A Pilot Project on Managing Ambivalence and Enhancing Student Engagement through Motivational Interviewing (MI).

1. Project aims and objectives (maximum 100 words)
AIM: Boost student engagement, equip Personal Academic Tutors (PATs) and Professional Student Support Staff (PSS) with Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills to identify and overcome individual student barriers to learning.
Objectives:
• Conduct surveys to understand dispositional barriers.
• Develop a MI CPD plan for PATs and PSS
• Provide support and CPD to implement MI techniques.
• Monitor and evaluate the MI implementation's impact, mechanisms and moderators.
• Share best practices and assess contribution to the APP.
• Evaluate direct and indirect benefits, including cost savings and improved student retention.

Outputs and deliverables
Outputs:
• Better support for students in transition from level 4 to 5
• Less student attrition
• Increase in student engagement with learning activity
• More effective engagement between students and their PATs / PSSs
• Professional development of UON staff

Deliverables
• Bespoke Motivational Interviewing Course (2 days) for UON staff supporting student engagement and academic development
• Advance Motivational Interviewing Course (1 day) UON Staff as above
• 1-1 Support from both applicants to participants above re implementing MI into practice
• Shorter sessions to advance or refresher on specific MI Skill to develop practice
• Evaluation report at end of project
• Future consideration (depending on evaluation and need) to providing MI training for students to provide peer mentor approach and work with student representatives.

This project deals with ambivalence of students and barriers to their engagement with their academic studies and student citizenship. Motivational interviewing is a way of conversation to empower students to achieve the changes they wish to towards success, and this project trains university academics and professional staff to achieve this.