International Accreditation Organization (IAO) suggests educational institutions to offer sound student services to students to enable them to fare better academically and professionally.

1. Student
Services at
Internationally
Accredited
Institutions
www.iao.org

2. Student Services
Student services at universities are responsible for developing
programs, advising student organizations and student leaders and
conducting research to enhance student growth and development.
Student services staff is comprised of advisors or full-time faculty
with part-time advising responsibilities.
Good student affairs practices must be considered within the context
of issues that influence higher education and its missions. Societal
concerns and needs, economic conditions, and external political agendas shape the parameters for student
affairs work.
Good Practice in Student Affairs:
• Engages students in active learning
• Helps students develop coherent values and ethical standards
• Sets and communicates high expectations for student learning
• Uses systematic inquiry to improve student and institutional performance
• Uses resources effectively to achieve institutional missions and goals
• Forges educational partnerships that advance student learning
• Builds supportive and inclusive communities
Today's context for higher education presents student services with many challenges. Among these are new
technologies, changing student demographics, demands for greater accountability, concern about the
increasing cost of higher education, and criticism of the moral and ethical climate on campuses. Other factors
that influence campus student services are social and political issues, including multiculturalism, personal
responsibility and equal opportunity.
Educational institutions especially accredited institutes recognize these challenges and respond by focusing
on student learning. Internationally accredited institutes practice standardized educational standards. These
standards also include the provision of quality student services for students.
Students pursuing degrees from internationally accredited institutions enjoy better student services because
of the quality standards followed. These student services range from academic advising, career development,
counseling services etc., In addition, they help to form a foundation for building relationships with students.
These services enable students to derive more out of their educational experience and eventually do better in
the corporate world.
Students Services www.iao.org

3. Role of Education Portals
Learning resources are an important component of educational process; they are designed to enhance work
and learning processes at university by making workflows simpler and information more readily available in a
form in which it can be processed. Educational portals provide access to data and information which facilitates
students, faculty and other staff members in learning and interaction. Each of these user groups has different
information needs. The information contained on these portals need to be relevant, accurate and current.
Typically, educational portals offer the following services:
• Online course catalogues
• Online education courses
• Electronic library or online learning resources repositories
• News services
• Content search facilities
These portals serve as digital libraries that help users better explore, evaluate and share the knowledge in
different disciplines. To maintain the massive amounts of valuable information on these portals proper
technical and professional support is required. Fundamental portal capabilities include content aggregation,
application integration, user authentication, personalization, search, collaboration, web content management,
workflow and analysis, and reporting.
Portals offer the following benefits to students:
• Increased and easier communication with faculty members
• Online access to courses
• Access to communities of interest within university, such as clubs, sports, and community service
opportunities
• Access to latest university news
• Increased lifelong learning opportunities
Other benefits for staff members include:
• Instant access to information for advising students
• Simplified course management tools
• Real-time communication with students
IAO accredited educational institutions are required to maintain educational portals which manage and
facilitate student learning. Portals help teachers and students to discover new learning content and
express ideas in innovative ways, streamline workflow and automate manual tasks.
Role of Education www.iao.org

4. Effective Teaching Techniques
Effective teaching forms the cornerstone of university education and is
associated with the achievement of different cognitive and academic
goals. Imparting knowledge and skills to students is the major objective
of university instruction for the faculty. Major goals of university
teaching include objectives like changing students factual knowledge
and competence in the course material, strengthening various cognitive
capacities (e.g. study skills, reasoning, writing and speaking skills) and
fostering intellectual appreciation of the subject matter.
Effective teaching techniques encompass the following:
• Knowledge of the subject matter
• Organization of individual lessons
• Clarity of explanations
• Quality of presentation
• Stimulation of interest
• Participation and openness to ideas
The basic goal of university teaching is to stimulate student interest, it increases student attention to lectures
and class discussions, little learning occurs without such attention and interest motivates students to think
about the course material and to work harder. Faculty needs to develop clear and articulate teaching lessons
which help the students understand their subject matter. Teachers should try to foster active involvement,
participation, interaction of students in classes and communicate their openness and respect for alternative
and challenging points of view. Faculty is supposed to promote agreeable and friendly interpersonal relations
between themselves and students conveying their concern and respect for individual students.
All the educational intuitions accredited with IAO are required to employ academic experts with appropriate
qualifications who provide standardized education to students. IAO accredited institutes require their faculty
to keep updated on latest teaching techniques and methods. The aim of this practice is to impart quality
education to students employing the most effective and latest teaching techniques.
Effective Teaching www.iao.org

5. Career Counseling
Career counseling services provide career development and
counseling, including individual needs assessments. Career Services
help students foster professional growth and career focus. Their goal is
to provide students with a career road map and career strategies which
lead to career satisfaction and career success.
Career coaches help students with their career direction. It is the
vehicle that helps students get a jumpstart on their career or job
change. A career coach facilitates students develop their very own personalized career guide which helps them
move forward at a much faster pace.
They help students in the following areas:
• Helping students develop a clear vision of what they want to accomplish professionally
• Guiding steps students need to take to move in the right career direction
• What mistakes should students avoid during job search
• How to negotiating with potential employers
• How to switch jobs for career progression
The need for career guidance and counseling in academic institutions has grown significantly during the last
few years for college and university students. Internationally accredited institutes especially focus on their
career counseling services as they are required to follow international standards of quality education and
services. As a result, students of internationally accredited educational institutions receive better career
counseling services which enable them to fare better academically and professionally.
Career Counseling www.iao.org

6. Contact Office
IAO, 10685-B Hazelhurst Dr. #11524
Houston, TX 77043, USA
Phone E-mail Website
1-866-2768-IAO (426) contact@iao.org www.iao.org
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