Going beyond borders with Howard Errey and RMIT University

Experiential learning is a concept that has gained prominence in the past few years, but it isn’t new. Many higher education institutions have successfully implemented experiential learning into their programs for several years. For some, it’s at their core.

RMIT University is Riipen’s first academic partner in Australia. Interestingly, RMIT wants its students to work on projects outside of Australia. All experiential learning engagements for students on the Riipen platform occur across borders. 

As a leader in experiential learning, RMIT already actively engaged in experiential learning long before they started using Riipen. Although they are one of our newest academic partners, they have already participated in hundreds of student experiences on the platform.  

Sitting down with Howard

Howard Errey is the Education Developer at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. With campuses across Australia, Vietnam, and Spain; RMIT is a world leader with programs in Art and Design, Architecture and the Built Environment, Engineering, Accounting and Finance, and Business and Management Studies.

Why is experiential learning important to RMIT University?

Students are demanding it. It provides real experience and increases partner connections. Students increasingly need it to be ready for employment. Additionally, it creates cross-boundary intercultural experiences for global work readiness. 

What kinds of experiential learning engagements were readily available to students before Riipen?

Pretty much everything that is already offered on Riipen, including work-integrated learning done face to face and online as well as internships and work experiences.

Why Riipen?

Compared to other providers, we liked the ease of use of the platform. There is a wide range of industry opportunities with strengths in a network of SMEs and not-for-profits. Riipen and the client success team was responsive to everything asked about features, bugs, etc.

How have faculty and students responded to using Riipen?

Generally positive. The faculty report students work better with Riipen, and they are attracted by the potential. They say it saves time and effort compared to other experiences. They report that once they speak with a potential partner, each party already has a pretty good idea of what the other wants.

Any advice for other institutions looking to implement Riipen?

We are new (have only been using it for a few months). I still feel like we are missing out on opportunities the platform offers. We need to get our heads around making project requests. Also, getting courses up with enough time to be visible in the system.

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A huge thank you to Howard for speaking with us and sharing your experience. To learn more about Riipen and how to get started with experiential learning, visit our website and keep up with Riipen on Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, and Facebook.

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About the author:

Jan Natividad leads the Marketing team at Riipen. He considers himself a lifelong learner and an advocate for growth. His passion for storytelling extends beyond his work in marketing. Despite (almost) rubbing shoulders with Marion Cotillard at the Cannes Film Festival, he’s just a humble tech enthusiast, avid traveler (pre-pandemic), and proud dog dad.  

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