Jisc Change Agents' Network Conference 2024

This initiative, supported by the National Technological University Transformation for Recovery and Resilience fund (N-TUTORR) promotes the benefits of external engagement in campus activities.  The focus is on the facilitation of collaboration between entrepreneurs, external organisations, students and staff of Atlantic Technological University (ATU).  The aim is that such engagement will augment and optimise student success, thus strengthening the link between academic theory and practice.

The student-staff partnership project brings together students and staff from different disciplines across ATU, with a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focus.  Students are encouraged to organise and attend guest lectures, form teams to compete in business competitions and develop their networking skills in a shared environment with peers, lecturers and industry practitioners.  

Through co-creation using a partnership model, the opportunity is presented for student partners to gain valuable learning experience and enhance their employability skills.   Staff partners increase their awareness of student perceptions and needs, leading to a richer understanding of how these needs can be met in an academic context.  For students, the peer-to-peer impact is considerable, combined with hands on experience of the workings of a professional environment.  

This project is a tangible example of student empowerment, supported by academic staff and external partners.  The resulting model of change agents in action, can be replicated in similar higher education environments.  The co-creation of a template for student-staff partnership to enhance higher education, is the output of this valuable project.  The learning from this initiative, supported by guidelines for those interested in implementing similar strategies, will be the focus of this talk.  The student-staff experience of the project will be shared, along with the nuggets of wisdom gained along the connections journey.