Why and When to use
This section explores the wide-ranging benefits of student partnerships- for students, academic staff, professional services teams, and the projects themselves.
It also outlines when partnership is most effective, what to consider before starting and when alternative approaches may be more appropriate.
Why
Partnership with students
Student partnerships enhance learning, increase engagement, and improve staff-student relationships. Evidence shows that when students are genuinely involved, as collaborators rather than passive participants, both educational outcomes and institutional practices benefit.
Alongside all of the benefits, by working directly with students we:
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Gain access to and understanding of the student community we serve- of their needs and challenges
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Bring in authentic, appropriate and creative voices- a positive disruptive force
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Find novel approaches and contemporary digital tools staff may not be aware of
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Help bring in additional skills we may not be able to access otherwise within the existing team members' knowledge
Benefits
Many groups stand to benefit from genuine collaboration with students. By working with students, we get:
- A chance to challenge staff assumptions, through access to current students' lived experiences
- More relevant and impactful outcomes
- Higher quality data and insights, as students may be more receptive to peer researchers
- Greater authenticity and credibility of student-focused initiatives
- More accepted, resilient, and sustainable implementation of changes when students have been involved in their development
- Innovative solutions that draw on diverse perspectives
- Evidence for internal QA exercises (and demonstrable partnership examples)
- Students have a better understanding of what is feasible and the timeframes for change
- Increased student buy-in for implemented changes
- Enhanced communications and dissemination through student networks
- Better understanding of how students experience the University and support services
- Improved service design based on genuine user feedback and co-creation
- Enhanced student uptake and engagement with services and programs
- Stronger and more effective relationships between professional services and the student community
- More effective communication strategies that resonate with students, particularly valuable when deploying strategic student voice campaigns.
- Better understanding of current student learning experiences and academic challenges
- Teaching practices informed by student perspectives
- Stronger student engagement with curriculum and teaching innovations
- Access to student insights for research into educational practice
- More effective implementation of academic policy changes
- Develops practical skills including project management, communication, and leadership abilities
- Provides real-world work experience and enhances employability
- Creates opportunities for networking and professional development
- Fosters personal development, builds confidence, and supports a reduction in impostor syndrome through meaningful contribution
- Builds a sense of ownership and belonging within the university community, strengthening future alumni connections
- Ensures student voices shape decisions that affect them
- Students are the experts on their own student and learning experience
- The development of a more diverse and inclusive curriculum
When
To use
A good litmus test is to think if the project has a direct impact on students (a product or service they use) or if it will indirectly impact students (and how large that impact is).
Student partnerships are most effective when projects aim to enhance the student experience, improve teaching and services, and embed student voice meaningfully.
There are many different parts of a project where students can be involved, including Insights - Ideation - Design-Testing - Implementation - Review, and it's important to consider the purpose of student involvement and where it is most appropriate to bring them in. This might be at different stages, or it may be from the start, the important part is to consider this at the beginning of your project and make an informed decision.
Before committing to student partnership, consider:
- Purpose: Is genuine partnership needed, or would consultation achieve your goals?
- Resources: Do you have the capacity to properly support student partners?
- Timeline: Can you accommodate academic schedules and provide flexibility?
- Skills match: Do student capabilities align with project requirements?
- Value added: Will student involvement genuinely improve outcomes?
Not to use
Consider alternatives when:
- Working with sensitive or confidential data
- Projects have extremely tight timelines that don't allow for a proper collaboration setup
- The project requires highly specialised technical skills that would need extensive pre-training
- Dealing with sensitive topics like individual student wellbeing concerns
- The project brief is too vague or undefined for meaningful student contribution
- Resources aren't available to properly support and compensate students
- It is important not to hire students to fill capacity that cannot be fulfilled by staff. They often have unique needs, especially as this may be their first time working in a professional role.
- If the partnership risks reinforcing hierarchies or placing undue pressure on students.
In such cases, alternative approaches like consultation, focus groups, or advisory roles may be more suitable.
We've shared a little more detail on some of the why nots in one of our FAQs, check it out below
Scenarios where student partnership is more effective
These are not extensive, and there are many more ways for staff to involve students. These are provided as indicative of places to seek student partnership.
Both Academic and Professional Services
- Cross-institutional strategic planning initiatives
- Student-experience research projects
- University-wide policy development
- Initiatives requiring diverse student perspectives
- Projects needing authentic student voice for credibility
- Student recruitment activities and student survey campaigns
- Social media and communication projects
Academic
- Curriculum development and pedagogical innovation projects
- Research into teaching and learning practices
- Assessment and feedback policy development
- Academic support service improvements
- Educational technology implementation
- Student academic experience enhancement initiatives
Professional Services
- Student service design and improvement projects
- Campus facility planning and development
- Student support and wellbeing initiatives
- Student communications and engagement strategies
- Policy development affecting student life
- Event planning and student experience programming
If you feel your work lies within these, then please let us know through our case study submission form or if there is an additional area you think needs to be added let us know here.