Student Experience Framework

What is the Student Experience Framework?

The Student Experience Framework puts students at the heart of everything we do by setting out the different aspects of the student experience, establishing the principles and defining our approach.

The development of the Student Experience Framework was led by the Students’ Guild (Guild) in Exeter and the Students’ Union (SU) in Cornwall working with colleagues from the University in 2022. 

We Discover, Grow and Thrive Together

Our vision for the student experience is that we discover, grow and thrive together.  The three main pillars of the framework are:

  • Discover – the opportunity to discover your communities, your passion and yourself
  • Grow – the opportunity to grow as an individual and support wider community and institutional growth
  • Thrive – we provide the environment, support and opportunity to thrive at university and beyond

Our principles guide how we deliver and develop the student experience

  • Partnership and co-creation -  we work as a partnership between the SU, Guild and University with our student community, to innovate and co-curate the student experience at every level and with all relevant partners
  • Agency – Exeter students have voice and agency, they are active participants in their student experience and are enabled to make change happen
  • Inclusion – a safe, inclusive and culturally competent environment for each student to develop and enable ‘Success for All’
  • Belonging and community -  we support students to find connections and find their community
  • Proactive, flexible and adaptable – support for students reflects the stage of the academic year and flexes according to requirements
  • Simple and relevant  – our communications and engagement opportunities will empower students to make choices and find information
  • Celebrating the individual – providing opportunities and experiences which consider every student and every community
  • ‘Greener’ – students are empowered to lead meaningful action against the climate emergency and ecological crisis
  • ‘Fairer’ – students are empowered to lead progress towards creating a fair, socially just and inclusive society
  • ‘Healthier’ – our student experience will promote health and wellbeing.

The experience of each student is unique! However there are common building blocks or components of the student experience. By working together with the Guild, the SU, as well as the University, we have complied a holistic view with the different aspects that are essential to students and the student experience. All these aspects are being developed in line with our strategies, ensuring that we place students at the heart of all our considerations.

Components of the student experience

As a result of the Student Experience Framework we support our students to discover, grow and thrive in the following ways.

  • Our students realise their potential and individual goals through:
    • Opportunities to discover and grow their passions
    • Growing their academic strengths and interests
    • Recognising and developing their ability to effect change and external growth
    • Preparation to thrive in their future endeavours
  • Our inclusive learning community enables students to thrive:
    • By celebrating the individual
    • Through environments which promote inclusion and feel safe
    • Engaging and contributing to institutional growth
    • Being part of a supportive community
    • Expressing views respectfully
  • Our excellent student-centred and digitally-focused services underpin and enable individual success and a thriving community through:
    • Seamless digital experience of service provision
    • Digital solutions which solve problems and improve experience
    • A culture of enablement
    • Proactive, flexible and adaptable services that recognise and support the diversity of our student community

Led by the Students’ Guild in Exeter and the Students’ Union in Cornwall with the University, the following priorities stemming from the Student Experience Framework were established for 2022/23:

  • Considering changing the eco-system for students
    Considering how we can best promote student representation across multiple student identities, ensuring that student voices are heard, empowering students to take change forwards without burden.
  • Revising governance structures to ensure student priorities are an overarching consideration
    We have created a Student Experience Partnership Board combined of SU and Guild student officers and senior university colleagues from education and Professional Services. We are streamlining our operations and creating agility in our governance processes.
  • Creating resources and tools
    We are creating a repository of resources, case studies and tools to help university colleagues engage with student priorities and place the student experience at the heart of delivery and development of services.
  • Simplifying our communications and engagement opportunities
    Creating better signposting and access to the information students need including through digital applications.
  • Working with our partners
    The student experience is influenced by many different organisations, we are continuing the partnership approach between the SU, Guild and University to ensure join up. We are also liaising with other key campus delivery partners, particularly at our Cornwall campuses to ensure join up.