Academic advising can be a game-changer for student success, yet many students experience inconsistent advising, limited availability, and a lack of structured support from their advisors. This study explores: advisor and student perspectives to understand what is working and where improvements are needed; academic advising through the lens of leadership. Through a mixed-methods approach, the researchers interviewed nine academic advisors and surveyed 162 undergraduate and graduate students selected via purposive sampling. The semi-structured interviews revealed limited training, space constraints, and the pressure of balancing multiple responsibilities that advisors experienced. While some shared the insights congruent with transformational and servant leadership styles, the rest lacked awareness or training in effective advising strategies. The surveyed students emphasized the importance of regular advising meetings, strong advisor relationships, and transformational and servant leadership qualities such as empathy and active listening. However, many reported inconsistent meeting schedules and difficulties in accessing their advisors. A key takeaway is students thrive when advisors are engaged, accessible, and well-equipped to guide them—not just academically, but in career planning and personal development. Making academic advising more effective and meaningful for students necessitates to strengthen advisor training, improve communication about available advising opportunities, and foster a culture of mentorship via transformational and servant leadership styles. This study highlights the need for structured institutional support to ensure that every student receives consistent, high-quality advising. By investing in advisor development as transformational and servant leaders and clearer advising frameworks, institutions can create a more inclusive and student-centered approach to academic success.

Authors:
Vafa Yunusova, ADA University, Azerbaijan
Samira Hajiyeva, ADA University, Azerbaijan

About the Presenter(s)
Vafa Yunusova is an assistant professor in education management at ADA university, School of Education, supervising graduate students, teaching, and researching female leadership, advising and teacher burnout, interested in music and traveling.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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