Program Outcomes

By participating in the sessions delivered through the UA Plus Program, students will:

• achieve holistic development in both personal and professional realms;
• cultivate essential soft skills needed to navigate various challenges and opportunities;
• enhance competencies beyond the traditional academic setting;
• acquire valuable knowledge, practical strategies, and inspiration from influential professionals in the field;
• improve their CV by including participation in the UA Plus Program, demonstrating their dedication to personal growth and proactive skill development;
• be able to make decisions about their educational and professional goals to become more responsible and self-aware.

Measurement Outcomes

At UA’s Vice Rectorate for Integral Human Development, we place equal emphasis on improving students’ everyday lives, professional experiences, social connections, and academic performance. To evaluate the effectiveness of the UA Plus Program, we have referred to the study titled “The four pillars of tertiary student engagement and success: a holistic measurement approach,” which explores the persistent challenge of enhancing student engagement, success, and retention in higher education (Bowden et al., 2019). It argues that traditional measures, which have primarily focused on student satisfaction, fall short of capturing the full scope of the student experience. Instead, the study advocates for a more comprehensive approach that considers the evolving nature of students’ academic and personal development.

The study explores four dimensions of engagement:
1. Affective Engagement: The emotional connection students have with their institution.
2. Social Engagement: Interactions among peers and faculty that foster a sense of community.
3. Cognitive Engagement: Students’ investment in academic tasks and intellectual challenges
4. Behavioral Engagement: Participation in various extracurricular activities and programs.

Each of these dimensions is analyzed for its impact on five specific outcomes: institutional reputation, student well-being, transformative learning, self-efficacy, and self-esteem.

By adopting this nuanced and multidimensional approach to measuring and supporting student engagement, we aim to provide a more holistic understanding of what contributes to student success. This framework highlights the value of the UA Plus Program in enriching the student experience at UA.

References

Bowden, J. L. H., Tickle, L., & Naumann, K. (2019). The four pillars of tertiary student engagement and success: a holistic measurement approach. Studies in Higher Education, 46(6), 1207–1224. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1672647