The evolution of the peer learning model Supplemental Instruction in Europe and its impact on the student first year experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56433/mqrvqg96Keywords:
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), Collaborative Learning, Academic Belonging, Student Transition, Co-curricularAbstract
Supplemental Instruction / Peer Assisted Study Sessions (SI-PASS) has been adopted across Europe as a structured model of peer learning to support student transition, retention, academic confidence and success in higher education. This article examines six European case studies from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Estonia, representing longstanding, established and emerging implementations. Rather than presenting SI-PASS as a uniform intervention, the article analyses how institutions have adapted the model in response to local priorities, including first-year transition, high-risk courses, student belonging, leader development, staff learning and institutional strategy. A synthesis of the Case Studies shows how SI-PASS has been adopted, adapted and sustained across different institutional contexts and identifies key conditions that support implementation and sustainability: clear coordination, disciplinary ownership, trained student leaders, institutional legitimacy, and purposeful evaluation. The article concludes by outlining lessons for institutions considering SI-PASS, including the need to balance alignment to the model with contextual adaptation, to evaluate more than attendance and attainment, and to acknowledge the challenges of scaling peer learning beyond initial enthusiasm.
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Copyright (c) 2026 William Carey, Manuel João Costa, Joakim Malm, Marcia Ody, Kaire Uiboleht, Dominique Verpoorten, Aoife Walsh, Linda Wennborg
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