Students-as-partners approach

The “students-as-partners” approach originated in the Anglo-Saxon education system and sees students as active partners in university development – not only in teaching, but also in administration, sustainability and cross-university collaboration.

In the British higher education system, which is heavily influenced by neoliberal structures, universities are predominantly financed by tuition fees, which have risen significantly since the 1990s. Since Brexit, there has also been a strict separation between domestic and foreign students, with significantly higher fees for the latter. This highly competitive environment is characterized by rankings such as the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and close economic cooperation.

Despite a variety of professional projects at British elite universities, “Students-as-Partners” has not yet been anchored in the curriculum. Instead, its implementation is based on motivated students and teaching staff working together in trusting and equal projects – similar to the HFD’s DigitalChangeMakersStudentInitiative #DigitalChangeMaker.

The delegation trip showed that “Students-as-Partners” is much more than an educational concept: it is closely linked to social and structural framework conditions. Particularly impressive were the visible feedback culture, the professional and service-oriented student support, the flat hierarchies with short communication channels and participation formats that are long-term and structurally anchored.

Further insights into key findings, experiences and recommendations can be found in the blog post, Hangout and podcast.