Academic advising is to guide and inspire.
We believe in the importance of academic advising and experience sharing in guiding students along their academic journey towards their goals and inspiring them to explore and seize precious opportunities in life.
While Faculty Academic Advisers and other types of advisers at the University take up the responsibilities of empowering and instilling positive impacts, not only academic but also life-long, in our undergraduate students; the Academic Advising and Scholarships Office is dedicated to providing the necessary assistance and resources to support advisers in fulfilling their roles.
This guide, covering preparation for advising meetings, important considerations amidst, and follow-up measures thereafter, aims to serve as a practical resource for Faculty Academic Advisers. It addresses common academic concerns and study issues encountered by students, and provides insights into effective approaches for managing these matters.
Let us work together to help our students realise their full potential and bring out their best!
Academic Advising and Scholarships Office
The University of Hong Kong
January 2025
1. Getting Started as a Faculty Academic Adviser (FAA)
1.1 The Significance of Academic Advising
Academic advising, an integral part of higher education along with teaching, learning and research, provides students with guidance and support in accomplishing their academic, career and life goals. During the process in which advisers and advisees engage in a dynamic relationship, students gain access to crucial tools and resources for adjusting to university life, setting up goals and preparing for future challenges. Students are at the same time encouraged and empowered to uphold the importance and values of critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making, together with other vital skills, for becoming multifaceted individuals.
1.2 The University-wide Academic Advising System
To help students achieve greater satisfaction with their academic experience and acquire better self-understanding for goal actualisation, the Senate has approved the establishment of the University-wide Academic Advising System, a comprehensive University advising network involving collaborative efforts of four leading units.
(1) Faculty-Based Academic Advising, comprising:
- An Academic Advising and First Year Experience Coordinator to oversee academic advising in the Faculty;
- A Faculty Academic Adviser (FAA) for every new undergraduate student;
- A Temporary Academic Adviser (TAA) for each Major and Minor programme; and
- Faculty Student Advisers (FSAs) in some Faculties.
All first-year undergraduate students will sign up for/be allocated a FAA from whom they may seek advice on different academic issues throughout their years of studies.
(2) Central Academic Advising, provided by the Academic Advising and Scholarships Office (AASO) which is tasked with coordinating academic advising initiatives, organising adviser training activities and developing centralised advising resources. As a general adviser, the AASO assists students in understanding the University regulations, course enrolment procedures and various academic options.
(3) Residence-Based Academic Advising, involving senior student residents appointed by each Hall and Residential College as Residential Student Advisers (RSAs) to share with advisees their experience and advice on balancing hall life and studies.
(4) Web-Based Academic Advising, a comprehensive website developed by the AASO to provide students with essential academic information and various online tools and resources useful for study planning. Academic advising tools are also available to Faculty Advisers and Student Advisers on the SIS and AASO website.
1.3 Roles and Responsibilities of FAAs
Serving as an adviser is one of the teaching duties of academic staff at HKU. As a FAA, your main roles and responsibilities are to guide and support your advisees through:
- Studies and Academically-related Matters:
- Adjusting to university studies
- Understanding curriculum requirements
- Planning for studies and career
- Managing workload and stress
- Personal Development:
- Clarifying expectations
- Setting up personal goals
- Developing essential life skills, such as self-awareness, critical thinking, problem-solving and more
Teaching staff may also be appointed by the Faculty to serve as Temporary Academic Advisers (TAAs) whose advising relationships with advisees last only for three months. TAAs, assigned upon requests by students, are primarily tasked with advising both home and non-home students on a specific programme or major/minor.
To ensure timely guidance and advice for undergraduate students, especially first-year advisees, you as a FAA are recommended to make reference to the timeline below when scheduling advising sessions.
Periods of Time | Common Enquiries |
---|---|
Mid to Late August Pairing-up of FAAs and first-year students |
• Curriculum structures and requirements • Course selection • Major/Minor declaration |
Add /Drop Period | |
Post Reading Week | • Study progress • Time management • Mid-term or final assessments/assignments |
Post Result Announcement | • Self-evaluation • Improvement of academic performance • Planning for upcoming semester(s) |
2. Preparing for Advising Meetings
2.1 Pairing-up of FAAs and Advisees
Before the start of an academic year, Faculties invite Department Heads and Programme Directors to nominate experienced, full-time teaching staff to be FAAs, along with their advisee quotas.
For Faculties that join the FAA Sign-up Exercise, upon online registration, new students are directed to the FAA Sign-up Exercise page managed by the AASO, where they may view and sign up for FAAs from their corresponding programmes. Students are automatically assigned FAAs by the System in an arbitrary manner if they do not indicate their preferences in the exercise.
