Our Experience

Executive Summary:

University of Canterbury (UC) engaged Swick Learning to review its student leadership roles within its residential accommodation system. The goal was to better align roles with students’ skills and motivations, improve engagement, and ensure leaders were well supported while minimising risk of overload. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined surveys, interviews, focus groups, an open submissions process, a desktop review, functional analysis, and international benchmarking, the review provided a comprehensive picture of the student leadership ecosystem. Four core recommendations were developed, focused on layering leadership roles and refining responsibilities to enhance impact. These recommendations have been adopted and are being actively implemented, with early feedback indicating positive results.

The Client:

University of Canterbury (UC) is one of New Zealand’s leading universities. Its student accommodation system is relatively large and mixed-mode, housing 3,000 students across 12 residences, many of which have distinct histories with a range of invested stakeholders. The residential system plays a critical role attracting people from off the island and supporting their adjustment to the University and Christchurch. Following a high-profile incident five years previously, UC has a distinct need for excellence in its pastoral care systems in student accommodation.

The Challenge:

UC sought to review its student leadership roles within accommodation, aiming to improve the impact of these positions and better align roles with students’ skills, motivations, and maturity levels, ensuring that they were appropriately supported and that responsibilities were manageable. There was an observable drop-off in engagement across the year, where roles were formally filled but outputs were declining. Existing feedback mechanisms were not providing a clear enough picture to diagnose the situation. The review needed to understand the underlying issues and propose changes likely to drive sustained outcomes while minimising the risk of leaders becoming overwhelmed or disengaged.

The Solution:

Swick Learning conducted a mixed-methods review designed to capture the full picture of student leadership at UC. This included surveys anchored in validated job analysis instruments: (Job Diagnostic Survey and the Work Design Questionnaire); a comprehensive desktop review of policies, documents, and relevant literature; a functional analysis of leadership roles and their alignment the functions of the larger organisation; interviews and focus groups with stakeholders ranging from university executives to staff and students; an open submissions process; and an international comparative study, interviewing leaders from universities across New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, and the US to understand how peer institutions structured, supported, and evolved their student leadership systems over the past two decades.

Our analysis found that the core function and purpose of student leadership roles is widely understood and adds value that is difficult to replicate with a purely professional staff model. However, the full potential of student leadership at UC was being limited by a few addressable factors. We recommended a more layered leadership system, incorporating a mix of volunteer and paid roles, with narrower responsibilities and higher expectations in paid positions.

The Impact:

The management team that commissioned the review agreed with all the conclusions and findings, recognising that these were grounded in a comprehensive, evidence-informed understanding of their student leadership ecosystem. Four core recommendations were developed from the review and are now being actively implemented, with early feedback indicating a positive difference. The lasting impact will take time to fully emerge.

Executive Summary:

Emmanuel College engaged Swick Learning to conduct an independent review of its culture in 2023 to gain a true and unbiased perspective, and to ensure it could remain "relevant, forward looking, pursuing best practice, and ensuring the wellbeing of the community." The review conducted by Swick became one of the most comprehensive examinations of a residential college in Australia. The 90 page report, which was published to the community and the wider public on the College's website, validated the College's strengths, and mapped out three broad areas for improvement, resulting in 16 recommendations. Every recommendation was accepted and activated by the College's leadership.

The Client:

Emmanuel College is a co-educational residential college within the University of Queensland located at the St Lucia campus. The College provides a living-learning environment for up to 359 (primarily undergraduate) residents studying at the University and nearby institutions. Emmanuel College is considered to be the oldest and largest residential college at the University and is affiliated with the Uniting Church of Australia, Queensland Synod.

The Challenge:

The review was conceived of by both parties as a broad, forward-looking process which, while being sensitive to the College’s rich history, should strike at the heart of cultural renewal opportunities for the College.

As always with a review of this nature, the central challenge was obtaining valid data. Without broad and candid participation, the findings can come to represent the view of those who commissioned the review. This challenge was overcome through clear upfront commitments to transparency and confidentiality, which were genuine, and accepted as such by the community, resulting in ample unfiltered contributions. It was entrusted to Swick to determine the methodology that would yield the most insights.

The Solution:

The design of the review process sought to examine College life from as many angles as possible, and be as data-driven as possible. Data was collected from a range of sources, including desktop reviews; a student survey; interviews and focus groups; written submissions; and direct observation. Particular care was taken to ensure that the voices of the most marginalised and powerless members of the community were actively sought.

Data were analysed through a framework of four interrelated Factors affecting people’s propensity to live the values of the College.

The Impact:

The review was well received by the four main stakeholder groups that form the internal College community: the students; the staff; the Senior Management Team; and the Board.

The report has been widely accepted as a high quality entry point for culture change at the College. The findings are considered to be accurate, insightful, and addressing the 'real issues'; and the recommendations have all been accepted as meaningful and practical actions that can be taken to strengthen the College.

