The National Forum, in partnership with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), is in the process of establishing a Student Associate Assembly, which will mirror the existing Staff Associate Assembly and reinforce the importance of student engagement and partnership as core enablers of student success in Irish higher education. The new Assembly will support teaching and learning enhancement at institutional and national level by ensuring student views and opinions, informed by their lived student experience, shape higher education teaching and learning activities and developments. The student associates will work collaboratively on such activities as promoting the student-led Teaching Hero Awards and providing expertise to National Forum funding applications and review panels. The student associates will work closely with the National Forum Student Associate Intern and the Student Success Educational Developers
In addition to being central to the ethos of the National Forum, the core role of student partnership and engagement in decision-making is reinforced by national policies such as the National Strategy On Children and Young People’s Participation In Decision-Making, 2015 – 2020, which was the first national strategy of its kind in Europe. Since the establishment of the National Forum in 2013, students have played an active part in all of our work, serving on the Board of Directors, the Executive, funding review panels, recruitment panels and advisory/steering groups, as well as collaborating on important national projects and events.
Applications are now invited from interested students across higher education who would like to become National Forum student associates within this new Assembly. One student associate will be appointed from each higher education institution (both USI affiliated and non-affiliated institutions) for the coming academic year, on a part-time paid basis. Each student associate will work up to 25 hours per semester (a total of 50 hours per academic year). All currently registered students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, across all modes of study are welcome to apply. The student associate recruitment process will be mindful of the diversity of learners within the student population.
For more information on these student associate vacancies and how to apply see here. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 22 September at 5pm.
