Co-creation in a safe space: Listening to the international student voice

This article discusses the methodology of a partnership-based collaborative project between investigators comprising two academics and one educational developer and a diverse group of international students studying at a UK University. The students were recruited to co-design a survey instrument to better understand the lived experiences of their peers across the institution, but prior to doing so engaged in a structured process of weekly engagement to create a safe space where they could feel comfortable to explore their own experiences. This produced a rich characterisation of key elements of being an international student, challenging common narratives of deficit and passivity, as well as a successful ‘students-as-partners’ approach that transcends assessment or curriculum design settings. Thereby, the paper offers a case study for empowering co-creation partnerships with overlooked or marginalised student groups by embracing principles of safe spaces and belonging for participants, thus contributing to an understudied element of co-creation scholarship.