For Faculties that do not join the FAA Sign-up Exercise, new students will be allocated an FAA by the Faculty Office.
2.2 Finding Your Advisees
Administered by the AASO, the SIS Advising System assists you with managing and performing advising responsibilities. By navigating through HKU Portal, you may access a range of features, including viewing all your advisees, sending them bulk or individual emails, accessing their academic records for advising sessions, and keeping a log of your meetings for future reference. Steps are as follows:
(a) Login HKU Portal, click the arrow on the top left corner to reveal the menu.
(b) Click “Admin Systems” and choose “Student Information System”.
(c) Click “View UG Advisees” in the new window to access SIS Advising System.
(d) A list of your advisees is now available for various functions to be performed.
2.3 Knowing Your Advisees
Degree Audit on the SIS Advising System and Student Academic Information on HKU Portal are helpful tools for advisers to familiarise themselves with advisees’ academic backgrounds before advising appointments.
2.3.1 Degree Audit
On the SIS Advising System page, advisers can view advisees’ Degree Audit by clicking “View” under the “Degree Audit” column.
Degree Audit is also accessible via HKU Portal’s Student Information System. Please refer to Section 3.2.4 of this guidebook for the detailed functions of Degree Audit.
2.3.2 Student Academic Information
Student Academic Information shows information of your advisees, such as courses taken in chronological order and their respective grades, public examination results, awards and scholarships. You may consult the page if needed.
2.4 Contacting Your Advisees
You may send emails in bulk or to individual advisee by clicking the checkboxes next to the name(s) of advisee(s). Likewise, advisers may perform various functions with the buttons below:
“Email Advisees” | Click this to send an email to all or selected advisee(s). |
“Advised in Sem 1” | Click this if you have advised your advisee(s) in Semester 1 by any means (email, phone, zoom, messaging, etc.) and this record will be counted towards the online record rate of your Faculty. |
“Advised in Sem 2” | Similarly, click this if you have advised your advisee(s) in Semester 2. |
“Add Comments” | Click this for a free-text box to make notes. You may also choose whether to share your advising notes with your advisees and/or other advisers. |
“No Response” | Click this if your advisees do not respond to your meeting invitation. The AASO will follow up on these advisees. |
“Search Advisees” | Click this to search for the advisee(s) you wish to contact. |
2.5 Managing Your Profile
According to the current policy approved by the Senate, you are requested to schedule at least one hour per week as your consultation hour, during which advisees may contact and seek advice from you. You may input or edit your “Student Consultation Hour” here.
Please contact the AASO if you encounter any technical difficulties.
3. Conducting Advising Meetings
3.1 Advising Formats and Approaches
You are now ready to conduct advising meetings with your advisees. There are various advising formats and approaches that may be mixed and matched by FAAs to tailor to the communicative styles, preferences and needs of advisees.
3.1.1 Face-to-Face vs. Online Advising
While face-to-face advising meetings are primarily adopted, virtual meetings are also gaining popularity with technological advancement.
Pros | Points to Note | |
---|---|---|
Face-to-Face | • Instant, two-way interactions • Facilitate building of rapport |
• Suitability of physical setting • Body language |
Online | • Free from time and location constraints • Screen-sharing of online resources |
• Smooth network connection • Actively ensure two-way interactions |
3.1.2 One-on-One vs. Group Advising
Depending on the advising content and preference, advising sessions can be conducted individually or in groups.
Pros | Points to Note | |
---|---|---|
One-on-One | • Cater to individuailty • Focused attention • More time for in-depth discussions |
• Be prepared with sufficient information and advisees’ background for in-depth discussions |
Online | • Save time in providing general information • Facilitate knowledge exchange and mutual support among advisees |
• Ice-breaking between advisees • Reserve more time for discussions and questions • Let advisees know that one-on-one advising is also avaliable |
3.1.3 Development vs. Prescriptive Approach
With consideration of your advisees’ needs and enquiries, you may adapt the developmental approach or prescriptive approach, or a mix of both during your advising sessions.
Developmental Approach Two-directional Dialogue |
Prescriptive Approach One-way Information Flow |
|
---|---|---|
Purpose | • Guiding and inspiring | • Providing information |
Style | • Interactive • Advisees discuss with you and exchange ideas |
• Hierarchical • Advisees receive advice |
Discussion Topics | • Academic planning • Career planning • Personal growth • Goal setting |
• University regulations • Curriculum requirements • Programme information |
3.2 Advising Tools and Resources
To assist students in their academic planning, numerous advising tools and resources have been developed. They are useful to various aspects of university studies. You may utilise these tools during advising sessions to help your advisees visualise concepts, understand requirements, and plan their studies and career.
