Celebrating our past: once upon a time there was a cottage industry. Personal reflections on the development of mathematics support

Abstract

Back in the early 1990's mathematics support was small-scale and loosely organised. Now, in 2021, it is to be found in the full range of university mission groups including those with the highest entry requirements. Today it is undoubtedly true that support centres are part of the landscape of higher education. They have evolved from offering local, drop-in support to first-year engineers to university-wide centres offering help to students in all disciplines and at all levels including postgraduates and sometimes staff. They contribute to university-wide priorities including recruitment, progression, retention, satisfaction, quality enhancement and employability. They have succeeded in raising issues such as the mathematics support of students with additional needs higher up institutional agendas and have firmly put the activities of those who work in this field on the radar of senior management of universities. This paper charts key milestones and events from the trajectory of mathematics support from 1990 to 2020 which have resulted in the thriving support services and community of practitioners that are evident today. It is based on a keynote presentation given by the author at CETL MSOR 2021.