Alfaisal University's Academic Success Center: An Individualized Peer-Assisted Learning Program for Mutual Tutor-Student Advancement

Introduction: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an educational strategy whereby students teach other students. PAL presents many advantages to the institution, tutors, and tutees. It can benefit the university by presenting a cost-effective approach where the efforts and time of faculty are reduced. We describe a retrospective analysis detailing the structure, function, and effectiveness of the Academic Success Center (ASC) at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, since 2020. The ASC encompasses various types of PAL methods. It is the only PAL program in Saudi Arabia whereby its tutors, referred to as student consultants, are compensated financially. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the total number of appointments, the total number of students who accessed the center, as well as the breakdown between different colleges and academic years, and their satisfaction level with the PAL mode of teaching. Results: Our results indicate a high level of appointments for these PAL sessions increasing on a yearly basis and a high level of satisfaction from both the tutors and the tutees. Conclusion: PAL is an effective teaching and mentoring modality with high retention rates that has contributed to an increased sense of well-being among students who have utilized these services.