Partnership agreement resource
Student Support Initiative Awards 2019 Winner
Goal: Proactive engagement between students and staff. Embed the student voice ensuring its contribution in all aspects of college life to strengthen relationships between students, staff and the wider community. Outcome is shared across the university partnership.
Submitted by: Catriona Meighan
Project: To create a resource to give clarity to students on what they can expect from their university experience, and what will be expected of them, as active partners in their learning journey. Develop a tool to share a collective view of responsibility, behaviour and expectations of students and staff.
Benefit to: All students and staff
Impact: The resource is available on Blackboard (virtual learning platform) Inverness College UHI as part of the induction information for students. To discuss how this initiative could be beneficial to your community please contact catriona.meighan.ic@uhi.ac.uk
Key message: Work with students as key partners
- Work with students to create a tool that provided a way to access, and engage in partnership based on shared expectations and beliefs
- Be open and transparent on what expectations the students and staff have from each other to create a truly excellent experience for all
- Treat each other with mutual respect; all are experts and able partners contributing to the student experience
- Work together with a clear focus and goal to make decisions collectively that are valued
- Create a setting to allow students to talk about their experience, individuals’ expectations and the relevance in their lives
Project delivery
- Appointed a diverse representative group to input student views. (12 students – personal incentivisation)
- Five group sessions to explore various aspects of the student experience. The university values and expectations were key themes overarching their student journey
- Consult wider student groups and staff to create a joint vision. Various techniques including a workshop.
- Together developed creative ideas to develop a physical platform
- Staff sessions have been held to introduce this approach and resource. It has been featured at Student Representative Council Meetings and promoted through events such as Freshers’ Fayres
4767 users enrolled – 37% student users (session 18/19) | Positive feedback from lecturing staff – evident in relationships between class members | cultivation of a general attitude of mutual respect | possible correlation with a fall in the number of disciplinary events | contribute to a wider movement towards appreciating and respecting all and taking collective responsibility for the community and environment in which we live, learn and work.