The blog was written by student leader Kurt Cheng
This month, UTS’s first Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) came into effect. UTS is the first university in New South Wales (and fifth in Australia) to successfully negotiate a SPA with its student leaders. With the common goal of enriching the student experience, the signing of the agreement makes a strong statement of the university’s commitment to the students who contribute to decision-making at UTS.
The 2022-2024 focus areas are:
- student participation
- inclusion
- sustainability
- quality management
- communication
These priorities connect to and are informed by teaching and learning practices, inclusive student programs, support for our student union and responses to the National Student Safety Survey (NSSS).
The agreement was signed on behalf of the university by Dr Brett Smout, and by me (Academic Board student member for Law), Jin Liu (ActivateUTS President) and Nour Al Hammouri (UTS Students’ Association Councillor, on behalf of UTSSA President, Anna Thieben). The signing marks a new chapter for UTS in elevating the approach to students as partners for decision-making.
Shaping the student experience
Over the past three terms, I’ve been incredibly privileged to be able to work with students, staff and alumni to shape the student experience at UTS – from academic policy to the smaller things that matter such as effective ice-breakers. Seeking a second and third term on the Academic Board was fuelled by a motivation to see through our response to COVID-19. I’m incredibly fortunate to have the support of my peers and staff, many of whom have inspired me to discover a career in policy and governance – the complete opposite of what I had in mind when I first stepped into the UTS Tower building as a shy, timid and anxiety-filled first-year student!
The SPA itself was born out of a casual conversation with former Deputy Vice-Chancellor Shirley Alexander at the 2021 ActivateUTS Club Awards. We discussed the Student Leadership Plan I had developed, which saw greater engagement and participation in leadership roles at UTS. Naturally, the next step was how to best cultivate and continue the momentum around student leaders and their unique working relationships with staff.
UTS has always valued student voices, and has always sought to include and elevate the multiplicity of student perspectives on boards and committees, and through formal and informal contributions to decision-making. The SPA will strengthen this engagement by making a strong statement of commitment to the students who contribute to decision-making at UTS.
Shirley Alexander, Former Deputy Vice Chancellor
Stronger community and elevated student voice…
Jin Liu recognised the importance of the agreement for ActivateUTS’s clubs and societies. “The SPA reorganises students as key partners,” explains Jin. “This empowers the student community to work in partnership with the university to enhance the student experience, particularly for student clubs and societies.”
Nour Al Hammouri agreed that it’s a tool for elevating the UTSSA’s student voice. “The SPA is a monumental move towards powerful advocacy for the UTSSA, strengthening the role of our student union in important decision-making processes.”
Partnership and collaboration are core values at UTS. It is through the cultivation of close working relationships between students, staff and other key stakeholders that we can achieve our common goal of being a leading public university of technology recognised for our global impact.
Professor Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor and President
…and a key to providing more engaging teaching
In developing the agreement, students wanted engaging subjects and compassionate educators, enabling greater engagement and flexibility within the learning environment. On the key priorities for new academic staff will be a workshop on engaging teaching. This will be achieved by improving the onboarding process with training that ensures new staff are aware of good practice in relation to engaging and motivating students in the classroom.
It will be exciting to see practical changes such as this come out of the Student Partnership Agreement and the positive impact it will have on all students at UTS.