Academic support teacher
An academic support teacher is a form of support available under the SPS scheme, through which a student with a long-term mental health condition or neurological disability is matched with an academic specialist.
Academic support teachers must hold a master’s degree. They are typically lecturers or PhD students at DTU. But employment at DTU is not a requirement.
Framework for academic support
The Danish Agency for Education and Quality (STUK) grants and funds the support, while the SPS Unit at DTU acts as an intermediary and arranges for the support to be put in place.
As a standard, 20 hours are granted per student per semester, although not all of the hours may be needed. The academic support teacher and the student typically meet once a week.
In addition to the 20 hours, the academic support teacher is granted three hours of supervision and three hours of workshop provided by the Student Counselling Service (SRG) per student per semester. SRG also coordinates the support by holding an introductory meeting and an evaluation meeting with the academic support teacher and the student each semester.
The academic support teacher is paid a fee after each semester, as the work generally takes place outside normal working hours. Academic support teachers may support more than one student.
Would you like to become an academic support teacher?
If you are interested in becoming an academic support teacher and would like to learn more about the role, please contact the SPS Unit at aus-sps@adm.dtu.dk.
Please include the study programmes, subject areas, and courses in which you would be able to support students.
Advice for academic support teachers
This guide provides practical advice on how to support a student in your role as an academic support teacher. It includes guidance on:
- The content of weekly meetings
- Study and semester planning
- Challenges related to group work
- Contact information on other relevant guidance and support services