3.2.1 Roadmap for Undergraduate Study @AASO Website
This is a year-by-year guide on the learning journey of a typical 4-year undergraduate study programme. From exploring study paths and declaring major(s)/minor(s) to planning for exchange and internship and applying for scholarships, the roadmap serves as a visualisation of actions to take at different stages of university studies.
3.2.2 Academic Planning Sheet @AASO Website
To suit individual needs of undergraduates of different programmes, four types of Academic Planning Sheets are designed for you to guide your advisees in developing their own study plans based on specific programme requirements and personal academic and career goals.
3.2.3 GPA Calculator @AASO Website
Two types of GPA Calculators, the SGPA/CGPA Calculator and the Target GPA Calculator, are developed for students to gain a better understanding of GPA calculation. Besides projecting Semester GPA and Cumulative GPA, the calculators allow students to estimate the target grades for achieving their desired CGPA.
3.2.4 Degree Audit System and ‘What-if’ Function @SIS Advising System
The Degree Audit System matches students’ course enrollment records and grades with their programmes and major(s)/minor(s) requirements. It indicates clearly both completed and outstanding requirements, and is thus useful for monitoring study progress.
The “What-if” Function allows your advisees to input hypothetical combinations of major(s)/minor(s)/programme(s) in order to know their learning progress if other choices are made. It is useful for your advisees in planning their major(s)/minor(s) and course selection.
4. Following-up on Advising Meetings
4.1 Logging Advising Meetings on SIS Advising System
You may keep a record on the SIS Advising System after meeting with your advisees. This facilitates your work as you may review the notes on previous meetings before future advising sessions. To take notes after an individual or group meeting, select the student(s) on SIS Advising System and click “Add Comments”.
This page allows you to enter the following information:
- Meeting Date
- Meeting Type – besides meeting in person, the advising session can be conducted in various methods, such as emails and instant messaging tools etc.
- Topics Discussed and Comments – advisers may make notes in the “Additional comments” text box.
You may choose whether or not to share your comments with advisees and/or with their other advisers, such as their TAAs or, in case of students pursuing double-degree programmes, their FAAs from the partner Faculty.
4.2 Building Rapport with Your Advisees
As an adviser, it is important to build a good rapport with your advisees to help them achieve their academic and personal goals.
Effective communication is key to building positive relationships with your advisees. Active listening and appropriate manner from advisers will make students feel safe and welcomed. Asking open-ended questions, and encouraging students to clarify and reflect on their issues are ways to make advisees feel respected. Advisers should also provide personalised feedback that attends to their advisees’ specific needs and helps them make informed decisions.
Regular communication in addition to advising meetings is another way to maintain a close, heathy relationship with your advisees. You may consider sending emails or instant messages to your advisees to follow up on any issues or problems raised during the advising meetings. At certain key points of time during the academic year, such as course selection and revision periods, encouragement or reminder emails and messages may be sent to advisees to help them become more comfortable with the advising relationship.
The AASO and Faculties send out a Tick-list Exercise reminder each semester to invite FAAs to update their advising records of the said semester. Advisers are welcome to reach out to their advisees more frequently if necessary.
5. Specific Academic Concerns
5.1 Internal Transfer of Programme
Your advisees may express their interest in transferring to another study programme. As an adviser, it is essential to listen closely to the reasons of such consideration, and guide your advisees in evaluating whether the desired programme aligns with their academic and career aspirations. You may also help them review their current study progress and explain the potential implications of the transfer, including the possible deferment of graduation and additional financial burden of an extended period of studies.
The application details and deadlines for programme transfer can be found on the website of the Academic Services Office of the Registry. However, it should be noted that internal transfer of programmes at HKU is highly competitive. The success rate for some popular programmes could be quite low. Therefore, advisees should be reminded not to assume that their application will be approved.
5.2 Academically At-Risk Students
It is common for students to underestimate the influence of their personal or academic problems until their performance is severely impacted. To compound the issue, these academically weak students are generally less proactive in seeking advice and support from advisers compared to their peers. In light of this, early identification and intervention by academic advisers is crucial in guiding these students back on track before the situation gets worse, such as being recommended for discontinuation of studies. Some effective ways to identify advisees in need of additional support include:
- By Reviewing Advisees’ GPAs
Regularly reviewing the GPAs of your advisees at the end of each semester is an effective way to identify academically weak students. In the SIS Advising System, there is a column on the advisee list that displays the GPA information of your advisees. A very low GPA or a significant drop of GPA may indicate that a student is struggling with his/her studies and requires your particular attention and guidance.Additionally, a yellow alert sign will be displayed for students who have failed one or more courses in the previous semester. This is another clear indicator that your advisees may need your support and assistance to get back on track.
