Comparative influence of the student profile on the guidance system at higher education

In this study, a comparative analysis of the planning and organisation of student support and guidance systems at higher education institutions is undertaken. The research methodology is based on four case studies: United States and United Kingdom, from the Anglo-Saxon model with strong emphasis on the personal development of the student, and France and Spain, from the centralised Napoleonic model. The main objective of this study is to analyse the student characteristics and the main components of the student support and guidance system in each country in order to determine the influence of the student profile on the organisation of the support and guidance system. As a conclusion, concrete proposals are offered in an attempt to improve the organisation of this system for Spanish universities, considering the need to improve the information available about the student profile.