This term consciously echoes the work of Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed, of Indignation, of Hope, and of the Heart) not least because the pedagogy of partnership seeks to build on his idea that leaders or teachers should not seek to speak to or for people but with them. It thus promotes democratic engagement, meaningful dialogue and co-operative working.

The pedagogy of partnership values the asking of open questions above the provision of closed answers and the development of wisdom above the transmission of knowledge.

It seeks to raise the consciousness of students as actors in their own fate and so to develop graduates who are active citizens and life-long, life-wide learners.

The pedagogy of partnership underpins the work of the Academic Practice Unit at Newman University; informing its contribution to the new University Strategic Plan, staff formation activity and its funded projects which engage students as co-investigators and developers of our university learning community.

"Through dialogue, the teacher-of-the-students and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-student with student-teachers. The teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teaches, but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow.’‘