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What Gen Y wants
UA 2018 Conference: Generation Y panel
presents initiatives for improving curriculums,
student life and employability.
By Kirstie Chlopicki
H
ow can universities give value to students as partners,
rather than as consumers?
This question formed one of the major themes of the
2018 Higher Education Conference, and not just in speaker content
– it was also reflected in the inaugural inclusion of a student panel.
For the first time in the history of this Universities Australia
conference series, a session featured a seminar run
entirely by Generation Y representatives: Employability and
Curriculum Designed by the Future.
The four student leaders – National Union of Students president
Mark Pace, Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations
president Natasha Abrahams, Council of International Students
Australia president Bijay Sapkota, and National Aboriginal and Torres
2
Strait Islander Postgraduate Association vice-president Sharlene
Leroy-Dyer – posed as deputy vice-chancellors for the day and
pitched the initiatives and policies of their fictional universities.
Each of the speakers opted to take on different titles and focuses,
including public VC (Pace), personal VC (Abrahams), International
VC (Sapkota) and Indigenous VC (Leroy-Dyer).
Their standout policies and suggestions to improve Australian
universities were as follows:
Public VC, Mark Pace
•
•
•
•
•
•
ore focus on soft skills such as critical thinking,
M
problem solving and community relationships
Initiatives to encourage lifelong learning combined with
timeless skills
Students at the centre of decision-making
More electives and chance for postgraduate specialisations
Lower student debt, especially for those studying
multiple degrees
More one-on-one time with academics and longer
contact hours.