Bridging the gaps: Getting academic ready for uni

At the Skills Hub we know it can be challenging to make the move to university, so we have put together some resources for new students to help find ways of making this transition easier.

We asked our students:

"Which five academic skills would have helped me feel more prepared and confident in my first semester and year?"

Based on their answers, we have designed a short online course which aims to demystify, reassure and accelerate your academic readiness before your course begins. In addition to building a pool of useful resources, we will be delivering live and interactive online sessions.

Topics

How to use my digital tools

An introduction to and demonstration of My 国产探花, including My Studies. How to navigate the VLE, log onto your university account.

How to research and reference

What, where, how to find academic texts. How to bring sources into writing correctly. Explaining research terminology.

How to read effectively and critically

Demonstrate effective strategies of skimming and scanning, note-taking and avoiding plagiarism when citing. A focus on the avoidance of ‘overwhelm’ through critical selection.

How to write effectively and critically

Introduction to different types of assignments with a focus on the key features of most writing – academic language, style, referencing, criticality v description and the process.

How to 'be' at uni

Self advocacy, building resilience and habits through introduction to university life, language, expectations (autonomy); to include time management and mention all the support of well-being services (a student voice led session).

How to grow confidence in maths and stats

In addition to these workshops, for 2026 we will also be offering a foundational maths short course. More information to come.

Delivery

This course will next be running in September 2026 so please check back here for updates.