Student Training Programme

Topics: Third Level

Sources: NStEP - National Student Engagement Programme

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Student Training Programme

NStEP Newsletter: February 2025

Find out more about our Student Training Programme, impactful collaborations and new publications!

Welcome to the latest edition of the NStEP Monthly Review, where we share key updates, recent events, and exciting collaborations shaping student engagement across Irish higher education. This month has been an inspiring one, with impactful initiatives and partnerships driving meaningful change.

Our first publication of 2025!

We were delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the fantastic AHEAD Journal, Issue 18. Our article highlights the impact of the NStEP's Representing Diversity Training (RDT) in Irish Higher Education, emphasising its role in fostering more inclusive and representative student engagement.

This edition is truly inspiring, showcasing insightful and impactful initiatives that support students with disabilities and drive meaningful change, including contribution from one of NStEP's Student Trainers and Student Quality Assurance Reviewers, Sinead Lynch 👏

A must-read for anyone passionate about accessibility and student empowerment!

Read NStEP's article here

Read Sinead's article here

European Student Convention

Our Programme Manager, Niamh, and Development Coordinator, Rachael, attended the 49th European Students Convention at University of Galway, co-hosted by Union of Students Ireland and European Students' Union (ESU). Here, a group of engaged and enthusiastic European SU Officers heard all about the work of NStEP, how we foster and strengthen student engagement in Irish higher education and how they could take some of this information home and apply it within their own institutions.

Student Training Programme

This month, our wonderful team of Student Trainers facilitated 7 training sessions, training a further 65 students. This brings our total number of students trained to 7,593. We delivered;

4 Introductory Class Rep Training
2 Advanced Class Rep Training
1 Representing Diversity Training

If you, or your institution, are interested in scheduling one of our Student Training Programme sessions, please see below where you can select from our 'Open Sessions' (available to all students across our 28 partnering institutions) or book an institution-specific session.

Book Your Training

If you would like to learn more about our Student Trainers, click here:

'Power of Disability: Breaking Barriers'

We were honoured to be speakers at AHEAD's 'Power of Disability: Breaking Barriers' 2025 online conference on 12th of February. Our Development Coordinator Rachael Sarsfield Ryan spoke on the 'Student Engagement: A Tool for Change' panel alongside Caoimhe Cronin of AHEAD and Katie Quinn of AsIAm.

The session focused on student engagement and partnership as tools for change and enhancing accessibility in education, and tips for students to work towards meaningful student engagement and partnership in their institutions. You can watch recordings of the sessions below;

'Power of Disability: Breaking Barriers' Recordings

RCSI's Student Leadership Development Programme

Our Development Coordinator was thrilled to have been invited back to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) for a second year, to deliver our Representing Diversity Training to this year's cohort of the Student Leadership Development Programme.

Review of National Framework for Student Success in Higher Education

Our Programme Manager, Niamh, was delighted to contribute to the Review of National Framework for Student Success in Higher Education, by speaking to an independent Expert Group on student success and issues affecting students. We looking forward to the outcome of this very important piece of work!

National Advisory Group for Student Engagement

Following our recent open call for membership to our National Advisory Group for Student Engagement 2025-2026. we received over 80 applications from students and staff in Irish higher education institutions. The high level of interest and enthusiasm for this Group speaks volume to the commitment to improving student voice, student engagement and student partnership in today's higher education sector. Our membership has been finalised and we look forward to the inaugural meeting of the group of 10th March 2025.