looking university, well known for the quality of our degrees with employers actively seeking out our graduates. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland’s international university with an unsurpassed international in-country presence. We deliver degree programmes to circa 30,000 students in 143 countries around the world, have a further overseas campus in Dubai and boast the largest international student cohort in Scotland.
At Heriot-Watt we’ve created an environment that nurtures innovation and leadership - where our researchers, staff and students can realise their potential and develop their ambitions.
We are proud of our collegiate atmosphere and integrated teaching and research approach which has helped to build a community of committed academics and highly motivated students. Our focus on careers delivers results and we’ve an excellent reputation for graduate employability.
In addition to the Edinburgh campus, we currently have campuses in the Scottish Borders, Orkney, Dubai and Malaysia. For all of our campuses we aim to provide stimulating, supportive environments conducive to effective learning and research, where staff and students can excel. At Heriot-Watt, we have an established set of values that help us to nurture innovation and leadership, and show our commitment to continuous improvement and development in all our activities.
Our values describe our deeply held beliefs and our community spirit. They characterise not only how we are as a higher education institution but also frame how we want to be.

Our values are:

• Belong
• Collaborate
• Inspire
• Celebrate

As learning, living and working institution, we use our values as the building blocks of how we go about doing our work and how we each conduct ourselves as members of Heriot-Watt University. They represent what binds us together as a University community and help us to become the best at what we do.
For full details on our University, please view our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/about.htm

PURPOSE OF ROLE

This post plays a key role in the delivery of a pro-active, professional support service to students. The post holder acts as a central point of contact for prospective and current students. This includes advice, assessment and arrangements for students of determination/with disabilities, and referral for support to deal with personal issues. Tasks include carrying a caseload of students who need ongoing support; liaising with academic staff to ensure that the recommended support is delivered and making onward referrals to counsellors and other mental health professionals where required.
The student experience is at the heart of all we do and the main purpose of student wellbeing is to provide advice, information, and support to undergraduate and postgraduate students throughout the student lifecycle from enrolment to graduation.
The successful candidate will work alongside the other members of the Wellbeing team to contribute to the development of a programme of workshops and other proactive support initiatives. They will also work closely with other teams from across the Student Life Division, in particular the Student Engagement and Student Council teams. They will form part of the Global Wellbeing Team, with professional support available from colleagues in Scotland and Malaysia.

SUMMARY OF KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide an information, advice and guidance service to students on the Dubai Campus.
• Undertake initial assessments of students who present with disability and provide appropriate support and guidance.
• Undertake assessments for Students of Determination/disability and co-ordinate the provision of specific support and services to students ensuring that appropriate reasonable adjustments are made.
• Screen students for Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia) and make referrals for further assessment by Educational Psychologists.
• Assess and advise individual students regarding their support needs.
• Identify where there is a need for formal counselling or ongoing Psychological or Psychiatric services and make referrals as appropriate.
• Organise and contribute to case conferences as appropriate.
• Liaise with academic and other support departments to administer support arrangements for students of determination/with disabilities, including exam arrangements.
• Develop effective working relationships with others in the Wellbeing team and the Student Life Division globally to ensure consistency of practices.
• Provide consultation and professional advice for academic and administrative staff on how to deal with situations relating to determination/disability.

Supporting the ‘Thinking of Leaving

• ' Service for students at risk of non-progression.
• Develop relevant literature, resources, policies and procedure in relation to the service, working in an integrated way with other colleagues.
• Develop and contribute to a programme of workshops to proactively support students of determination with their studies.
• Maintain appropriate records and make use of the IT based systems and provide reports as directed by the Student Life Manager and Global Head of Wellbeing.
• Work with student engagement to actively promote the service.
• Regularly review procedures and practices to ensure that the service is working as effectively and efficiently as possible to enhance the student experience.
• Support the wider wellbeing team (mental health)

Undertake additional duties as directed by the Student Life Manager
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