2025 Student Voice Symposium & Student Voice Summit
Day 1: Thursday 23 October
(Student Summit)
Day 2 Friday 24 October
(Student Voice Symposium)
Beyond the Seat | From voice to choice
Location: Griffith University Gold Coast (Business Building G42 & Online)
This year’s theme challenges us to go further than giving students a seat at the table.
It’s about moving from simply listening to sharing real power.
Voice is the first step - allowing students to be heard. Choice empowers students to co-create, lead, and enact change. When voice and choice come together, education becomes more inclusive, impactful, and truly student-centred.
Beyond the Seat invites us to rethink systems, relationships, and leadership, so students help shape not just the conversation, but the future.
Our theme this year will be explored through four streams:
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How can universities design systems where student voice drives meaningful change? This stream explores governance models, frameworks and policies that go beyond consultation, ensuring students have formal roles, shared decision-making power, and mechanisms for accountability at all levels.
(Presentations might examine: policies that formalise student input, digital tools that amplify student voice, or innovative governance practices.)
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How can students help shape what, how, and why they learn? This stream explores collaborative approaches to curriculum design, inclusive teaching practices, co-research and learning environments built on reciprocity and inclusion.
(Presentations might explore: student-staff curriculum co-design, feedback loops in teaching, inclusive pedagogy, or examples of reciprocal learning cultures.)
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How do we make everyone feel welcome, respected, and part of a community they belong to? This stream explores how everyday actions, values, and relationships shape a positive and inclusive learning environment.
(Presentations might focus on: initiatives that build connection and wellbeing practices that support diverse and marginalised voices, or approaches that make inclusion part of daily life.)
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How do we support students and staff to lead, influence, and create change? This stream focuses on building the confidence, skills, and institutional culture needed to take meaningful action.
(Presentations might explore: leadership development, peer-to-peer training, recognition and reward, or strategies for building agency and capability.)
Event Information
Read below for key information to help you prepare for the event.
Registration will close one week prior to the event on 15 October.
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> 10 June- Presenter Applications Open (open for 6 weeks)
> 18 July- Presenter Applications Close (Extended until 31 July)
> August- Presenter Application Outcomes Sent
> August- Registration Opens
> 23-24 October- Event Dates
(dates subject to change slightly, check this page for the latest information) -
DAY 1 STUDENT SUMMIT:
This day is dedicated to students- by student, for students. Students who play a crucial role in shaping learning experiences and the overall student experience on behalf of themselves or a cohort they represent. Student leaders, representatives and executives in student-led organisations who advocate for student needs at class, faculty, institutional and national levels.
DAY 2: SYMPOSIUM Let’s come together!
Practitioners - Educators, student support staff, and other professionals within the tertiary education sector, including VET, who implement student partnership initiatives, programs, and practices.Students - Student leaders, representatives and executives in student-led organisations who advocate for student needs at class, faculty, institutional and national levels.
Academics and Researchers - Academics and researchers who contribute valuable knowledge and expertise to discussions about student partnership, influencing the design of inclusive teaching methods and research on effective student engagement strategies.
Leaders - Tertiary and vocational leadership, administrators, and policymakers who hold the authority to make significant decisions that impact the student experience.
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Location
The Symposium and Summit will be held at the Griffith University Gold Coast Campus.
Address: 58 Parklands Drive, Southport Qld 4215The event location is in Business Building (G42)- refer to the SVA map here, as well as the mobility map here.
Parking and Transport
The easiest way to travel to and from campus is via public transport- the tram / G:link. Fares are only 50c and the tram come every 10 minutes. Learn more here about the G:link.
If you intend on driving, learn more about casual parking (at-cost) here.
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There are various accommodation options on the Gold Coast near Griffith campus. The suggestions below are all walking distance from tram stops.
1) Mantra on Sharks (4 star)
From $195Features: 8 mins walk to campus and tram, food available on-site & free on-site parking.
Special offer available to SVA delegates: download here and use discount code on phone or email bookings.2) Woodroffe Hotel (3.5 star)
From $157pn
Features: 1 bedroom apartments, 3 mins walk from tram stop, on-site parking $20.3) Meriton Suites Southport (4 star)
From $305 pn
Features: 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, food and tram within walking distance, $20 on-site parking pre-booking required.4) Marriot Vacation Club (5 star)
From $335 pn
Features: 1 bedrooms or suites apartments, near beach, tram and on-site food options.
