In mid February of this year, about 120 Griffith staff gathered at the Brisbane Technology Park to discuss Succeeding @ Griffith. This is a proposed approach to improving the quality of the first year student experience at Griffith. The proposal includes a 'life cycle' model for student success that seeks to look at ways in which the University can improve its engagement with students by looking at the experience from the students' point of view. In particular, the model identifies what we know is important to student success and creates a map or blueprint for embedding those features of the student experience at Griffith.

The purpose of the workshop was to invite comment on the blueprint, and to identify priorities for implementing it either locally within Groups and elements, or across the University. Staff present included first year advisors, program convenors together with colleagues from INS, Student Administration and Student Services. The day was extremely fruitful, and will help to inform the next phase of our retention strategies and, in turn, the revision of the Academic Plan. Many staff reported how valuable they found it to discuss common problems and challenges with other staff, and many plans grew out of the day, to be implemented at local level.

Thanks are due to Gillian Collom and staff of GIHE for their work in organising the day.