Students as Partners Project Grants

Applications are now closed for this year, thank you to all who have applied. Gain valuable skills, make connections with staff, be paid for your time, and make a lasting impact on improving the UTS learning experience. If you have an idea for a project, we want to hear from you!

About the program

The Students as Partners Project Grants program empowers students as change agents to actively improve the university experience for themselves and their peers by proposing, leading and implementing a project in a particular area of focus.

You can choose to do the project individually or as part of a small student team, and, as students and staff must collaborate as partners, you need to engage a staff member to partner with you on the project. If you need help finding a staff partner, take a look at this list of staff who have expressed interest and their areas of interest or expertise.

If your project proposal is selected, you and your student team (if applicable) will be employed by UTS for the duration of your project and will be paid through the grant funding ( HEW1/level 1). Grant funding may also be used for other items, such as workshop supplies.

The program is part of the UTS Student Partnership Agreement and is a Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) initiative.

FAQs and contact us

If you have any questions, take a look at these frequently asked questions (regularly updated) or get in touch with the team.

2024 program areas of focus

This year’s program aims to create positive change in the following areas of academic engagement and partnership:

  • Assessment practice. How your knowledge and understanding of class content is tested e.g. sit-down exams, practical exams, take home essays.
  • Teaching practice. How lecturers and tutors teach you e.g. lectures, seminars, flipped learning.
  • Policy and process review. How rules and systems at UTS are applied to students e.g. enrolment, special consideration, timetabling.
  • Academic support. Academic help offered to students outside of the classroom e.g. writing skills workshops, referencing guides, digital skills, peer learning groups.
  • Inclusivity in learner engagement. How diverse learner needs are supported in the classroom e.g. neurodiverse students, students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Your commitment

If your project proposal is selected, you must:

  • be able to run your project between July 2024 and November 2024
  • attend an initial project kick-off workshop on the 24 July so you (and your student team if applicable) can hit the ground running with the support you need
  • produce key milestone deliverables throughout the project, such as a progress report, final report and final presentation (see key dates below)
  • hand in deliverables on time and complete the project by 29 November 2024
  • set the hours worked between you and your staff partner, but you can expect to spend about 100 hours in total for a small grant project ($5000) or 200 hours across the group for a large grant project ($10,000).

How to apply

Applications have now closed for this year.

To be considered for a grant under this program, your project must:

  • be student led, by any student who is enrolled at UTS for the project period

  • align to areas of academic engagement and partnership

  • be new work and not funded from any other source

  • not contribute to assessment or credit within a subject or course

  • include a partnership with an approved UTS staff member.

Apply in 2 steps:

  1. Download and complete the application form.

  1. Submit the application form via email by 5pm Monday 29 April 2024.

Here's a rough example of how you can fill in the application form.

Selection criteria

Project proposals will be assessed using the following selection criteria:

  • Potential impact on improving the student experience.
  • Feasibility of project to meet outcomes within grant timeline and resources.
  • Sustainability of project outcomes beyond the grant period.
  • Partnership process and outcomes within the project.

Key dates

Monday 18 March 2024Applications open for student project proposals
Monday 29 April 2024Applications close for student project proposals
Friday 31 May 2024Student project proposal applicants advised of outcome
Wednesday 24 July 2024Kick-off workshop for students
July - November 2024Projects run (19 weeks)
Friday 6 September 2024Progress report due
Friday 29 November 2024Final report due
December 2024 - February 2025Final presentation due

Information for staff

As a staff partner, you commit to the following:

  • The hours worked will be set between you and your student partner/s, but you can expect to meet at least once a month to work on the project.
  • Deliverables will be handed in on time and that the project will be completed by 29 November 2024.

  • You will need to take responsibility for promoting and/or implementing the outcomes of the project beyond the project close (e.g. apply the learnings in your subject and present your learnings with the student partner in relevant forums).

     

Successful 2024 Students as Partners Projects 

Below is a list of the successful Students as Partners projects running in 2024: 

  • AI Across Disciplines: Embedding Artificial Intelligence Literacy in UTS Education 

  • Creating inclusive instructions, production videos and networking for women and minority students in creative production 

  • Extending academic supports for first-year health undergraduates: Addressing the 'pain points' 

  • Fostering Openness: Assessing UTS Students' Perception of Open Science, Education and Publishing for Enhanced Academic Experience 

  • Human-centred approach to loss and bereavement special consideration 

  • Keeping BCII Warm 

  • Startup Guide for Law Readings 

  • Tandem 

  • Tapasā: Pasifika Student Empowerment Initiative 

  • TimetableTune: Revamping the Timetable site 

  • UTS First-Year Narratives 

  • UTS HIPPOS (Hands-on Innovative Professional Prep Orientated students) 

     

Examples of Students as Partners projects

  • Liberate the Curriculum (London College of Communication). Students partnered with faculty staff to decolonise the reading lists of key subjects.
  • CareerZone Accessibility (University of Exeter). Students partnered with staff to review the inclusivity and accessibility of the CareerZone in both a physical and digital sense to maximise access for all.
  • Academic Integrity Ambassadors (University of Adelaide). Students partnered with staff to develop a series of peer led workshops, educational resources and events to improve student’s understanding of academic integrity.
  • Game Changers Program (Curtin University). Students partnered with staff to co-create and facilitate the Game Changers Program which offers a set of introductory leadership and employability workshops to students, underpinned by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  
  • Academic skills videos (Melbourne University). Students partnered with staff to co-design and co-create a series of academic skills videos, such as ‘Intercultural Communication’ and ‘How to Participate in Tutorials’.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.