This paper reports on a comparative study examining the contribution of professional services staff (PSS) to the student experience: in particular, their contribution to retention and successful outcomes. This is the second phase, involving in-depth interviews, comparing an Australian and a UK institution. Results from the first phase, which used a Delphi Survey method, were reported in the 2013 SRHE conference. Because of the wide-ranging roles of professional services staff, more in-depth exploration was needed to gain a better understanding. This presentation will report on findings from the second phase comparative analysis, following the UK interviews being undertaken in spring 2015. Initial analysis shows a consistent view on the contribution of PS towards institutional behaviours that deal promptly and knowledgably with students’ enquiries, whilst exhibiting a friendly demeanor. However, this phase also highlights some important differences, which have implications for institutional cultures and the provision of professional development
