A student-centric university places students at the core of its policies, practices, and institutional culture. It aims to foster an inclusive, engaging, and supportive learning environment, prioritising not only academic success but also a sense of belonging, personal well-being, inclusivity, equal opportunities and access, diversity and individual needs. This concept hinges on effectively implementing reflective teaching practice, personalised learning, participatory education, and technology integration to create meaningful learning experiences that adapt to students’ varying circumstances. However, as expressed through mission statements and discourse, institutional intent alone does not automatically translate into sustained outcomes. The key lies in deliberate, actionable, and sustained practices responding to student needs over time.
Beyond Policy – Sustaining Student-Centricity Through Action
While many universities claim to place students at the heart of their mission. However, policies and frameworks are only as effective as their implementation, and the gap between intent and practice often limits real student-centred outcomes. Sustained action requires alignment across institutional components, including comprehensive support services, continuous staff development, and robust monitoring and accountability at every level of the university structure.
Comprehensive Support Services
Support services must holistically address students’ academic, emotional, social, and career needs. This includes not just reactive services—such as mental health counselling—but proactive, integrated systems that enhance student engagement, retention, and success throughout their academic journey.
Professional Development for Academic and Support Staff
A student-centric approach depends heavily on the skills, attitudes, and commitment of academic and professional staff. Universities must invest in professional development that empowers staff to align their practices with student-centric ideals.
Institutional Monitoring and Accountability
Monitoring the effectiveness of student-centred initiatives requires robust systems of institutional accountability. Universities need joined-up, data-driven frameworks that measure progress against clear performance indicators, such as student satisfaction, retention, and graduate outcomes.
Sustained Alignment Across Institutional Levels
A truly student-centric university requires coordination across all institution levels—from senior leadership to departmental operations. A lack of alignment will result in fragmented efforts and missed opportunities for improvement.
Moving from Rhetoric to Action
A student-centric institution is not defined by intentions or mission statements but by sustained, coordinated actions. Comprehensive support services, ongoing staff development, and robust accountability frameworks must work in tandem to ensure policies are implemented effectively. Universities must also be agile, constantly reassessing their efforts to align with changing student needs, social contexts and industry demands.
While the points outlined above may already be familiar to us, the pertinent question now is to reflect critically on your current position within this collaborative initiative aimed at successfully implementing and sustaining a student-centred approach!
Reference
Francisco, J. C. (2024). Student-Centric Perspectives of the’Why’and’How’of Fostering Global Competence in Education. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 24(3).
Kanwar, A., & Sanjeeva, M. (2022). Student satisfaction survey: a key for quality improvement in the higher education institution. Journal of innovation and entrepreneurship, 11(1), 27.
O’Neill, G., & McMahon, T. (2005). Student-centred learning: What does it mean for students and lecturers.
Starkey, L. (2019). Three dimensions of student-centred education: a framework for policy and practice. Critical Studies in Education, 60(3), 375-390.
Wong, W. H., & Chapman, E. (2023). Student satisfaction and interaction in higher education. Higher education, 85(5), 957-978.
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