Student and study skills support at Essex Business School
Essex Business School (EBS) has a passion for supporting students at every step of their academic journey to prepare them for their futures. One way we support students is through developing academic study skills. Dr Fay Aljibory who delivers our EBS Learning Support tells us more about how supporting students' study skills helps them to achieve at Essex and beyond.
How does the EBS Learning & Teaching Adviser support students?
My role is dedicated to helping you achieve your academic ambitions and reach your full potential. Whether you’re struggling with coursework or aiming to get better grades, academic support is available to help you succeed.
Learning support is designed to be personalised, flexible and accessible. 1:1 support appointments can be booked online and at peak times a drop-in is available. An open-door policy means you can get help when you need it. In addition, you will have access to developmental workshops focused on key academic and professional skills relevant to your course.
A wide range of online study resources and services assist with different areas of study. While maths and stats support is widely available, our own peer support programme employs trained students to use the Bloomberg data platform – tools that are essential in the world of business and finance. Crucially, learning support is developed in close collaboration with your academic staff to ensure our support is directly aligned with your modules and assessments.
What can your EBS Learning & Teaching Adviser help with?
I can help with a wide range of topics including, but not limited to:
- understanding referencing
- using your feedback to help you improve
- discovering study resources
- avoiding plagiarism
- developing your presentation skills
- navigating group work
- writing your dissertation
- managing your time effectively
What about helping with exams?
I can also help you with preparing for your exams. In EBS, we know exams can seem quite daunting, especially if you haven’t taken an exam recently. That is why we’re on hand to offer practical support and advice on a range of exam-based topics including:
- how to manage the revision process
- identifying what you need to revise
- developing good revision aids
- techniques to help you remember revision material
- how to analyse exam questions
And how about support with English language?
At EBS, we are proud to welcome a diverse community of students from around the world. We recognise that for many of you, English is not your first language – and we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that studying in a second language can bring. Supporting multilingual students is key to our strategy.
In addition to our core academic support services, the Skills for Success team offers targeted support specifically designed to help you strengthen your English language and academic skills. This includes guidance on academic writing, reading strategies, grammar, and exam preparation, as well as support with speaking skills and presentation techniques, so that you can participate in seminars confidently.
Studying for a degree in a second language is an impressive accomplishment. It not only gives you the chance to experience a new education system but also enables you to build strong communication skills and expand your academic and professional skillset. We’re here to help you make the most of it. By taking full advantage of the support on offer, you can develop your confidence, improve your academic performance, and gain skills that will serve you far beyond your time at university.
How can students contact the EBS Learning & Teaching Adviser?
Academic skills support is here for every student – whether you’re aiming for top marks, trying to boost your confidence, or just want to stay on top of those deadlines, we’re here to help you make the most of your time at university and achieve the best results you can.
The truth is academic skills – like any skill – can always be improved. And the best way to do that is a mix of useful advice, regular practice, and knowing when to ask for help. So, don’t wait until you’re struggling, be proactive and reach out. Making use of the support available can make a real difference to your success.
Contact: f.aljibory@essex.ac.uk or book an appointment to discuss your studies.
What students say about EBS Learning Support
"As a part-time postgraduate student on the Executive MBA, it has been quite some time since I have written an academic essay. To begin with, I found the essay assignments overwhelming as I wanted to include as much information as possible to show how much I had read and learnt, this resulted in my arguments not being particularly clear and going off on a tangent rather than focusing on the question to be answered.
My drafts were reviewed and constructive feedback provided on both the content and the structure. Furthermore, I also confused myself how to reference. My previous undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications are in Law and used a different referencing system to EBS. The Harvard style of referencing was therefore completely new to me. I received advice on what it is and guidance on which parts of my essay should be referenced and the correct way to do so.
This support and advice has been invaluable to me. I have no doubt this support has helped me in achieving my grades so far."
Charlotte Turnbull, Executive MBA student
"I was helped greatly by the support available. At a time, I felt like I couldn’t go on with university anymore or that I would fail, they gave me the hope and push to turn things around. After a setting up a conversation, I was helped in so many ways. I was offered help with my dissertation, help with mental health, help with navigating my way around the course to turn things around and just genuine support that you’d only imagine coming from family and friends.
There was never a time I organised a meeting or asked for some help and it wasn’t received. Without the EBS Learning Support, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to finish my course so I’m extremely grateful for the help and support they provided me."
Accounting and Finance student
"EBS Support was was a great help to me during a challenging period.
University is a big place with a lot going on, so sometimes finding the right person to speak with can be daunting. Without the EBS Learning Support, I would have struggled with where to go and what to do. I encourage everyone to come in and say hello! You’ll be surprised with what help is on offer."
Benjamin Appleby, final year BSc Accounting and Finance student
