In this extra post, the authors share a bold, honest, and future-facing reflective account of student-staff co-creation involved in a high-stakes task that required reviewing five years of teaching provision. Dr Neneh Rowa-Dewar & Sharon Levy (the Director and Deputy Director of Quality), Michelle Hart (Teaching Organisation Manager), and Yen Nguyen Culle (current student-member and Project Coordinator), highlight the challenges encountered and the transformative impact of embracing genuine partnerships within the academic environment.
This blog post captures our collective learning, aspirations, and thoughts following the submission of our reflective report for the Internal Periodic Review (IPR). We aim to embed student and staff co-creation as a working ethos in our Deanery, emphasising equal partnership between students and staff.
Yen’s reflections as a student partneR
Joining the project
I joined the IPR working team in October 2023 on a one-day a week basis. We co-created a Reflective Report, engaging senior management, staff, and students, which guided a three-day visit by an external review panel.
Role and responsibilities
My role includes project coordination, co-producing a reflective report, and timely responses to queries and requests. My responsibilities included administrative support, progress monitoring, data analysis, and presentation.
Challenges and insights
Being recognised as a genuine partner was both a privilege and a gradual process. Advocacy for the student voice, especially underrepresented groups like carers, international students, and career-changers, was important to me. Navigating the complex organisational structure, I witnessed the challenges of staff taking on multiple roles, the culture of overwork and reliance on goodwill.
Execution and impact
With support from team and faculty when needed, I led student-related data gathering, analysis, and communication, facilitated brainstorming sessions, conducted surveys and interviews, and co-wrote sections on student engagement. Designing the Reflective report with multimodal elements highlighted the importance of impactful and engaging presentation.
Personal trials and team support
My father passed away unexpectedly the week of the Review visit, the team’s unwavering support allowed me to balance personal needs and project commitments. The positive feedback following the Review visit highlighted the value of our collective efforts. As I look forward, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been involved, the lessons learned, the knowledge gained, and the relationships forged during this experience.
REFLECTIONS OF SHARON, NENEH AND MICHELLE
Selecting the right candidate
Yen’s competence and calm spirit made her stand out amongst exceptional candidates for the Student IPR Coordinator role. Our high-stakes task required reviewing five years of teaching provision and articulating a reflective account that was bold, honest and future facing. We also wanted the IPR Coordinator to be able to give the voice of students the platform from which to influence the direction of travel for the Deanery. On reflection, what we desired most was somebody that could organise us – a small group of staff who had to accommodate this intensive activity on top of other competing academic demands
Initial interactions and adjustments
We had an expectation that Yen would grasp the culture of working at the University of Edinburgh right from the start. Our initial focus on tasks, timelines, and deliverables, without allowing for an adjustment period, affected our early working dynamics. The pressure of time and task magnitude initially hindered embracing Yen as a full partner.
Realising challenges
In hindsight, we regret not recognising Yen’s overworking signs mirrored unhealthy work practices prevalent in our culture. Future co-creation efforts must heed such warning signs.
Managing tensions and time
High-stakes projects inevitably bring scrutiny and tension. Yen’s exposure to occasional staff disharmony was uncomfortable. We were pleased that Yen had a positive experience, others who follow our path should consider how and whether the students should be introduced to situations that may cause frictions. Positive role-modelling is essential in future student-staff co-creation efforts. More time at the project’s start could have facilitated Yen’s transition from student to staff partner, enhancing the transformative experience.
Reflective insights
In all truth, Yen held up the mirror for us to reflect on our culture and some of the things we take for granted – and for this gift of transformative experience we are truly grateful.
Cross-faculty IPR experiences
In seeking to cross-reference our experiences with the IPR process, insights from five individuals who recently completed IPRs in their respective schools proved invaluable.
Common challenges
Across various schools, under-resourcing, lack of allocated time, and difficulties in engaging students were common challenges. Challenges in engaging students within these programmes ranged from students’ demanding schedules, survey fatigue, and hesitancy in critiquing their own programs. Concerns were also raised regarding the risk of student engagement becoming dominated by the voices of a few self-selected individuals. The content of IPR reflective report has grown, adding administrative intensity, and a sense of frustration was felt when resource allocation recommendations are not resolved.
Unique Approaches
Despite these challenges, the School of Chemistry’s experience highlighted the power of genuine connections between staff and students. Small gestures, like greetings in native languages, fostered a sense of belonging and high student engagement.
conclusion
Each school’s experience was unique, and while process, support, and time allocation are crucial, investing in genuine stakeholder connections is more effective. By being honest about challenges in co-creation and our working culture, we hope to contribute to enhance, inform and change future endeavours at this and other Universities for the better. If we can foster a culture of inclusivity, engagement and balanced resource allocation, we believe academic communities and schools can navigate student engagement and staff wellbeing with resilience and optimism.
Stay tuned!
Plans are underway to share our co-creation checklist through an academic publication. You can contact any of our authors for more information.
Neneh Rowa-Dewar
Dr Neneh Rowa-Dewar co-directs the online Master of Public Health (MPH) programme and is the Director of Quality in the Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences at The University of Edinburgh. Neneh has a background in research but her main interest and passion is education, co-creation with students and enhancing the student experience.
Sharon Levy
After completing his nurse training, Sharon continued to develop his professional practice in a variety of community based care environments. His first clinical informatics post, in 1997, was a launching pad to a national leadership role at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) as the UK informatics adviser – a post he held until 2007. After a short career break abroad, Sharon re-joined the NHS as a Telehealth Nurse Specialist, a post he held until 2012. Sharon joined Edinburgh University, Nursing Studies, to lead and direct a number of MSc programmes before moving to the Usher institute where he is currently a CPD lead for the Data Driven Innovation programme. His main research interests and activities focus on digital health and he actively supports research and development efforts by Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland.
Michelle Hart
Michelle is a Teaching Organisation Manager at the Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh.
Yen Nguyen Culle
Yen is currently pursuing her MSc in Data Science for Health and Social care. Yen is the IPR Project coordinator.
