The student voice is a core part of how decisions are made at the University of Tasmania. Our Students as Partners Framework, first introduced in 2023, supports students and staff to work together on shaping learning, policy and the wider University experience.
We are now refreshing the framework to ensure it aligns with our current academic structure and strengthens how student perspectives inform decisions across the University.
How are students currently involved
Students already contribute to University decision-making through a range of formal and collaborative roles.
They participate as members of University Council, Academic Senate, and key committees such as the Strategic Investment Group, where student perspectives help shape policy, resource allocation and long-term strategic planning.
Student leaders also meet regularly with the Vice-Chancellor, senior executives and academic leaders to discuss emerging issues, test ideas and provide advice on student experience and governance matters. In some areas, we even invite students on to our interview panels to ensure fresh perspectives on staffing at the University of Tasmania.
Alongside these formal structures, students work with academic and professional staff across a variety of projects, reviews and co-design activities, contributing directly to improvements in teaching, learning and the wider University environment.
This involvement provides important foundations for our refreshed Students as Partners Framework, ensuring student voices remain central to how the University evolves.
What’s changing
Working with the Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA), we are:
- updating the Framework to embed student partnership more consistently across academic and administrative processes
- establishing a Students as Partners Executive Oversight Group to guide, coordinate and report on partnership activity
- improving visibility of how student input influences University decisions
Why it matters
Stronger student partnership leads to better decision-making, clearer communication and a more open University culture. The refreshed Framework will help ensure students are actively involved in shaping the policies, priorities and learning environments that affect them.
For more information on this important work, please reach out to Pro Vice-Chancellor (Equity and Student Success) Dr James Brann, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching Performance) Professor Luke Bereznicki or TUSA President Jack Oates Pryor.