- By Attending to Advisees’ Behaviours
If your advisees demonstrate the following behaviours, there is a high chance that they are experiencing academic difficulties and would benefit from your advice and guidance:- Being repeatedly absent from lectures or tutorials
- Frequently failing to submit assignments on time or to an acceptable standard
- Missing assessments or examinations without follow-up actions
- Not showing up for scheduled appointments with you
- Showing an inability to understand or comprehend subject content
- Failed to obtain a minimum of 36 credits in two consecutive semesters not including the summer semester (except when students are not required to take this number of credits);
- Failed to achieve an average semester GPA of at least 1.0 for two consecutive semesters not including the summer semester; or
- Exceeded the specified maximum period of registration for the curriculum – normally 150% of the normative period of studies.
- Offering Academic Advice:
- Review the students’ academic performance
- Identify the reason(s) for their unsatisfactory academic performance
- Devise remedial action(s) to address the issue(s)
- Formulate a viable study plan for the upcoming study period
- Emotionally Support:
- Listen non-judgmentally to their concerns and worries
- Show your understanding of their feelings
- Acknowledge their courage and effort to reach out for help
- Encourage them to take constructive actions
- Refer them to CEDARS-CoPE for professional psychological support if needed
- Assess the risks of suicide or harm
- Approach your advisees and express your concerns
- Ensure appropriate time and space where you both feel comfortable
- Encourage your advisees to share their thoughts with open-ended questions
- Rephrase what your advisees say to demonstrate your understanding
- Show your empathy to their emotions and feelings
- Be respectful, both verbally and non-verbally, such as maintaining an open posture with arms and legs uncrossed, and putting your phone out of sight
- Provide your advisees with help and information as needed
- Introduce different types of professional support available
- Encourage your advisees to seek professional help, such as counselling or psychological therapy
- Offer to make referrals if appropriate
- Encourage your advisees to seek support from people they trust, such as their family and peers
- Remove harmful objects nearby if possible
- Contact a colleague for immediate assistance
- Call the police in case of imminent danger
- Information about their counselling and psychological services
- Advice on supporting or responding to emotional or personal concerns
- Discussion with CoPE’s professionals on worrying situations
- Facilitating appointments for your advisees with their consents
Substandard academic performance of students may stem from academic or non-academic factors. As an advisor, it is important for you to help your advisees identify the root causes underlying their struggles.
If the issues are non-academic in nature, you may consider referring them to the appropriate professional support services on campus, such as the CEDARS Counselling and Person Enrichment Section (CoPE) for psychological issues, the CEDARS Campus Life Section for financial difficulties, the University Health Service for medical concerns. Please refer to Section 6 of this guidebook for a complete list of referrals and campus resources.
5.3 Discontinuation of Studies
According to University regulations, students may be recommended for discontinuation of their studies if they meet any the following conditions:
Certain programmes may have specific, additional conditions for discontinuation, such as failing the capstone or professional core courses.
Students who meet any one of the above criteria will be required to meet the Faculty Review Committee on Student Performance and Discontinuation (FRC). Based on the result of the review, some students may be recommended for discontinuation. In such cases, these students are required to attend the Committee of Discontinuation (CoD) meeting, during which they need to present themselves and their cases to the Committee. The decision made by the CoD will be final, and there is no possibility for appeal against the decision.
The prospect of potentially being discontinued from their studies can be stressful and overwhelming for many students. To help your advisees through this challenging time, you may offer timely academic advice and provide appropriate emotional support to them. You may also refer them to various offices or units for professional support services.
5.4 Handling Mental Health Issues
University life can be challenging to undergraduates who need to simultaneously manage studies, extra-curricular activities, internships, exchange programmes and more. Inter-personal relationship, family and personal issues can also be potential sources of stress. For junior-year students, they may face adjustment and adaptation issues in addition to the above. Failure in stress management may affect one’s mental health, and interfere with studies or even normal daily functioning.
As FAAs, you are one of the first contact points of advisees who need professional help with handling their anxiety and stress. While not expected to give a diagnosis of mental issues, FAAs should note the warning signs below and pay close attention to their advisees’ mental health conditions for early discovery and effective intervention.
