Learning together in, and about, Student-Staff Partnership in Higher Education

Abstract

Student-staff partnerships are increasingly encouraged as a student engagement
practice in Higher Education. By working in partnership, students and staff can learn
from each other’s experiences and expertise, generating benefits for all. In this article,
co-authored by students and staff, we offer insights into a student-staff partnership
initiative at Maynooth University and Maynooth Students’ Union. Our partnership has
its roots in the Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project, a crossinstitutional initiative that aims to enhance the digital educational experiences and
digital attributes of Irish university students. We discuss the development of our
partnership, and outline some of the work that we have cooperated on so far, including
collaborative development of student supports, resources, and social media
campaigns, as well as facilitating shared student-staff conversations and action around
wider institutional and national concerns. We draw on concrete examples from our time
working in this partnership, and in this context, we highlight the benefits we have
experienced; outline the challenges we encountered; and provide insight into the
learning and unique perspectives that Maynooth students and staff members of our
partnership gained in the process. By reflecting on our journey and sharing both our
learning and the challenges, we hope to contribute to the wider discourses around
meaningful student-staff partnership approaches in Higher Education.