Meet Sydney Business School, UOW Client Service and Head of Student Support Officer, Utkrista Acharya

Staff spotlight: Utkrista Acharya

Utkrista Acharya (Ayush) is the Client Service and Head of Student Support Officer at UOW's Sydney Business and Law (BAL) Central Office. His role is to ensure student satisfaction by providing exceptional service and support to students and other  stakeholders at Sydney Business School.

Can you provide an overview of the services offered by BAL Central Office?

We offer a wide range of services to support students, the faculty, and stakeholders. This includes academic advice, career and professional development workshops, library and academic support workshops, BAL International Peer Mentor Network (BIPMN) programs, healthcare consultations (BUPA), housing support, and counselling and wellbeing. Our goal is to enhance the students’ academic experience and provide effective support throughout their student lifecycle.

What are some common challenges that students face, and how does your team address them?

Some common challenges students often face include:

• Understanding course materials, reading timetables and study sequence
• Uncertainty about course and subject selection
• Course/ campus transfers
• Applications for Leave of Absence or Reduced Study Load
• Health insurance queries

Our team address these by providing students with a range of options, guiding them through available resources on the Sydney Business School and University of Wollongong website and Moodle sites, and connecting them to the appropriate services team to offer personalised solutions.

Can you share any new initiatives or projects implemented to enhance student experience?

Our team undertakes numerous projects to enhance the student experience. One of our recent initiatives is the UOWx Career Workshop we ran recently. In collaboration with the UOWx and Career and Employability team, we conduct workshops designed to help students improve their resumes/CVs and job applications, offering networking opportunities with Alumni and potential employers, as well as provide career guidance.

In what ways does BAL Central team collaborate with other teams to meet the needs of students?

We handle diverse enquiries and often require collaboration with colleagues from other units within UOW to address student needs. This includes referring prospective students to the Future Students Team, consultation with the Head of Students (HoST) or Director of Academic Programs , connecting students with Career Services, and working closely with IT to provide necessary technological support for students and lecturers.

What advice would you give to students who may be hesitant to seek support provided by the BAL Central Office?

It's completely natural for students to feel hesitant about seeking support. They should remember that they are not alone. Students should be clear about what help they need to make the process easier as well as act early so they can have matters resolved early and also does not impact their studies in future. Students can rest assure that any information they share with us is confidential.

Students can also find useful resources on the UOW services website, SOLS, and the Sydney Business School Student Handbook on Moodle. Talking to fellow students who have used support services may also help ease your concerns.

Remember that university life can present challenges, and utilising the resources available to students can make a significant difference in their overall experience and success.

Lastly, what do you find most rewarding about working in student support, and what motivates you to positively impact students?

One of the best parts about working in student support is seeing students rise above their challenges and achieve their goals. I am driven by the opportunity to positively impact students' lives by helping them overcome their worries by building a supportive environment at the Sydney Business School.