Academic advising is often expected to play a central role in supporting students, from their first interaction with the university through to their transition into the workforce. It has the potential to shape students’ decisions, confidence, and overall outcomes in meaningful ways—yet in practice, it is still too often confined to course registration and procedural guidance.

Across higher education, institutions are investing heavily in student success initiatives, yet academic advising is not always fully aligned with these efforts. In many cases, advising operates in parallel rather than as an integrated part of the institutional ecosystem. Strengthening advising, therefore, is not only about enhancing individual practice; it is about rethinking how institutions design and deliver support across the student journey.

This online workshop delivered over two online sessions each of 4-hours is designed to support institutions in taking a more intentional and strategic approach to academic advising, informed by internationally recognized principles and good practices in the field, including the NACADA framework for academic advising. It moves beyond traditional perspectives and explores how advising can be positioned as a core component of the student experience; contributing meaningfully to student progression, engagement, retention, and long-term success.

Participants will be introduced to and actively work with key dimensions of effective advising, including the development of strong advisor–student relationships, the application of appropriate advising approaches, the use of institutional knowledge and systems, and the integration of ethical, inclusive, and student-centered practices. Drawing on NACADA’s guiding principles, the workshop will also explore how advising can be designed and delivered in ways that are caring, equitable, and responsive to diverse student needs, while maintaining clarity of purpose and consistency across the institution.

In addition, participants will explore practical ways to strengthen advising through better use of data, technology, and emerging digital tools, and will examine how advising can be delivered more proactively and at scale without losing its personalized nature. The workshop also considers how institutions can create more coherent and coordinated advising systems that align with their strategic priorities and student success goals.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have engaged with key advising principles and frameworks and will be equipped to apply them in evaluating, designing, and enhancing academic advising practices at both the individual and institutional levels.