What works? A comparative evaluation of the roles of student adviser and personal tutor in relation to undergraduate student retention

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is a large HEI with (at the start of our study) about 24,000 students and two main campuses in Cambridge and Chelmsford, as well as a smaller campus in Peterborough and Fulbourn. It has a student population characterised by large numbers of mature, part-time students, many with non-traditional backgrounds. Over recent years, we have adjusted our regional focus away from having many small FE partners to fewer but larger joint venture (JV) relationships. Consistency of higher education (HE) experience across all of Anglia Ruskin, including the JV partners, is a key aspiration for us.