This resource captures key insights from a full-day workshop held on 8 May 2025, hosted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and led by internationally recognised expert Dr Alison Cook-Sather. The event focused on the transformative potential of authentic student-staff partnerships as a strategic approach to advancing student engagement, success, and institutional effectiveness.

Attended by academic staff, institutional leaders, student success professionals, and sector partners from across Ireland, the workshop featured a combination of keynote presentations, lightning talks, and interactive sessions. Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, participants explored how to build meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable collaboration between students and staff.

For the full event schedule and a complete list of lightning talk contributors to this slide deck, visit the workshop schedule.

Benefits:

• Understand the principles and value of authentic student-staff partnerships in teaching, learning, and institutional development.

• Learn directly from Irish practitioners and students engaged in real-world collaborative projects.

• Gain practical frameworks and case studies to inspire new or enhance existing partnership initiatives.

• Explore issues of power, inclusion, and trust-building essential to sustainable partnership work.

• Leave with a draft action plan and concrete next steps for your own context.

How to Make Use of It:

• Use the slide deck as a staff development resource to introduce the concept of student-staff partnership within your department or team.

• Pair the slides with internal workshops or reflective discussions about enhancing student engagement and co-creation in your institution.

• Adapt examples and frameworks from the presentation to inform your own partnership policies, pilot projects, or programme reviews.

• Share key insights from the lightning talks to promote dialogue among academic and student support staff on inclusive teaching and institutional change.