2021 Student Voice Australia Symposium: Building better partnerships: representation, engagement, and sustainability.

The second national SVA Student Voice Australia Symposium brought together Australian higher education institutions to share their experiences of partnering with students for governance and decision-making. The fully online symposium offered a range of formats, including showcases, panel discussions, interactive group sessions and plenary presentations. Two International speakers featured, discussing the symposium themes including diversity and sustainability.

Below you can access links to the recordings of the sessions via our YouTube Channel.

Symposium Program and Recordings

Day 1

Joint welcome by Professor Phil Levy, Pro Vice-Chancellor – Student Learning, University of Adelaide, and Student MC Carmine Buss from The University of the Sunshine Coast, including Welcome to Country with Isaac Hannam – Watch recording on YouTube

Case Studies presented by Curtin University and Holmesglen Institute, (TAFE); Curtin University “Students as Partners at Curtin University” presented by Bridge Truell & Kathryn Clements; and Holmesglen Institute (TAFE) “Student Voice at TAFE” presented by Michaela Hosking – Watch recording on YouTube

Staff & Students learning from each other: staff feedback session presented by Alison Jaquet (USC), Kate Walsh (Flinders U) & Alisa Percy (UTS).  Student feedback presented by Alexander De Corso (USC) – Watch recording on YouTube

Keynote Speaker: Oisin Hassan, Programme Manager, National Student Engagement Programme (NStEP), Ireland – Watch recording on YouTube

Day 2

The view from New Zealand by Professor Sally Varnham – Student Voice to Partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand: Whiria nga rau and onwards. The presentation also featured Alice Mander, President of the New Zealand Disabled Students Association, Andrew Lessells, President of New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations and Jaistone Finau, President of Tauira Pacifika – Watch recording on YouTube

Learning from First Nations Students.  A Student Panel Discussion featuring Keenan Smith, NUS First Nations Officer, Mamaeroa Merita, past Co-President of Te Mana Akonga and Sharlene Leroy-Dyer, Associate PRME Director (Indigenous Engagement), School of Business, University of Queensland, immediate Past President, NATSIPA. Panel Facilitated by Heather McGregor, Director, First Nations Student Success, Charles Sturt University – Watch recording on YouTube

Showcase Presentations from a range of Australian institutions. Click the title of the session to watch the recording on YouTube.

3:00pm Sessions

  1. Student Leadership Plan: Students as Partners – UTS
    Presenter: Kurt Cheng.

  2. Sustainable approach to continuity of student governance at USC
    Presenters: Belinda Brear, Melissa Geltch, Alexander DeCorso.

  3. Students as Partners at VU
    Presenters: Alice Growden, Farriz Roslan, Naomi Dempsey, Leon Kerr.

3:25 pm Sessions

  1. Be Here, Be Heard: Enabling and Representing Student Voice and Agency – University of Melbourne
    Presenters: Nira Rahman, Campbell Rider and Wajeehah Aayeshah

  2. From Partnership to Governance: reconceptualising squeaky wheels and the ‘teach in’ for genuine student contribution at Flinders University
    Presenter: Aidan Cornelius-Bell.

  3. Partnership in the VET sector – Not recorded, chatham house rule
    Facilitator: Stephen Manson.

Closing Keynote Speaker: Maisha Islam, Student Engagement Research and Projects Officer, Centre for Student Engagement, University of Winchester Watch recording on YouTube