Improving the student experience at Victoria University

Polis Partners has worked with Victoria University (VU) on initiatives aimed at improving the student experience. Our work has included:

• The Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and placements programs review
• Advising on the establishment of a Student Wellbeing and Belonging Function

WIL and placements review

WIL and industry placement programs are a requirement for many higher education and vocational education and training (VET) courses at VU, providing students with valuable experience and educational outcomes. VU engaged Polis Partners to conduct a review of its WIL and placement programs to strengthen efficiencies, governance, compliance, management and processes, reduce risk and develop a high-level operating model with a view to improving the student experience.

We worked closely with the numerous colleges and disciplines across both higher education and VET to map existing processes and understand both the scale and complexity of facilitating the placement of each student, capturing the breadth of staffing resources utilised. We also did a comprehensive mapping of the legal and regulatory frameworks (both Commonwealth and state requirements) at a general level, as well as for key disciplines with high volume (e.g., nursing and childcare).

All of our recommendations to improve the programs were accepted in full.

Student Wellbeing and Belonging Function

Polis Partners was engaged to provide rapid, high-level advice on a proposed operating model to guide VU in the early development of its new Wellbeing and Belonging function.

We outlined a proposed operating model, service delivery model options, validated and advised on key staff capabilities and organisational structures, and benchmarked best practice. We also worked with our Equality Partners colleagues to draw on recent whole-of-institution wellbeing work completed for VU in the context of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.