The Role of Student Representatives in Student Success Oisín Hassan USI Deputy President and Vice President for Academic Affairs @USI_Education / @oisinh1 academicaffairs@usi.ie Intro to me I’d like to thank the QQI, HEA and the other named partners for the I’ve been tasked with setting out the scene for today’s conference. I’ve chosen to do that through lense of the 10 Principles of Student Engagement (they are on your tables). The Principles were developed as a core component of the HEA’s Working Group Report on Enhancing Student Engagement in Decision-Making.

Who are USI? Founded in 1959, representing 374000+ students cross-border Bilateral Agreement of 1974 with NUS UK - now known as the Trilateral Agreement (NUS-USI Northern Ireland) Work to defend, uphold, and improve the rights of students Work across national organisations and agencies to represent our members Train Sabbatical/Student Officers in member Unions Campaigns and activism across many issues Lobbying and policy advocacy to politicians and decision-makers In 2014 the groundwork began to develop a new sense of the student within their own education and institution. Ultimately, in 2016 after the Working Group had concluded, the Report on Enhancing Student Engagement in Decision-Making was published. The Report laid out 10 principles, that were propelled by 3 Drivers for Student Engagement - those were the HEI as a site of democratic citizenship, the HEI as a learning community, and the HEI as a critical institution.

Student Engagement and Partnership 10 Principles for Student Engagement 3 Drivers of Student Engagement: The HEI as a site of democratic citizenship The HEI as a learning community The HEI as a critical institution 3 Domains of Student Engagement: Teaching and Learning Quality Assurance Governance and Management In 2014 the groundwork began to develop a new sense of the student within their own education and institution. Ultimately, in 2016 after the Working Group had concluded, the Report on Enhancing Student Engagement in Decision-Making was published. The Report laid out 10 principles, that were propelled by 3 Drivers for Student Engagement - those were the HEI as a site of democratic citizenship, the HEI as a learning community, and the HEI as a critical institution.

Engaging students in a systematic approach ultimately builds their capacity to act as partners. It is from an engaged student partnership model that student centred approaches emerge and are fostered within education. Student Engagement builds Student Partnership capacity, fostering a culture of Student Centredness. I offer you this explanation. 3 interlinked concepts, but distinct concepts. How now can we realise the potential we have created?

What is Student Success? USI advocates for ‘access’ to education, but access does not just stop being an issue when you walk through the door of college. Issue of retention and drop-out We work on this issue internationally - you are all members of the European Students’ Union! Consider those 3 Drivers - students as democratic citizens are therefore considered equal, constituent parts of the institution with a role to play in its evolution, students as part of a learning community, where knowledge is not merely imparted and absorbed, but shaped and created by the reactions, views, and contributions of those who come to learn, and students as part of a process of self-evaluation and critique, rather those who criticise without constructive input. That model of students as consumers is actively dismantled by a process capacity building with students, raising them up to active participants in the processes of the institution, in the learning it fosters, and in the decisions it takes.

How do we work towards Student Success? “Student success is everybody’s business” Work with the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Aim to develop guidelines on creating Student Success Strategies Consider those 3 Drivers - students as democratic citizens are therefore considered equal, constituent parts of the institution with a role to play in its evolution, students as part of a learning community, where knowledge is not merely imparted and absorbed, but shaped and created by the reactions, views, and contributions of those who come to learn, and students as part of a process of self-evaluation and critique, rather those who criticise without constructive input. That model of students as consumers is actively dismantled by a process capacity building with students, raising them up to active participants in the processes of the institution, in the learning it fosters, and in the decisions it takes.

Hold on a minute…. What is “student success”? What does it mean to you personally? What do you think it means to the students on your course? How do you think your University and/or your Students’ Union could improve it? What might need to happen nationally? Click ‘Join event’

Thank you!