1. Professor Sally Varnham (UTS)
Working with students for students: creating a culture of partnership towards enhancement
An Australian Learning and Teaching 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

2. The Fellowship
National Senior Teaching Fellowship (began Sept 2016) - a sector-wide collaboration from April – June 2017
A Student Engagement Framework – student partnerships in quality Scotland (sparqs)
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
New Zealand Union of Students Association (NZUSA) MoU with quality agency (AQA)
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.

3. What? Essentially about working with students for students.
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

4. Why? Students – empowerment, employability, citizenship, belonging;
Providers – material to inform enhancement of courses and student experience; transformation from traditional relationships in higher education; development of self sustaining communities with shared goals and values; reputation as being an institution ‘in touch’ with its students
Student representatives and the wider student body – retention and success through belonging and empowerment, development of skills for critical thinking, innovation, leadership, citizenship - employability; seeing students can have a voice that is listened to and valued; seeing changes secured on their behalf
Staff – ideas for collaborative processes, enhancement of learning and teaching, understanding of student needs, learning from and incorporating diversity; developing relationships as a community
See:
sparqs, 2017 – Celebrating Achievement
Flint, Goddard & Russell/TSEP, 2017 – Architects of their experience: the role, value and impact of student academic representation systems in Higher Education in England
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.

5. How? Common understanding of partnership; and
Institutional commitment to working with students in partnership vital
“The implications of perceiving students as partners, rather than consumers are substantial and deep. The student as partner is an active member of an institution with which s/he shares a strong allegiance and commitment.”
(2016. Embedding the Principles of Student Engagement, Ireland QQI/USI, IUA, IoTI, HEA)
A call for institutions to conduct audit to identify gaps, challenges and opportunities

6. Themes from sector collaboration echo those from international research
National ongoing presence to sustain and strengthen partnership culture – resources for facilitation of partnership initiatives and for sharing ideas and experiences.
Opportunities
to be made clear from outset - at all levels and in all areas from the beginning.
Important to include students from the start of the idea or work together with students to come up with issues and work towards solutions
Students need to actively embrace, commit to providing sustainable student partnership – knowledge transfer

7. Themes from sector collaboration echo those from international research
Student leadership has important role Professional support for student associations - ongoing presence to support transient student leaders
Course/subject/year representative system valuable to embed culture – to develop knowledge and confidence in representation
Training and support vital– dual responsibility as partnership between institutions and student leaders

8. Themes from sector collaboration echo those from international research
Communication and transparency essential
to build trust
at all levels so students can:
Know of opportunities
See their voice counts
Ask students what means of communication works for them
Capturing every student’s voice – Australian unis are diverse – it is important for each institution to develop opportunities and support for varied cohorts – international, indigenous, postgraduate, off-campus …
Incentives – recognition of value for considerable time students spend. Outcomes from partnerships celebrated.

9. Stages of student partnership
Students as consumers
students are paying for their education so universities ask them for feedback and consult with them to some extent. Leadership roles are limited and constrained.
Students as passive recipients of education
The university knows what is best for students and their education 
Student activisim
Students develop a voice and universities don’t always like what they have to say
Students as partners in learning
Students are recognised as expert learners and provided with opportunity to shape their educations
Students as full partners in university life
Participating in all levels of decision making

10. Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

11. Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

12. Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 3: Strong student leadership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

13. Principle 4: Training and Support- as a partnership
Principle 3: Strong student leadership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

14. Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 5:
Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 4: Training and Support- as a partnership
Principle 3: Strong student leadership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

15. Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 6: Valuing student voice – recognition of formal and informal engagement
Principle 5:
Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 4: Training and Support- as a partnership
Principle 3: Strong student leadership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

16. Principle 7: A National Presence- for facilitation and support
Principle 6: Valuing student voice – recognition of formal and informal engagement
Principle 5:
Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 4: Training and Support- as a partnership
Principle 3: Strong student leadership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships

17. Stepup Principle 7: A National Presence- for facilitation and support
Valuing student voice-recognition of formal and informal engagement
Principle 4: Every student’s voice- diversity and inclusivity
Principle 3: Training and Support- as a partnership
Principle 2: Communication- honesty and transparency
Stepup
For Quality Enhancement
Principle 1: Building authentic partnerships
Students and tertiary education providers undertaking partnership for quality enhancement

18. Student partnership in university decision making
Creation of a national agency to promote and develop student partnership is an ideal that requires funding and support that does not exist at present.
Student associations and institutions are embracing student partnership and undertaking projects to embed student partnership.
We need to continue to develop student partnership in Australia.
We can do this by committing to four simple steps:

19. Thank you! Many thanks for your interest in student partnership.
Contact me at:
The Fellowship website:
studentvoiceaustralia.com
Facebook: Student voice in university decision-making