Study Orientation Phase

At the start of studying, too, the University of Göttingen continues the preparatory phase for first-year students with a variety of information, advice and support services tailored to the needs of the target groups and specifically designed to help students in their new lives and studies.

At this next level of the Student-Life-Cycle, the following three aspects in particular can represent a challenge to the design of individual support services that are suited to the target group:

• Increasing diversity of the first-year student target group owing to intake at an ever-younger age and widening higher education to other target groups
• Adjusting the higher education system to Bachelor and Master, which results in a marked differentiation of the range of courses and their progress and therefore leads to an increased demand for advice
• Specific aspects of the new living and study situation which brings new challenges: self-reliance and independence, the pace of learning, and the complexity of academic life

Through strengthening the advice and support agencies primarily via the professionalisation of the Offices of the Deans of Studies project, the University of Göttingen has also created successful approaches to providing appropriate support for new students at the beginning of the Student-Life-Cycle.

The key areas of the issues raised by students with the advice services about beginning to study are diverse and vary depending on choice of subject(s) and personal living conditions. Fundamentally, first-year students need support with general orientation (e.g. location, university, institutions and contacts) and the organisation of studies (learning, study plans, timetable). Depending on the issue, there are various information and advice services (for instance Central Student Advisory Service, faculty examination and advice services, academic studies advice, psychological counselling service). In the first few weeks of semester in particular the Student Advisory Service receives a high level of demand for help with timetable planning and course scheduling. The structure and form of the advice (individual or group sessions) varies depending on the requirements of the faculty and the subject as well as the issue itself. The structure and form of the advice (individual or group sessions) varies depending on the requirements of the faculty and the subject as well as the issue itself. The representative for students with disabilities and chronic diseases provides information about available (support) services and advises on appropriate preparations to provide for the needs of students with health problems. These include in particular compensation for disadvantages during studies and examinations, an instrument for individually offsetting barriers and disadvantages and ensuring equal opportunities.

With the Information Platform for Students (IPS2), the Faculty of Social Sciences offers an interactive semester and study planner, which shows for instance which modules (still) have places and when they are running. IPS2 compiles all the information relevant to individual students: precise details on their degree programme, when s/he matriculated on this course, direct download of examination and study regulations, details of modules that have been successfully completed, average grades (per degree programme), etc. All this helps to effectively reduce uncertainty which can always occur in day-to-day advisory services.

Besides routine information on studying, the tool can also send personalised, semester-specific notes. These are primarily used at the Faculty of Social Sciences to inform students in good time if there is a risk of them failing to meet certain credit limits that are required in the study regulations, and avoid exmatriculation. IPS2 is an important tool in personal consultations, because the individual study progress is clearly shown and it therefore becomes clear e.g. what effects postponement of modules in the coming semester would have on the total length of time spent studying.

Another issue in study advice (including start of studies) is switching subject, either within the University of Göttingen or from another, and the recognition of examination work associated with this. This issue also ties in to supplementary advice services about switching subject and delayed self-assessment which are supervised by the Central Student Advisory Service. They aim to address students who are having doubts about their course and help them to avoid having fragmented academic biographies. In particular they deal with specialised aspects in relation to doubt and reorientation and thus the often very complex issue of switching degree programme.

The Studien-Check is a special offer that addresses particular questions at the turn of the year and in the summer semester.

Even before the course officially starts, students receive preparation for their coming studies. Some faculties have developed various pre courses/”Propädeutika” for the first semester of a degree. These events are designed to convey basic information in preparation for university admission which is not generally provided as part of school education, but which is necessary for the chosen degree programme. For instance, proficiency in Latin is essential to be successful on some philological degree programmes, likewise in mathematics for some natural science and economics degree programmes. These pre-courses improve students’ capacity to study the relevant disciplines. They also compensate for students’ varying levels of knowledge. In addition specialised working methods are passed on at this early stage, building contact between students and tutors early on. Better preparation and training of the student tutors responsible for the pre-courses is also planned.

The one-week orientation phase now takes place just before courses start. Initial contact is made between first-year students and those responsible for teaching and learning in the faculties at this stage, which at the same time is an important step in preparation for learning. First-year students get to know their tutors and fellow students, are introduced to the campus, and find out about other important places: departments, institutes, libraries. In addition, freshers receive support for planning and participating in the first semester.

On the first day of class of the winter semester, the University management gives an official welcome to all new students for that year during the freshers’ celebrations. At the “Forum Studium”, more than forty institutions from the University, the Studentenwerk and the city of Göttingen’s cultural institutions present their services in the areas of advice, support and culture.

On top of this there are information evenings for late entrants during the first few days of teaching - that is, for students who miss the orientation phases for various reasons.

Besides the Student Advisory Service, there are special mentoring programmes to tackle doubts by offering guidance and answering questions, and these have now been implemented in some faculties in a variety of formats, such as peer mentoring. This includes services especially for first generation students (for example the “moveMento“ project). The University of Göttingen has set up a training programme for mentors as part of this project.

There is a wealth of information material in both print and online form, created especially for the different needs of students in the study orientation phase. For instance, information folders containing flyers, readers or info sheets and brochures are handed out by the institutions and others at the start of studies. In addition there are course books, guides and checklists for the first semester, and hints on the organisation of studies and planning timetables, which in some cases are also available online or as video tutorials.

The University is also expanding the information it provides in particular in the field of online media, in order to ensure the target group has easy access to information (including in real time on some online channels). Web 2.0 makes it possible to raise the profile of services and information. The design of the web presence increasingly allows for accessibility. The special online services for first-year students are intended to help students actively share ideas. As well as the Starter Package, the University and AStA have a jointly moderated Facebook group for the first semester, and the Facebook groups organised by the subject groups will also be encouraged to exchange ideas. In addition, video tutorials are increasingly used to visualise complex procedures and help students find information independently or as a preliminary to obtaining advice. The University of Göttingen will shortly be expanding its e-learning services with a connection to testMaker.

All these measures represent a welcoming culture that guides first-year students through the transition from school to higher education and the start of studies as simply as possible.