Student receives international recognition of her work to improve academic innovation and development 

Millie Leach, who is studying for the BSc Cybersecurity, has been awarded a SEDA Student Partnership Impact Award, providing international recognition of her work as a Student Learning Consultant for the University’s Centre for Academic Innovation and Development (CAID).  

The Student Learning Consultant Programme was launched by the University in November 2024, with six students from diverse backgrounds employed for 50 hours each to work on various projects with CAID throughout the year. In her role as a Student Learning Consultant, Millie co-authored 'A student guide to working with students and staff as partners' and worked on the institution-wide Moodle co-design and transfer project. Moodle is an open-source Learning Management System used by educational institutions and organisations to create and manage online courses and learning environments.  

Millie, 21, from Exeter, said she became involved in the project after seeing an advertisement for students at the University for the role as a Learning Consultant with the Centre for Academic Innovation and Development (CAID). She said she was immediately drawn to the position, as it offered the opportunity to directly contribute to the enhancement of teaching and learning at the University of Chester.  

Millie said: “After being successful in my application, I joined CAID’s ‘Students as Partners’ initiative. My specific focus was to create a comprehensive guide to student partnership, both within the University of Chester and for wider use beyond the institution. This involved developing a suite of resources, including a dedicated website aimed at University of Chester students and a written guide that could be shared externally. The ethos of the project, to challenge the traditional ‘student as consumer’ model and promote students to become co-creators or partners of their educational experience, resonated deeply with me. Having held various Student Voice and leadership roles in my education, this initiative gave me the chance to apply those experiences and contribute meaningfully to the University community.”  

She added that she has gained more experience through the project that will serve her in the future. She added: “Being involved in a project where student perspectives are central has reinforced how impactful student contributions can be when institutions genuinely listen and collaborate. This experience really gave me confidence in my ideas and abilities. The respect shown by the CAID team, and the opportunity to be treated as an equal within the project, has really empowered me. Being seen, and heard, as a colleague rather than just a student has been transformative, and it’s something I’ll carry with me well beyond this role. Furthermore, working alongside the CAID department has given me insight into the “behind-the-scenes” work that goes into shaping academic development. It has broadened my understanding of institutional change and innovation and shown me just how much student input can drive real, meaningful progress.  

“Receiving this award honestly feels amazing. This award recognises and celebrates students who have made a significant impact through partnership work in higher education, so receiving it is equal parts surreal and validating. It means a lot to know that the work I’ve put into this project has made a real impact. Being recognised by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) especially, is a real honour. SEDA is widely respected for promoting innovation and good practice in higher education, so to have this work recognised by them really shows the value of student partnership. I’ve always cared deeply about amplifying the student voice, but this award has shown me just how much impact students can have when they’re treated as genuine partners.   

“I was especially lucky to work with Professor Ruth Healey in CAID, who supported me throughout the development of the materials. Her trust in me, along with her expertise and encouragement, made a huge difference, not just to the project, but to my own confidence and growth. I hope this recognition helps show others what’s possible when students are invited into these kinds of conversations as equals.”  

Ruth Healey, Professor of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, said: “Millie is an exceptional Student Learning Consultant. She’s thoughtful and reflective, carefully considering the context and audience of the guide. She practised collaborative leadership, ensuring she learnt from the principles of partnership to engage other students and staff in the decisions around the content and accessibility of the resources.   

“The guide will be launched in the new academic year and will undoubtedly have a significant impact on both student understanding of partnership, while supporting them to find and take up opportunities to partner with other students and staff.”  

CAID will be recruiting a new cohort of Student Learning Consultants in October to work during the 2025-26 academic year. Students can apply through the University's Unijob scheme.  

Caption: Millie Leach.