The Practitioners Forum is an opportunity for staff and students involved with StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie to meet and develop the project collectively. This one-day forum will involve an active and engaged examination of many aspects of StudentSurvey.ie, including student partnership, data analysis solutions, and PGR StudentSurvey.ie.

Guest speakers will include Dr Orla Flynn (President of ATU), Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh (President of NUI, Galway), Prof Hamish Coates (Tsinghua University Institute of Education and editor of Global Student Engagement), and Megan O'Connor (Vice President for Academic Affairs, Union of Students in Ireland). Guest facilitators will lead all workshops, and there will be presentations from participating HEIs.

Schedule

11.30 Registration and refreshments*

12.00 Welcome and Opening Address from Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, and Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of the NUI, Galway

12.15 The Open Forum I - Analysing the data and closing the feedback loop – A solutions workshop

13.30 Lunch

14.15 The Open Forum II - Moving Forward (no matter what your starting point is)

• StudentSurvey.ie lifecycle and strategy
• Partnership
• Data analysis deep dive
• PGR StudentSurvey.ie

15.30 Multiple Perspectives on student engagement

• International perspectives from Prof Hamish Coates (Tsinghua University's Institute of Education; and editor of Global Student Engagement)
• Impact and innovation in the participating HEIs

16.20 Closing remarks by Megan O'Connor, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Union of Students in Ireland

16.30 Informal gathering at a venue in Galway city (more information below)

*The event management team will be on-site from 10am so feel free to arrive anytime after this for a more leisurely coffee!

Who should attend?

All members of staff, faculty, management and students involved with StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie are invited to attend. It is strongly recommended that all institutions are represented by at least one member of staff/ faculty for StudentSurvey.ie, at least one member of staff/ faculty for PGR StudentSurvey.ie (if applicable), and at least one student/ student representative. Representatives of stakeholder organisations are very welcome.

Purpose

1. Share good practice.

2. Network with other StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie practitioners.

3. Discuss aspects of StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie collectively.

4. Form communities of interest for aspects of StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie.

5. Identify issues for the Project Manager and project Groups (Steering Group, Analysis and Impact Group, Communications Group, PGR Working Group) to address centrally on behalf of all institutions.

Goals

1. Everyone will leave with some new ideas about several aspects of StudentSurvey.ie and/ or PGR StudentSurvey.ie.

2. Meeting colleagues will lead to new connections.

3. Everyone will be actively involved in discussions.

4. Additional communities of interest will form and these communities of interest will identify ways their role can be enhanced and supported.

5. The Project Manager and project Groups will learn more about what is working and how they can lead centrally on enhancements.

Transportation to Galway

Bus - Very regular and reliable buses from Dublin and Cork with GoBus and Dublin, Limerick and Cork with Citylink.

Train - Train departing Dublin Heuston at 7.35am arrives at 10.06am, and 9.25am arrives at 11.52am

Train departing Limerick Colbert at 9.20am arrives at 11.13am

Taxis are available from outside the bus and train station, though the walk to the O'Donoghue Centre takes less than 15 minutes and is lovely.

Parking

Parking on campus is limited. There is reasonably priced parking in the Galway Cathedral carpark, which is a convenient location for the O'Donoghue Centre.

Hotels

Excellent rates are offered by partner hotels. Contact siobhan@studentsurvey.ie for more information on how to book.