Student engagement in a new era of education in Limerick
More than 180 student affairs professionals attend the biannual event
STUDENT growth, development and success were the priority at the Student Affairs Ireland Seminar in TUS this week.
Over 180 student affairs professionals from 19 Higher Education Institutes attended the event on Tuesday, June 18.
The “Creating, Engaging and Enhancing Community for Student Success” seminar involved presentations and specialist workshops, with a focus on “ensuring best practice while sharing ideas and experiences around student engagement in a new era in education”.
Linda Barry, president of Student Affairs Ireland (SAI) and student affairs manager at TUS Midwest, said “As student service professionals our role is to ensure that students are supported through their personal journey and remain engaged with the whole college experience… This seminar was an opportunity for student affairs professionals from the third level sector to share knowledge, good practice and expertise”.
SAI was welcomed to TUS by the president of TUS, professor Vincent Cunnane, who explained that it became clear that inclusivity and supportiveness were the priorities of TUS staff when they developed the inaugural TUS Strategic Plan.
Professor Cunnane said that “This means that student services are almost uniquely important to us here in TUS, both because of their work and because student services articulate what we are about, our values, our mission, and our very identity”.
Tom Lowe, senior lecturer in higher education at the University of Portsmouth delivered the keynote address “Creating Higher Education Communities that Foster Student Engagement and Success”.
Mr Lowe’s research includes student engagement in the development of education, and he is experienced in the practicalities of student engagement and involvement.