SI-PASS around the world

Origins and impact

Launched in the 1970s at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), SI-PASS aimed to improve student success in challenging courses. The International Centre for SI remains headquartered at UMKC. Over the years, SI has spread to over 30 countries, making a significant impact on higher education. Today, it's implemented in more than 1,500 institutions worldwide. The model has been used in Sweden since 1993 and is now established at most Swedish higher education institutions.

Lund University is one of five centres around the world along with the University of Missouri-Kansas City (USA), the University of Guelph (Canada), Griffith University (Australia) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Africa).

You can find more information about the centres on their websites:

• University of Missouri-Kansas City
• University of Guelph (Canada)
• Griffith University (Australia)
• Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Africa)

Regional variations in terminology

While the core concept remains the same, the program's name may differ by location:

• SI (Supplemental Instruction): used in the USA, Canada, and South Africa.
• PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions): common in some UK and Australian institutions.
• PAL (Peer Assisted Learning): another term used at some institutions.
• Uniquely, Sweden combines SI with the British name, using "SI-PASS."

SI-PASS in Europe

The expansion of SI-PASS in Europe

The SI-PASS journey in Europe began in 1991 at Kingston University in England, two decades after its introduction in the US. Three years later Lund University in Sweden embraced SI-PASS within its Engineering and Science departments to enhance educational quality. Since then, SI-PASS has seen steady growth, particularly in Northern Europe. 

Today, over 75 Higher Education Institutes across 12 countries offer SI-PASS schemes: Belgium, Cyprus, England, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Turkey and Wales.

With supervisors trained recently from Denmark and Spain, it is likely that further expansion will happen in the near future.

Variation in SI-PASS programmes

There is a great variation in the SI-PASS programmes in Europe, which is a strength when growing the SI-PASS community. Some programmes operate on a smaller scale, with a single supervisor, a few leaders, and support for a limited number of subjects. Others boast extensive setups with multiple supervisors, hundreds of leaders, and assistance offered across a vast range of courses.

The impact of SI-PASS

Here's a glimpse into the remarkable impact of SI-PASS in Europe (figures are estimates):

• ~250 trained supervisors actively involved
• 5,000+ SI-PASS leaders employed each year
• ~1,300 courses supported each year
• ~70,000 students attending at least one time per year (~60 % of those with access)
• ~700,000 contact hours logged per academic year (i.e. total student session attendance).

Tangible benefits

European SI-PASS programmes deliver a range of positive outcomes for students, leaders, and institutions:

• enhanced communication and leadership skills for leaders, increasing employability
• enriched learning experiences
• improved student performance
• increased confidence among new students in receiving support from HEI 
• reduced student inquiries directed towards teachers
• valuable insights for teachers on student challenges.