Some public comments from the Principal and CEO of the College, Stephen Peake:

"What Cam has come back with after his deep dive into the College is a great body of information to work with, and his recommendations for improvement are, in my opinion, very worthwhile"

"I and my management team, have committed to the activation of all recommendations"

“We felt Cam’s unique background and deep understanding of college life made him an excellent choice to undertake our review, and how he approached the project and eventually delivered such a comprehensive and practical report completely vindicated that decision”

The Clients:

Alcohol, Drug & Mental Health Education Specialists (AD+MH ES) and Fearless Fox Training deliver wellbeing and safety programs across universities, schools, and corporate sectors, including training, accreditation, and online induction.

The Challenge:

The two providers co-developed Mental Wellbeing Training, a new peer-support program for student leaders. Using Lego Serious Play® and other interactive methods, it was designed to overcome three persistent challenges with the existing training used by their target audience: the course length compared to other student leader training programs, the risk of student leaders overstepping their first responder role, and cultural barriers to full participation in diverse groups. The providers sought an independent review to assess whether the program design and early results from delivery aligned with their objectives, and to provide credible commentary for prospective commissioners.

The clients had co-developed a novel approach to training student leaders in tertiary institutions on providing basic wellbeing support to other students. The new training program used Lego Serious Play (LSP) or adult imaginative play methodologies and was created to respond to three growing issues with existing training which had not yet been overcome: the course length compared to other student leader training programs, the risk of student leaders overstepping their first responder role, and cultural barriers to full participation in diverse groups. The clients had taken care to ensure the materials were an appropriate blend of scholarly research and industry know-how, but wanted an independent evaluation of the training program, to be able to accurately communicate the maturity and evidence-base for the program to prospective buyers of the training.

The Solution:

Swick Learning separated its review into two phases in recognition of the fact that the training program was brand new, and no direct evidence its effects existed at the outset.

In the initial phase (pre-launch) we examined course materials, facilitator guidance, and sources. We assessed whether the program design condensed key content appropriately, was suited to a diverse cohort, and was informed by credible and current evidence.

In the second phase (post-launch, after 28 deliveries across seven organisations) we incorporated participant and manager feedback, by analysing pre/post survey data, reviewing the survey instrument for clarity and bias, interviewing a sample of commissioning managers, and directly observing a representative session.

The agreed output was a letter from the Swick Learning review team to prospective buyers of the training program outlining our approach, observations, concerns and recommendations for further evaluation.

The Impact:

The clients have achieved their initial objectives with the review process, which was to identify any significant changes required in the early stages of the program's implementation, signal their commitment to ensuring the course is evidence-informed, and efficiently communicate to prospective buyers about the maturity and evidence-base for the course.

The clients are delighted with the care and thoughtfulness of the initial exercise, describing the process as "extremely thorough" and "incredible work".

While the conclusions remain preliminary, the process has already strengthened the program’s credibility and provided a foundation for more rigorous evaluation in future.

Executive Summary:

Swick Learning partnered with a highly-ranked and globally-oriented university in Australia to co-develop a long-term strategic plan for its large and diverse student accommodation system. The project aimed to unify a fragmented portfolio around a strengthened residential experience, and align the operating model, capital investment, and services to deliver consistently high-quality outcomes.

Leading the central residential experience and operating model workstreams, Swick synthesised thousands of inputs from surveys, interviews, submissions, benchmarking, web scraping, internal, scholarly and industry research into a comprehensive current state review which clarified strengths, gaps, and opportunities, forming a solid foundation for developing strategic options and finalising the long-term plan.

The report established a clear baseline, providing the right foundation for the next phases of developing strategic options and finalising the long-term plan. This solid, evidence-based understanding alone is invaluable to ensuring the university can move forward with ambition and confidence in its direction.

The Client:

A highly ranked university in Australia with a large and diverse student accommodation system. The portfolio includes multiple types of residences, varying in scale, style, and history, serving a broad spectrum of students. The system is complex, with many stakeholders invested in its performance. It plays a key role in supporting both domestic and international students in settling and thriving during their studies. The university does not primarily serve its local catchment, but positions itself as a global player, aiming to attract top-tier students internationally.

The Challenge:

The university sought a long-term strategic plan that could cut through the complexity of its student accommodation system and unify its approach, as fragmentation was limiting its ability to compete effectively for top global talent. The plan needed to strengthen the residential experience while supporting the university’s broader ambitions in a highly competitive global higher education market. It required a framework to guide decision-making across a complex system, address current gaps, and raise the bar for residential experience, all while remaining grounded in the known drivers of positive student outcomes. Additionally, the plan had to ensure the operating model, capital investment, and services were aligned to enable a consistently high-quality residential experience.

The Solution:

Swick Learning led two critical workstreams as an embedded resource: the residential experience stream (central to the overall strategy), and the operating model stream, which examining how the system functioned and could be improved to support the university’s long-term strategic objectives.

