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So, what does it feel like to be a university student?

Tight schedules and heavy workloads can easily lead senior administrators to lose touch with the reality of what their students experience on campus.

However, this is not necessarily so at Monash University, where the senior administrators spend one whole day each year out with the students – doing things they would do in a typical day on campus.

The programme, which started as the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Day Out, now includes separate days for both the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor and the Director of Administration.

This year’s PVC’s Day Out, which is coordinated by the Monash University Student Association, saw the university’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Merilyn Liddell spending about 13 hours with the students beginning 8am.

Her itinerary for the day included sitting in for lecture and laboratory sessions, lunch with the students, lounging at the Student Centre and ending with dinner at a popular student hangout.

“I find the Student for a Day experience one of my most favourite days of the university year”, said Professor Liddell. “The students are so open and friendly, that I forget the reality of the odd grey hair, and can really engage with the student life again. It feels like it was only yesterday I was a student myself.”

“From a professional perspective, there is no doubt at all of the value of regular first-hand experience, not filtered by all the usual administrative structures.

“Not only can some issues come to light that can be addressed, but it reinforces to the students that the university sees the students’ own experience of fundamental importance, and is open to their concerns,” said Professor Liddell.

“The Pro-Vice Chancellor’s Day Out was an interesting experience as it gave us, students a platform to interact with Professor Merilyn,” said Monash University Student Association General Secretary Ms Nisha Gill.

“This is because by attending classes, having lunch with us, playing pool and foosball in the student lounge and having dinner in Asia Café ( in Subang Jaya), gave both Professor Merilyn and the students a chance to develop a friendly relationship and to connect with each other.

“Furthermore, this event also allows Professor Merilyn a chance to have a first-hand experience on how is it like being a student in Monash University,” she added.

Professor Merilyn Liddell working with students the engineering laboratory.