SVA Symposium Insight Session A3

Transforming student voice into shared governance through Dandjoo EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY (ECU) - Joanne May (she/her) Student Voice Coordinator; Sheharyar Sahi (he/him) ECU Guild President; Student Representative, ECU Student Experience Advisory Committee (Dandjoo)- TBA As institutions respond to rapid change, creating environments where students feel safe, valued and empowered to participate meaningfully remains a persistent challenge. This session presents a case study of how Edith Cowan University (ECU) transformed its Vice-Chancellor’s Student Advisory Forum into the Student Experience Advisory Committee (Dandjoo), a co-governed model embedding student voice within institutional decision-making. Dandjoo (meaning “together” in Noongar) represents a deliberate shift from consultation to partnership. The committee operates as a formal sub-committee of Academic Board and University Executive, with shared leadership between a University executive and the Student Guild President. Beyond structural reform, the model reimagines how participation is experienced. Traditional hierarchical meeting formats have been replaced with mixed-table, activity-based discussions, where students and senior leaders collaborate as equals. Implementation has highlighted that redesigning structures alone is not sufficient to build trust or enable participation. In response, the model incorporates structured pre-meetings to build student confidence, surface diverse perspectives, and support contributions in ways that feel safe and accessible. Hybrid delivery ensures regional and online students participate in real time through facilitated online tables, while stipends address financial barriers and recognise student expertise. Co-presented with student partners, this session shares key insights and practical lessons for institutions seeking to move beyond consultation, demonstrating how trust, safety and participation can be intentionally designed and sustained.