Shifting the Perspective - How to Encourage Meaningful Student Participation in Transformative Times

Tertiary education is undergoing profound changes. Digitalisation and AI raise fundamental questions about skills and qualifications, learning pathways, and digital autonomy. They also challenge us to rethink the goal of tertiary education beyond the degree: how can students learn to think critically and navigate complexity? These conversations are often held without the most important stakeholders: the students. This all-student panel brings together voices from the Netherlands and Germany to shift that perspective. It shows that meaningful student participation is essential for successful digital transformation. Yet student engagement is under strain for multiple reasons. The question becomes then not why student voices matter, but how institutions can create conditions that enable meaningful engagement. Panelists will share examples and reflect on how students can be genuinely included. The audience will leave ready to put student voices at the centre of their own work.