About the Partnership
Introduction
Student Partnership Project Group
As part of the University’s review of student engagement in relation to academic quality assurance, the Student Partnership Project Group was established in 2017. This Group comprises staff and student representatives from across the University. The Group’s initial remit has been to develop a Student Partnership Framework, which both reflects best practice across the sector and fulfils the guidance in the revised UK Quality Code’s Expectations for Quality, published in March 2018. This best practice guidance outlines that Higher Education institutions should:
engage all students, individually and collectively, in the development, assurance, and enhancement of the quality of their educational experience.
This approach is supportive of the University’s Education Strategy and Postgraduate Strategy, which include commitment to enhancing student learning. The Students’ Union has a parallel approach, detailed in their Strategic Plan, to enhance students’ influence on curriculum design and development through improved engagement. This shared objective provides a strong basis for the Students’ Union and the University working in partnership to effect enrichment of students’ educational experience.
Queen’s University Belfast has support for student learning at the heart of its Education Strategy and Postgraduate Strategy. Queen’s Students’ Union strives to make student life both enriching and rewarding, as part of the commitment made in its Strategic Plan. The Students’ Union and the University have worked collaboratively to bring you The Queen’s University Partnership Project. This project is committed to enhancing engagement with students, to improving learning and teaching and the student experience, and ultimately to embedding our students as partners in their education.
The purpose of the Queen’s University Partnership Project is to describe our approach to student engagement and define the opportunities for working in partnership to further develop and enrich the learning experience, based on constructive dialogue between our students and staff. We have devised a Partnership Framework, which provides assurance of regular review, both of the Framework itself and the effectiveness of improvements made through this partnership project.
The Student Partnership Framework is set out in two distinct sections. The first of these, Section A, describes the existing arrangements in place for student engagement within Queen’s University Belfast. These examples of good practice will continue to be developed and employed. Section B specifies a range of improvement themes, identified as priorities through collaborative consultation with students and University staff, which are to be implemented during the period 2018-2020. These proposed changes are intended to enrich learning and teaching across the University and will be managed in conjunction with the Students’ Union. Within Section B, provisions for review of the framework and improvement strategies are also detailed.
We want to provide an educational experience that is innovative, interactive and engaging. We want to embed a culture of active learning and teaching that motivates, challenges, and inspires. The Queen’s University Partnership Project will support our staff and students in achieving this.