Reframing course tutoring through coaching and mentoring: implications for learner development in higher Education

Rajasinghe, D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7677-0691 and Fadipe, T ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8228-9199, 2026. Reframing course tutoring through coaching and mentoring: implications for learner development in higher Education. Human Resource Development International. ISSN 1367-8868

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Abstract

This perspective paper examines coaching and mentoring practices of course tutors within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK. Course tutors’ roles vary across institutions under different titles, including personal tutors and academic mentors. HEIs recognise the value of these roles due to awareness of the multi-faceted pressures confronting learners. However, limited empirical research and professional practice highlight complexities in the design, development, and implementation of effective policies and strategies. Although coaching and mentoring are established as a learning and development initiative in commercial contexts, such practices in HEIs are limited. This imbalance is partly attributable to incentives associated with workplace coaching, compared to HEIs where such practices are embedded within academic workloads. Moreover, academics may see these practices as a burden, undertaken without formal training. Readiness to engage with coaching and mentoring is also uneven, among undergraduates compared to postgraduate learners. These challenges lead to a knowledge and practice gap that warrants critical reflection and collaborative inquiry involving multiple stakeholders. Drawing on theoretical links between coaching and learning, alongside our practices at Nottingham Business School, we offer insights into how coaching and mentoring-informed course tutoring enhance learner development, academic practice, and institutional approaches to personalised learning within HEIs. This perspective paper examines coaching and mentoring practices of course tutors within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK. Course tutors’ roles vary across institutions under different titles, including personal tutors and academic mentors. HEIs recognise the value of these roles due to awareness of the multi-faceted pressures confronting learners. However, limited empirical research and professional practice highlight complexities in the design, development, and implementation of effective policies and strategies. Although coaching and mentoring are established as a learning and development initiative in commercial contexts, such practices in HEIs are limited. This imbalance is partly attributable to incentives associated with workplace coaching, compared to HEIs where such practices are embedded within academic workloads. Moreover, academics may see these practices as a burden, undertaken without formal training. Readiness to engage with coaching and mentoring is also uneven, among undergraduates compared to postgraduate learners. These challenges lead to a knowledge and practice gap that warrants critical reflection and collaborative inquiry involving multiple stakeholders. Drawing on theoretical links between coaching and learning, alongside our practices at Nottingham Business School, we offer insights into how coaching and mentoring-informed course tutoring enhance learner development, academic practice, and institutional approaches to personalised learning within HEIs.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Human Resource Development International
Creators:	Rajasinghe, D. and Fadipe, T.
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Date:	26 February 2026
ISSN:	1367-8868
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1080/13678868.2026.2633994 DOI 2584459 Other
Rights:	© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Melissa Cornwell
Date Added:	04 Mar 2026 11:06
Last Modified:	04 Mar 2026 11:06
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/55360

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