Jisc Change Agents' Network Conference 2024

The Queen Mary Academy is a central education development unit which works with staff and research students to develop, enhance and recognise their practice in learning, teaching and scholarship.  

Since 2021, the Queen Mary Academy at Queen Mary University of London has been running its Learner Interns Programme (LIP). The aim of LIP is to undertake scholarship and development projects in collaboration with our diverse learner population by annually hiring interns to work in partnership with educators.  

This poster illustrates how LIP has evolved to explore new scholarly co-creation models with students as partners.  To date, Queen Mary Academy has recruited 28 LIP students across three faculties (Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, Medicine and Dentistry), that has produced inclusive co-creation research, whilst providing opportunities for Queen Mary students to present alongside academics at national conferences, which in turn can raise their public profile and assist with the crafting of job applications.   

Within their 80-hour work contract, students work in active engagement with educators as research partners in extending student voice-related projects to benefit pedagogical approaches at Queen Mary. As part of the vibrant LIP students’ community, they join (and co-chair) meetings with a variety of university stakeholders, offering their important student voice viewpoints, whilst also collegially participating in activities aimed at enhancing their employability skills, including use of Artificial Intelligence in research, self-reflection and peer coaching.  

In summary, the LIP facilitates an active community of engaged students and staff as partners, collaborating in the exploration of innovative initiatives, generating new learning for both parties and the university.