Students as Partners is a way of thinking that positions students as change agents who share responsibility for learning and teaching with university staff. It extends beyond student engagement that fosters active learning; it shifts students from a position of learning from to learning with academics. This enables students to be partners in the creation of knowledge and development of teaching innovations. Staff and students interested in Students as Partners at UNSW are invited to join regular meetings held by the PVC (Education) Portfolio, and to subscribe to the network mailing list below.
Tell Us About Your Students as Partners Initiatives at UNSW
The Office of the PVC (Education) is capturing information on existing Students as Partners initiatives at UNSW. If you and your colleagues are already involved in a Students as Partners initiative, please provide the details of your initiative here
To stay informed or get involved in the Students as Partners at UNSW Network, subscribe to our mailing list.
Students as Partners Roundtable: Student Voices
22 June 2018 | Held at UNSW (internal event)
This meeting was open to the Students as Partners network. The objective was to share the PVC(E) team's evaluation of the Students as Partners program of work including recommendations and contributions from student voices and to extend the reach of the PVC(E) in supporting Students as Partners initiatives and to better understand what is going on in the faculties and divisions.
The PVC(E) division is expanding and the discussion will lead to the unit being better able to build connections and partnerships.
Students as Partners expression of interest form to expand student opportunities available here.
Students as Partners Roundtable: Expanding Initiatives
15 May 2018 | Held at UNSW (internal event)
This meeting was open to the Students as Partners network. The objective was to identify opportunities to leverage and expand Students as Partners initiatives. First a summary of all Students as Partners initiatives across UNSW was given before groups were formed for breakout sessions to brainstorm and summarise ideas before presenting them to the larger group. Common themes were noted and future opportunities were prioritised.
UTS Students as Change Agents Symposium at UTS
1 September 2017 | Held at UTS
Professor Sally Varhnam held a symposium at UTS to disseminate and discuss her principles for student partnership in university decision making developed through her nationally funded Senior Teaching Fellowship. Representatives from 16 universities shared their examples of Students as Partners initiatives. One of the interesting examples from Murdoch University was the Students as Change Agents in Learning and Teaching initiative which gives students the opportunity to propose project based innovative solutions to change learning and teaching practices.
Student SpeakOut
15 August 2017 | Held at UNSW
The UNSW Student SpeakOut event was a collaboration between ARC, the SRC and the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education). SpeakOut provided an opportunity for student communities and staff to explore ways in which we can work together to improve the student experience at UNSW.
The event provided a platform to learn about the diverse student communities at UNSW, discuss how these communities are shaping UNSW and explore ways in which student communities and the broader UNSW community can work together to improve the student experience.
Students as Partners Roundtable: Students as Decision Makers
8 June 2017 | Held at UNSW
Presented by: Professor Sally Varnham, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney
Australian universities are taking up the challenge to engage in student partnerships. Now there is an opportunity to take the best of these practices and develop a sector-wide approach that recognises the challenges institutions face and endorses strategies to address them.
Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching funded research led by Professor Sally Varnham (UTS) (2015-2016) has shown that the systemic participation of students in decision-making and governance in universities is developing strongly in comparative sectors and is providing positive outcomes for universities. Several factors have emerged as being key to student participation towards developing a culture of student partnership including communication of opportunities and outcomes, effective valued and supported student leadership, development of representative experience, resources for training and support, capturing every student's voice, support and incentives for student representatives.
Slides of the presentation are available here
Student Voice website - Sally Varnham
2016 Student as Partners Symposium
7 April 2016 | Held at UNSW
The Students as Partners at UNSW Symposium provided the opportunity for staff and students to engage with core ideas of Students as Partners and to consider how this connects with the future directions of UNSW. The morning session focused on exploring current thinking and practice related to Students as Partners to consider how this might align with the UNSW 2025 Strategy. The afternoon session was an action-planning session for those who wish to develop their ideas or projects more fully.