From $219 pn
Features: 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, near beach, tram and on-site food options.
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SVA is committed to supporting as many students as we can to attend the Student Summit and Symposium.
SVA will support member institutions by funding one student travel grant per institution. This can be allocated at the institution’s discretion (through application, selection or nomination).
This information has been communicated to member primary contacts. If you’re not sure who your SVA institutional contact is, please contact sva@unisq.edu.au
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REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Complimentary Tickets
As part of institutional membership benefits- members have access to complimentary tickets across both days.Student Summit- 2 students in person & 2 students online free (total 4 tickets)
Symposium- 2 students and 2 staff in person & 2 students and 2 staff online (total 8 tickets)
Complimentary registration is managed directly with the member institution primary contact. If you are not sure who this is, please contact sva@unisq.edu.au
Note: Griffith University Students- please email studentsaspartners@griffith.edu.au
TICKET PRICES- STUDENT SUMMITIn person
Student Summit STUDENT (member) $40
Student Summit STUDENT (non member) $80
Online*
Student Summit STUDENT (member) Free
Student Summit STUDENT (non member) $20
TICKET PRICES- STUDENT VOICE SYMPOSIUM
In person
Symposium STUDENT (member) $40
Symposium STUDENT (non member) $80
Symposium STAFF (member) $70
Symposium STAFF (non member) $180
Online*
Symposium STUDENT (member) Free
Symposium STUDENT (non member) $20
Symposium STAFF (member) $30
Symposium STAFF (non member) $50
*Online tickets will have access to limited sessions including keynote, panel/spotlight and insight presentations. Interactive roundtable, networking, posters and lightning talks are available not available online and are in person only.
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All registered delegates will have access to the recordings of any online accessible sessions, as indicated in the programs.
In Person Tickets Include:
Catering (Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea)
All keynote sessions, panels, and choice of selected con-current sessions (subject to seats on the day)
Networking opportunities with peers and sector leaders
Please note: Accommodation and travel are not included in your ticket.
Online Tickets include:
Online access to selected sessions, as indicated on the program
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The Student Voice Awards will be announced at the close of the Student Voice Symposium.
Nominations are now closed.
Presenters and Program
The final program and speaker profiles are listed below.
Plan ahead by reading the abstracts.
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You can now find the programs for both events. The program is subject to minor changes.
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Sarah Bendall
First Assistant Ombudsman, National Student Ombudsman (NSO)Power with Purpose: Elevating Student Voice through Independent Oversight
Kick off the summit with Sarah Bendall, First Assistant Ombudsman at the National Student Ombudsman, as she unpacks how independent oversight can amplify the power of student voice. Learn who the NSO is, why it was created, and how it supports students in resolving issues. Sarah will walk students through what kinds of complaints the NSO handles, when and how students can make a complaint, and what happens next—plus the supports available to guide students through the process.
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Josh Farr
Director, Campus Consultancy
From Voice to Choice – Design Thinking in ActionHow do we turn the many voices we hear on campus into real, lasting change? In this interactive 90-minute workshop, students will explore the power of design thinking to move from feedback to action. Whether they’re student reps, club leaders, or emerging advocates, they’ll be guided through a hands-on problem-solving process that helps them clarify what matters most to their peers—and how to act on it.
Working in cross-institutional teams, participants will unpack real student challenges, brainstorm creative solutions using the design thinking model, and co-create practical, campus-ready initiatives. With tools like Sli.do and collaborative mapping, we’ll capture all ideas live and generate a digital takeaway resource to support implementation long after the workshop ends.
This session is tailored to engage both new and experienced student leaders, ensuring everyone leaves feeling confident, creative, and equipped to champion meaningful change at their university. -
Professor Caroline Rueckert
Dean, Student Experience and Employability at Griffith UniversityThe Caring University: Reimagining Duty of Care through Students as Partners
How might students as partners reshape the university’s duty of care for a changing world?This keynote explores how students as partners can help reimagine the university’s duty of care at a time of structural barriers, widening inequities, and growing scrutiny. Universities are being asked to define success more broadly than compliance, graduate employment, or workforce preparation alone. Their social licence rests on becoming places of care, where belonging, safety, and inclusion are central, and success is measured as collective flourishing.
