Students as Partner (SaP) is a growing movement focused on cooperation between students and educational professionals. Its aim is to ingrain students as equal and active partners in shaping the learning environment.
SaP focusses on the relationships between students, teachers and staff as this is an integral part of both the student and staff experience at Inholland. SaP both challenges and transforms a lingering traditionality in which students and staff relate to one another as learner and instructor. Through SaP, Inholland aims to positively affect the quality of education and create a satisfying and positively challenging learning environment for both students and teachers.
The recently awarded Comenius Scholarship has provided a consortium of researchers at Inholland the opportunity to implement and research SaP within Inholland and to further support for SaP within our institute.
During the upcoming SaP-project, students, teachers and the organisation of Inholland will collaborate on a number of innovative projects. The project teams will pilot a range of initiatives within educational programmes, lab-based settings and the student success centres of Inholland. The exact focus of each pilot is partly dependent on the teams themselves and what they together decide will be their objective. This will lead to a variety of pilots that will be developed in the coming years with the first batch starting this September.
The teams might focus on for instance designing new educational methods, developing new (digital) learning materials, starting a mentor programme, organising events or even redesigning the physical learning spaces of a building. This range of projects will allow the research-team to monitor and learn from differences and changes both in the student-staff relationships and in the personal developments of the people involved through a variety of research methods. Simultaneously, Inholland and the consortium will support and advise the SaP-movement through learning communities and workshops.
SaP offers educational institutions the opportunity to stimulate inclusivity and participation within their institutional culture. To treat students as partners means to value and to incorporate their perspectives – and to do so consistently within the organisation to foster cooperation with students at every level. This will contribute to a sense of community and will in the end improve the quality of education.
Furthermore, SaP will create opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation among students and teachers. As they work together across their fields of expertise, this approach to education stimulates new ideas and drives students and teachers to tackle complex problems in innovative ways.
The collaborative essence of SaP stimulates a culture of education that is inclusive, participatory and innovative which will enhance the educational experience at Inholland. By developing ways for students to influence the course of their education as experts in their own right, we can collaborate to transform education and together prepare students and teachers to face future challenges head on and positively impact society.
Through SaP, students get to meaningfully contribute to their own learning experience. Instead of being mere receivers of education, students are encouraged to contribute to transforming education into an active learning environment which ingrains the student voice throughout the organisation. SaP will stimulate ownership and responsibility in students, which in turn will lead to an enhanced understanding of and involvement in the entire learning process, boosting student motivation. In the long run, this will likely increase student satisfaction, student wellbeing and their learning outcomes.
Simultaneously, these developments will continue to offer teachers more opportunities to cooperate with, to support and to inspire students. This will likely positively affect the professional and personal wellbeing of teachers.
By increasing active participation through SaP, we expect an improved pedagogical relationship, a greater sense of belonging amongst the students who participate and improved wellbeing of both students and teachers involved. SaP contributes to developing essential skills (e.g. critical thinking, communication skills and cooperation capabilities) among students; skills that help prepare them for future career opportunities.
"I believe we can positively influence the future of education by having students, teachers and staff working together to transform it."
Our students are involved in decision-making in many aspects of their own education at Inholland. The case descriptions below show how they do this in eight pilot projects in which they act as equal partners. In this way, Inholland University of Applied Sciences focuses on equitable collaboration between lecturers and students, with students taking on the role of active partners in the learning process.
How do you turn students into co-designers of the curriculum? In this ambitious pilot, students joined curriculum development teams to help redesign the first two years of the teacher education programme. Working side by side with lecturers and professionals from the field, they contributed ideas, gave feedback, and even took the lead during sessions. The result: a stronger curriculum, new perspectives for staff, and personal growth for students. “I didn’t feel like just a student—I felt like a colleague,” one participant shared. The pilot showed that equal collaboration fosters confidence, ownership, and lasting educational change.
At the Social Work programme in Alkmaar, students and lecturers worked together to redesign a challenging first-year module. What started as an effort to improve an exam evolved into a full reworking of the module—with and by students. During joint sessions, students critically reflected on the content and structure, even taking on parts of the teaching themselves. The pilot not only gave the education a boost, but also transformed how students and staff perceived one another. “I never imagined I’d actually be teaching. It really gave me confidence,” one student shared.
How do you truly prepare students for higher education? In this pilot in Alkmaar, students and staff explored that question together. They co-developed workshops on essential skills such as planning, academic writing, and research—now ready to be used across other locations. The collaboration wasn’t always easy: schedules, responsibilities, and expectations sometimes clashed. Still, the project demonstrated the value of involving students in such initiatives. “We know what we needed when we started. Now we’ve created something to help others,” said one student.
How do you give students real influence on their education? In this pilot, students and staff teamed up to improve the curriculum at Creative Business Rotterdam. Through design sessions, they worked in equal partnership to generate ideas for innovation—focusing on inclusion, ownership, and mutual trust. The atmosphere was described as open and safe: “It felt good to be the voice of the classroom and share our experiences,” one student said. At the same time, the pilot highlighted the need for time, structure, and follow-up. Valuable lessons emerged for strengthening future SaP practices.
A home away from home—that’s what the CAMBES community stands for. This student-led initiative brings together Caribbean students at Inholland Rotterdam to share experiences, support one another, and feel more at home in their learning environment. During the SaP pilot, a new student team revitalised the initiative with support from the Student Success Centre. “We want this to continue for those who come after us,” said one student leader. The pilot shows that communities like CAMBES can have real impact—provided there is space, structure, and guidance.
How do you give students a real role in educational innovation? In the Creative Business Labs, students acted as coaches, teachers, and co-researchers. Together with lecturers and researchers, they designed and tested new forms of collaboration. The process wasn’t always easy—instability and abstract discussions sometimes got in the way of concrete action—but it led to fresh energy and clearly defined roles. “Emotions and professionalism can be mixed,” one student noted. The pilot illustrates that ownership requires space, structure, and relational connection.
How can student surveys be more than just data collection? In this pilot, students were actively involved in shaping and promoting Inholland’s annual Student Well-being Monitor. They helped redesign the questionnaire, gave input on communication strategies, and shared insights from their own experiences. The collaboration led to a more inclusive and responsive monitor—and opened up new ways of thinking about student well-being. “We were treated as equal partners, and that made us feel responsible for the outcome,” said one student. The project also revealed challenges: maintaining involvement, online collaboration, and time pressure. Still, the pilot showed that engaging students as partners in research strengthens both the process and its impact.
At the Student Success Centre (SSC) in Diemen, students and staff explored how to shift ownership of student support activities toward students themselves. In mixed buddy teams, they co-organised events, held peer conversations, and reflected on their roles. The project highlighted both the potential and the complexity of shared ownership. Students appreciated the space to contribute and grow, though they also experienced moments of uncertainty. “They really listened and gave us room to make mistakes,” one student shared. The pilot demonstrated how structure, transparency, and empathy are key to building sustainable student–staff partnerships.
