Professor Sally Varnham (UTS) Creating a National Framework for Student Partnership in University Decision-Making and Governance: National Senior Teaching Fellowship Professor Sally Varnham (UTS) Support for this activity has been provided by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training. The views expressed in this activity do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Department of Education and Training

The Fellowship National Senior Teaching Fellowship (began Sept 2016) - a sector- wide collaboration from April – June 2017 Principles guiding a student partnership in the UK - Chapter B5 QAA Code and The Student Engagement Partnership (TSEP) Ireland - Principles of Student Engagement and National Student Engagement Programme – pilot A Student Engagement Framework – student partnerships in quality Scotland (sparqs) We posed a series of self-reflective questions prior to this workshop to encourage consideration of what student engagement looks like at your institution. This is an important element of developing a national approach as different institutions will have different approaches and there is a lot we can learn from each other. Here we will pose a series of questions that we believe will allow us to articulate your ideas and experiences as a series of principles and national framework.

The background What, Why, and How? Student engagement in university decision-making and governance What, Why, and How? An OLT Strategically Commissioned Priority project (2015/2016) The “student voice” project was born out of experience with student engagement in university governance bodies and a recognition that in the changing tertiary education environment students will expect a greater say in how they experience tertiary education. This gave rise to our OLT project which looked at what is happening in other countries and what the current situation in Australian looks like and concluded with a series of case studies that captured examples of what is already being done by some Australian universities.

What? The elements of student engagement as identified by the Student Engagement Framework for Scotland: 1. students feeling part of a supportive institution 2. students engaging in their own learning 3. students working with their institution in shaping the direction of learning 4. formal mechanisms for quality and governance 5. influencing the student experience at national level. Essentially about working with students for students. 1 and 2: A lot of work happening in Australia on the Student Experience and Students as Partners in learning and teaching in the classroom. These are all facets of the same philosophy, all is intertwined and their elements feed into a culture of student partnership. Here we are more focussed on 3-5

How? Key points to take from research in Australia and abroad Institutional commitment to, and respect for, student voice, and to student leadership essential to embed principles and culture of partnership Challenge is to engage every students’ voice – International, indigenous, post graduate …

Communication: Information about possibilities for student representative roles from the very beginning – from orientation (‘this is the way we do things’); Course Representatives: Culture of student representation starting from course/subject/year from the bottom rather than the top Information provided for both Course Representatives and Academics/Course Co-ordinators Training, ongoing briefing, support for student representatives Strong student leadership in partnership with university Incentives: tangible/intangible? All voices: international, indigenous, off-shore, part time/full time, undergraduate, postgraduate, mature … Representative roles on national bodies e.g. QAA in the UK Sector- supported national agencies e.g. sparqs in Scotland Themes

Why? Students – empowerment, employability, citizenship, belonging; Staff – ideas for collaborative processes, enhancement of learning and teaching, understanding of student needs; Universities – course enhancement; transformation from traditional relationships in higher education; development of self sustaining communities with shared goals and values. [partly extracted from HEA UK, 2015 – Framework for Student Engagement through Partnership] Students – empowerment, employability, citizenship, belonging; Staff – ideas for collaborative processes, enhancement of learning and teaching, understanding of student needs; Universities – course enhancement; transformation from traditional relationships in higher education; development of self sustaining communities with shared goals and values.

Arnstein S (1969) “A ladder of citizen participation” JAIP 35(4), 216-224

Opportunities 1. What opportunities should universities be providing for students to participate as partners in decision making in their institutions?

Communication and Transparency 2. How should institutions be communicating with students about those opportunities and outcomes from engagement?

Student Leadership 3. How can universities best work in partnership with student leaders to develop and maintain effective student representation?

All student voices 4. What can universities do to encourage representation of all student voices?

A national partnership culture 5. On a national level what should the sector be doing to further a partnership culture?

Further responses to these questions: Opportunities 1. What opportunities should universities be providing for students to participate as partners in decision making in their institutions? Communication and Transparency 2. How should institutions be communicating with students about those opportunities and outcomes from engagement? Student Leadership 3. How can universities best work with student leaders in partnership to develop and maintain effective student representation? All student voices 4. What can universities do to encourage representation of all student voices? A national partnership culture 5. On a national level what should the sector be doing to further a partnership culture? can be recorded at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HQYJH55

I hope you will … Join me in continuing the Student Voice Conversation via our Facebook page: Student Voice in university decision-making and follow our activities via our web page: studentvoice.uts.edu.au; Join the collaboration in Sydney or make a submission online Come to our final symposium on 1 September at UTS Contact me: Sally.Varnham@studentvoice.uts.edu.au, or my Fellowship Manager: Ann.Cahill@studentvoice.uts.edu.au Thank you!