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 cross-institutional 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.