We synthesised the data from all channels and workstreams, blending it into a clear overall picture of insights, themes, and then findings. The review was one of the most comprehensive consultations ever conducted on a university accommodation portfolio, including detailed desktop, market, and industry research; a scholarly literature review; an open submissions process for students, staff, and alumni; surveys of relevant university departments; interviews with internal stakeholders and peer institutions; and social media and web research. Internal participants numbered in the hundreds.

The culmination of this work was a comprehensive current state review report for an internal executive audience. The report provided a clear and objective view of both challenges and opportunities, establishing a solid foundation for the next phases: analysis and testing of strategic options, and developing the long-term plan.

The Impact

The current state review has been widely accepted by the university’s executive team, providing a realistic understanding of the system and a strong platform for ambitious future planning. The next phases (developing strategic options and finalising the long-term plan) are underway and are expected to have profound impact as they are implemented.

The Client:

GSA is the largest postgraduate student association in Australia. It is the independent representative organisation to all postgraduate coursework and research students at the University of Melbourne. It advocates for graduate student interests to the University and wider community, and provides enrichment opportunities and support services to students. At the time of writing GSA represents 36,000 students / members and supports over 160 self-organising student clubs.

The Challenge:

The cost of living had become the single greatest issue facing postgraduate students represented by GSA. A major survey of more than 7,000 students confirmed it as their top concern, and reports of homelessness and other crises were becoming increasingly common. GSA found itself diverting resources away from core functions of advocacy, community-building, and academic/career support, towards emergency food and cost-of-living relief.

They wanted to respond in a way that was both meaningful for students and sustainable for the organisation over the long term.

The Solution:

Swick Learning led a mixed-method study to identify and prioritise interventions. We reviewed the insights from those existing large survey datasets, interviewed students, their representatives, University staff, potential partners, subject matter experts, other non-sector organisations providing support to non-students on these issues and the program managers of what appear to be best practice in other geographies, after reviewing the suite of support available from every urban university and student union in Australia.

Ideas were then evaluated and prioritised using a two layered approach: on a pure, traditional opportunity prioritisation basis, and again through the lens of our RAM Model for non-profit organisations (mandate, appetite, and resources), to produce a sober and intelligent prioritisation. Through design workshops, we refined the most feasible and high-impact services into a practical mix ready for delivery.

Our role extended beyond design: Swick remained engaged for 12 months to support implementation, assisting with policy advocacy papers, costings, the business case for a new role, coaching and onboarding the new staff member, and shaping the information architecture for the new student support hub.

The Impact:

GSA has adopted all recommended interventions and is developing cleverly designed services capable of handling surges in demand. The work has strengthened GSA’s influence with the University, giving it a clear and credible voice in decision-making on student wellbeing and cost-of-living issues. Its new support hub creates a central point of engagement for all support in this area, improving accessibility and inviting collaboration from partner organisations. Overall, the project has enabled sustainable and meaningful interventions as intended.

The Client:

Specific details of the client will remain confidential. The client is a multi-site student accommodation provider.

The Challenge:

The client had a unique student accommodation facility with dissatisfied residents. Its team in this particular geographic area were struggling to create a student experience as captivating as its other facilities in that region, partly because those other residences possessed some advantages this property did not. The gap between the students' expectations at this property, which were informed by their observations of their peers' experience at the other nearby properties, was a growing source of dissatisfaction and was creating revenue risk for the client.

The Solution:

Swick Learning quickly identified there was no genuine experimentation occurring in the attempts to engage students. There was little variation in the attempts being made and the results of new attempts to engage students was not being recorded. We developed a series of events to be delivered to the students where each event represented a possible student engagement strategy that could be taken forward by the organisation. Each event also doubled as a focus group, where students shared feedback about the provider and the programs to Swick personnel, while being entertained by the event activation. This series generated layers of useful data that could be used to co-design a better student engagement framework with the client.

The Impact:

The resulting feedback was both candid and trustworthy, and provided a clear path forward: the provider needed to deliver two streams of programming, with two different sets of objectives, to suit the two main types of students in the community. The provider implemented the strategy from the workpapers and immediately enjoyed improved results.

The Client:

Details of the client remain confidential. The client is a large commercial owner-operator of student accommodation facilities.

The Challenge:

The client had opened a new facility on the physical boundary of a Australian university in one of Australia's largest cities. It had no formal relationship with that university, but would almost certainly fill up with a majority of its residents. The provider was seeking a formal 'approved provider' status with the university so it could freely communicate with the university about challenges and opportunities, and generally work together in the spirit of partnership. However the university was wary of endorsing for-profit student accommodation providers and, as a result, was rolling out a detailed and rigorous approval process at the time, which no other providers had experienced before.

The Solution:

Swick Learning guided the provider through the process. It interpreted and clarified the requirements from the university's process; conducted a review of the provider's relevant policies and procedures (including creating new ones where required), and preparing the provider for an in-person assessment day.

The Impact:

The provider was approved by the university and the relationship between the two organisations has developed to support them collaborating in other ways. The provider has also embedded the new policies and procedures into its operating rhythm.