Warning Signs
Academically | • Loss of motivation, sudden drop in grades, or excessive absences • Repeated requests for special considerations (e.g. deadline extensions or late-drop of courses) and reluctance to disclose the reasons |
Emotionally and Behaviourally | • Symptoms of intense emotional distress (e.g. depressed, lethargic, swollen and red eyes or poor concentration) • Drastic changes in behaviours and interaction patterns (e.g. avoidance of participation or excessive anxiety) • Being victims, witnesses, or suspected assailants of traumatic events |
If your advisees seem to be experiencing a mental breakdown or developing suicidal thoughts, an active, appropriate intervention shall be conducted following the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE):
A: Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis
L: Listen and communicate non-judgmentally
G: Give support and information
E: Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help
E: Encourage other supports
In case your advisees demonstrate suicidal behaviors during advising sessions, FAAs must:
The Counselling and Personal Enrichment Section (CoPE) of Centre of Development and Resources for Students, CEDARS-CoPE, provides counselling and psychological services to students facing mental health issues, and Immediate Support to FAAs.
You may contact the Duty Counsellor (at 852-3917-8388) for:
6. Referrals and Campus Resources
Areas of Enquiry | Referrals | |
---|---|---|
Academic Matters | • Academic performance • Academic planning • University requirements |
Academic Advising and Scholarships Office |
• Application for academic documents • Internal transfer of studies |
Academic Services Office | |
• Withdrawal of studies • Academic-related services, such as academic calendar, tuition fee and student handbook etc. |
Academic Support and Examinations [ASE] Section | |
• Discontinuation of studies • Examination regulations • Examination timetables |
Examinations Office | |
Accommodations | • Admissions to halls and residential colleges • Accommodation needs |
CEDARS, Campus Life Section |
Admissions of Studies | • Undergraduate admissions • Taught postgraduate admissions • Visa application |
Admissions Office |
Career Development | • Entrepreneurship support • Faculty-based Professional Preparation Programme (PPP) • Graduate employment support • Industry collaboration events • Job posting and application platform • One-on-one career advising • Overseas and Mainland Internships/programmes • Recruitment talks and career fairs • Selection and career preparation training |
CEDARS, Careers and Placement Section |
• Entrepreneurial competitions and programmes • Start-up internships and careers • Start-up support |
Techno-Entrepreneurship Core | |
Counselling and Psychological Services | • Counselling and psychological services • Emotional issues • Mental health concerns |
CEDARS, Counselling and Person Enrichment (CoPE) Section |
Exchange and Study Abroad Programmes | • Mainland and International (ML/INT) learning opportunities | Horizons Office |
• HKU Worldwide Undergraduate Student Exchange Programmes • Worldwide Plus Visiting Programmes • Short-term programmes |
International Affairs Office | |
• Faculty exchange programmes | The respective Faculty Office | |
• Academic Exchanges between HKU and peer institutions in Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan: – Academic Exchange Funding Scheme – China Vision – Professional Development Programme – Student visa application |
Mainland Affairs Office | |
Financial Matters | • Financial assistance and fee deferment • Personal finances and budgeting |
CEDARS, Campus Life Section |
• Student Unit – Fee / charge settlement – Payment of scholarships, prizes, bursaries and loan funds – Student account enquiry • Insurance Unit – Group personal accident insurance – Travel insurance |
Finance and Enterprises Office | |
• First-in-the-Family and Inclusion Funds | CEDARS, Counselling and Person Enrichment (CoPE) Section | |
IT Matters | • Technical issues of SIS system | ITS Service Desk |
Personal Enrichment | • Enrichment workshops on personal development/study skills • Peer English Tutoring and Survival Cantonese • Peer support programmes |
CEDARS, Counselling and Person Enrichment (CoPE) Section |
• Arts, multi-cultural and humanistic programmes • Creative project funds • GEST (GE Student Team) programmes • Green and sustainability programmes • Student common area – Gatherland |
CEDARS, General Education Team | |
Postgraduate Studies | • Taught postgraduate admissions | Admissions Office |
• Mphil and PhD programmes | Graduate School | |
Scholarships | • Scholarships openings and eligibility • Scholarships deadlines |
Academic Advising and Scholarships Office |
Other Student and Language Support | • SEN support for students with disabilities or special learning needs | CEDARS, Counselling and Person Enrichment (CoPE) Section |
• Support to student bodies • Support to non-local students |
CEDARS, Campus Life Section | |
• English language support courses and resources | Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES) | |
• Chinese language enhancement programmes • Chinese language courses for international students (Cantonese and Putonghua) |
School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts |
Copyright@ 2025 The Academic Advising and Scholarships Office, The Registry, The University of Hong Kong. All rights reserved. Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this guide book is correct at the time of publication. Please check relevant websites for updates from time to time.