Students as partners provides a powerful lens for this reimagining by asking what responsibility, need, and competence look like when co-created through reciprocity, responsiveness, and care. To be meaningful, partnership must move beyond aspiration and reshape governance, pedagogy, and policy so that care is embedded as everyday practice. This shift enables universities to move from transactional to relational education and become both more caring and more just.
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In Conversation with… Sarah Bendall
First Assistant Ombudsman, National Student Ombudsman (NSO)Learning from Complaints: Driving Sector-Wide Reform
Join Sarah Bendall, First Assistant Ombudsman at the National Student Ombudsman, for an engaging conversation on how student complaints can be powerful catalysts for change. This session will unpack the NSO’s role in the higher education sector, explore key themes and trends emerging from complaint data, and reveal how these insights can highlight risks, communication gaps, and unmet expectations. Discover how translating data into action can drive sector-wide improvement, and how institutions can collaborate with the NSO to deliver stronger outcomes for students.
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Both the Student Summit and Student Voice Symposium will feature a range of presentation formats over the two days, including:
1) INSIGHT SESSIONS
(20 minute presentation + 10-minute Q&A)
Research & Reflection – sharing evidence-based insights2) LIGHTNING TALKS
(10 minute presentation + 10 minutes for discussion, no slides in a conversational format)
Quick way to share real world experiences3) VISUAL POSTER PRESENTATION
(45mins displayed during networking time)
Visual and Conversational Showcase of Ideas and Innovations4) SOLUTIONS LAB
(60 minutes, highly interactive)
Hands-On Co-Design for Real-World Challenges -
Registered students and staff fare invited to join a relaxed networking event between the Student Summit and Student Voice Symposium. This is a great opportunity to connect in a casual setting before the Symposium begins, while reflecting on the key takeaways from the Student Summit.
Thursday 23 October
4:00pm – 5:30pm
Parkwood Tavern, Cnr Olsen & Wintergreen Drive, Parkwood
Afternoon tea provided and drinks available for purchase
The venue is walking distance from Griffith campus and free onsite parking is available at the Tavern.All registered delegates are welcome. Please RSVP via the Session & Social RSVP Form (coming soon)
Meet our Keynote Speakers
Sarah Bendall is an experienced lawyer and senior leader with a strong background in delivering large scale dispute resolution services. Sarah has worked in roles responsible for complaints handling across different sectors for twenty-five years. She has led teams to resolve countless disputes via conciliation, mediation, investigation, and restorative engagement across areas ranging from discrimination, sexual harassment, employment, domestic building, small civil claims, legal services, consumer law, public housing, and child protection services.
Sarah is passionate about empowering people to resolve conflict through effective dispute resolution and teaching organisations to use complaints as a way to improve their services, systems and culture.
Professor Caroline Rueckert is Dean, Student Experience and Employability at Griffith University. She has previously served as Director, Student Success at QUT and Program Director for First Year Initiatives at the University of British Columbia. Caroline is an experienced leader in higher education specialising in student success, retention, employability, and equity, diversity and inclusion.
Inclusive partnership has always been central to her practice, and her work focuses on reimagining universities as places of care, where responsibility is shared and success is defined through relational and community outcomes grounded in reciprocity, attentiveness, and responsiveness.
Location and venue information
Griffith University, 58 Parklands Drive, Southport Qld 4215
The event location is in Business Building (G42)- refer to the SVA map here, as well as the mobility map here.
The university is accessible from the Gold Coast Airport (45min drive) or Brisbane airport (1.5 hour drive).
Suggested accommodation and transport options are listed above under Event Information.
Working Group
These events are co-designed and delivered by our valuable SVA Members. Thank you to the members of our working group for their contributions:
Sara Ardern, Practice Lead, Student Partnerships, Griffith University (co-chair)
Chelsea Finlayson, Griffith University
Bella Christensen, Honours student, University of the Sunshine Coast
Jamie Mumme, Student, Deakin University
Kerri Laidlaw, Career Development Consultant, Careers and Employability, Griffith University
Lisa Connolly, UniSQ SVA Student Assistant
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