Early support model

The early support model consists of faculty-wide guidelines on how to address students’ low concern problem situations at an early stage at the initiative of either the student or a teacher. Shared guidelines make it easier for students to find help while clarifying teachers’ responsibilities and opportunities to act in various situations. The model was presented at the annual Teaching Day on 19 August 2020. 

The rationale behind the early support model is that the primary contact person in problem situations is the course coordinator on behalf of the teaching staff. When necessary, the teacher will refer the matter to the degree programme director, who can take the matter further with the dean responsible for academic affairs, if needed. It is recommended that the teacher write down notes about any discussions, which they store, keeping data security in mind. 

From the perspective of teachers, the aim of the model is to provide a framework for how to proceed with low concern situations with students and for when the teacher personally notices a cause for concern or when a student approaches the teacher with a personal concern or concern about another student. Guidelines provided by counselling psychologists provide teachers with concrete instructions on how to act in various situations.