Fitness to Study panel training – for chairs and panel members: a half-day, online training event

Most universities and higher education institutions have a process for convening a Fitness to Study panel (which might go by a different name, such as a Support for Study panel). This is generally how more complex Fitness to Study cases are handled – involving convening a meeting of key people to consider the case and decide on an appropriate outcome, which might range from no action being taken through to a student being suspended or withdrawn from their programme altogether.

The role of chairing or being a member of one of these panels can be daunting, given that the stakes can seem high for the student concerned, and given that these Fitness to Study cases, by their very nature, are generally complex and high-risk. Being part of a panel like this can also be a part of our role that we are asked to take on without any specialist training.

This half-day course takes you through, step-by-step, the different stages of running a Fitness to Study panel meeting – from the initial preparation and evidence gathering stages, including inviting the student to the panel meeting, through to ensuring the smooth running of the panel meeting on the day.

Fitness to Study panel meetings can also give rise to a range of complex scenarios. What should we do if a student turns up for a panel meeting with a lawyer? How should we respond if a student, who is expected to attend a panel meeting, does not turn up on the day? What should we do if we receive unclear or overly simplistic medical evidence about a student’s fitness to continue on their programme? When should we allow an appeal against a panel decision?

Join us as, together, we explore these and other key aspects of running an effective Fitness to Study panel.

Who is this session for?

This session is relevant to anyone who may be asked to chair, or be a member of, a Fitness to Study panel.  This can include:

• Directors and managers of student services teams
• Senior colleagues in faculties, such as faculty registrars, and/or academic leaders who may be asked to act as a chair of, or advisor to, a panel
• University secretaries, registrars or other senior/executive-level managers
• Student services practitioners – including colleagues from welfare teams, wellbeing teams, mental health teams, international student support teams or other specialist support services
• Colleagues who are leading on, or reviewing, approaches to Fitness to Study cases in your institution

Learning outcomes

By the end of this event, participants will understand:

• What we are seeking to achieve with a Fitness to Study panel and who should be involved in the process.
• How to plan and prepare for a Fitness to Study panel meeting.
• Practical ways to respond to complex or challenging scenarios that might arise during a Fitness to Study panel meeting.

Fees

• Standard rate - Individual attendee - £70 + VAT (£84 incl. VAT)
• Discounted rate (15%) available for 3 or more attendees in a single booking - £59.50 + VAT (£71.40 incl. VAT) per attendee

You can either pay by debit/credit card or request an invoice. To pay via invoice, click on “Pay by invoice or bank transfer” when you get to the debit/credit card details page; we will then get in touch with you to arrange an invoice.

For any colleague unable to secure funding from their HEI/employer to attend this session and unable to afford the standard cost themselves personally, we hold a couple of places at each session which we can offer at a significantly reduced cost. Find out more about how to request one of these places, subject to availability.

Looking for training for your whole team or cohort? Does the date of this course not work for you?

It's easy to book a dedicated online session of this training at time that works for you. Find out more about our ready-to-run training.