Student Leadership in the MDHS
The Student Leadership space is a vibrant, collaborative and multidisciplinary community where MDHS students come together to co-design, lead, connect and grow their real-world skills - elevating their student experience, amplifying their voices, and strengthening their job-ready capabilities
beyond university.
The MDHS Student Leadership Network turns faculty strategy into real-world opportunities for students to collaborate, lead and build skills that help them thrive in their roles... and make meaningful impact beyond university.
Most importantly, we open doors.
When students join the Student Leadership Network, they are connected with faculty initiatives, projects and decision-making spaces – giving them a genuine seat at the table and a chance to shape the MDHS experience for their peers.
Student Leadership Team
The Student Leadership Team is established to foster a collaborating, supporting, and thriving student leaders experience and student leadership development where student leaders can grow personally, socially, and professionally. Through purposeful student leader engagement and co-design strategies, the team aims to enrich the student experience where MDHS student have access to diverse opportunities and empowerment to involve and collaborate in the faculty’s student leadership programs. The establishment of the Student Leadership Team underscores the University of Melbourne's commitment through:
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"We will offer students a distinctive and outstanding education and experience, preparing them for success as leaders, change agents and global citizens”
“Intensify our commitment to an exceptional student experience that continues beyond graduation.”
Learn more about the Unimelb Advancing Melbourne 2030 Strategy here.
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"...charts our course in student experience and education from now to 2030 while engaging with our place in the world; our obligations to our community: students, staff, partners, our city, and our region; and the dynamic and disruptive impacts of the recent past."
Learn more about the Unimelb Advancing Students and Education Strategy here.
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“Our goal is to educate outstanding students who will be future leaders of their professions”
“Cultivate exceptional students and graduates that are leaders in their field.”
“Equip our graduates with the job-ready skills and attributes to make a positive societal impact” “We are preparing job-ready graduates who will be leaders in their field. We will measure graduate outcomes and impacts of our students and alumni. Our students tell us we are a leader in student learning experience. We will measure student experience...”
Learn more about the Unimelb Advancing Health 2030 Strategy here.
Meet the Team
The Student Leadership team supports MDHS student leaders throughout their journey - creating opportunities for them to lead, connect and grow beyond the classroom.
Between us, we bring decades of experience across university life, and we’re passionate about creating spaces where students feel empowered to lead and thrive.
Celine Goh (she/her)
Team Leader and Trainer, Student Leadership
Celine leads the MDHS Student Leadership portfolio within the Faculty’s Learning & Teaching Unit. She works closely with MDHS students who are ready to step forward -whether to get involved, represent their peers or lead initiatives - creating meaningful opportunities for connection, growth and impact.
With over 13 years of experience across higher education and industry, Celine brings a deep understanding of the student journey - from transition and engagement through to leadership development and employability.
At heart, she is a trainer. She translates strategy into learner-centred training programs that are practical, engaging and grounded in real student experiences.
Chelsea Ryan (she/her)
Student Leadership Officer
In her role, Chelsea advocates for and supports students in our MDHS community and leadership programs.
She supports the planning and delivery of training sessions and enjoy contributing to the development of student leadership skills that they can continue to build with experiences in their educational, professional and everyday lives.
Her favourite part of the role is definitely connecting with students and supporting innovative ideas coming to life!
The Student Leadership Network (SLN) elevates the roles of MDHS student-led programs through training, access to resources (e.g. financial, administrative), and by facilitating opportunities for students to connect with each other.
This support includes:
- Connecting MDHS student leaders to Faculty initiatives
- Facilitating inter-student groups and collaborations
- Developing professional, customised training
- Providing funding assistance for student group events
- Supporting administrative resources
- Creating leadership opportunities and opportunities to network
We work across all schools within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
Our reach extends across MDHS endorsed Clubs and Societies, the MDHS Student Advisory Council (SAC), Student Representatives (e.g. year-level representatives, faculty initiatives – including faculty-run committees), as well training for Mentors in MDHS mentoring programs.
Student leaders and representatives, including those from faculty-affiliated clubs and societies play a crucial role in capturing and advocating for the student voice. Faculty-affiliated clubs often receive funding and support.
Increasing student participation on committees or in governance structures is one of the many ways to incorporate the student voice at the University. A variety of other initiatives exist across the Student Leadership Team. Each initiative plays a vital role in ensuring students are heard and their experiences are considered in university decision making.
When you collaborate with us, you join the MDHS Student Leadership Network – a vibrant community of students who step forward to lead, connect and make a difference.
Our Student Leadership Network includes opportunities across:
MDHS Student Advisory Council (SAC)
The MDHS Student Advisory Council has two main roles: providing advisory input and amplifying the student perspective on faculty-wide strategic initiatives and generating ideas for faculty leaders and executive committees.
MDHS-Affiliated Clubs and Societies
Our Student Society & Clubs initiative enriches the student experience, provide valuable insight and feedback about University run services and can foster lifelong relationships with like minded individuals.
Faculty registered student groups, societies or associations have access to a range of support services provided by the dedicated student support team in the faculty's learning & teaching unit. These services and support advance initiatives and events that Faculty clubs facilitate.
MDHS Student Representatives in faculty initiatives, including faculty-run committees
Student representatives, including those involved in MDHS initiatives and committees - play an important role in capturing and advocating for the student voice. They ensure that student perspectives, experiences and needs are meaningfully represented in decision-making spaces.
Through active participation in committees and governance forums, student representatives contribute to shaping policies, improving the student experience and fostering a more inclusive and responsive MDHS community.
Our student representatives are connected through the Student Leadership team and are an integral part of this broader leadership ecosystem.
For more info to becoming Student Representative, email us at studentlead-mdhs@unimelb.edu.au
Or simply connect with like-minded peers and be invited to networking and leadership opportunities across the Faculty.
To connect with SLN, please fill out our expression of interest form, or alternatively, reach out to the student leadership team at studentlead-mdhs@unimelb.edu.au.
MDHS Student Advisory Council
“We amplify the student voice and advise faculty strategy to enhance students’ University experience and wellbeing.”
What is the Student Advisory Council?
The MDHS Student Advisory Council (SAC) has two main roles:
- Providing advisory input and amplifying the student perspective on faculty-wide strategic initiatives
- Generating ideas for faculty leaders and executive committees
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SAC has two broad roles:
1) Being an advisory body and providing a student voice/perspective in the identification, planning and implementation of faculty-wide strategic initiatives
2) Being an idea generation body, and feeding those ideas to relevant faculty leaders and executive committees.SAC does not to duplicate existing student bodies (i.e., GSA, UMSU) as being representative of the student body.
Instead, it provides faculty with a broad body of students from within the MDHS to act on the two roles above – such as advising on key strategic initiatives, or acting as an idea generating body.Given our role of advising on faculty-wide policy, initiatives, etc., we cannot advise on things that are at a school or department level only, or only affect a sub-set of students (i.e., just honours students, or students with clinical placements).
Exceptions to this are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, where providing advice becomes pertinent to our broader mission.
If you wish to receive advice on out-of-scope initiatives or policy, consider going through the existing processes for your school/department. -
The MDHS Student Advisory Council (SAC) is one body with volunteer student members that range from across the different schools within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
SAC is run by the chairs and deputy chairs. They are responsible for the overall outcomes and operations of SAC overall. They are the contacts for specific SAC related business rather than the general members.
If you are interested in joining the SAC for this coming year, then please complete an expression of interest below.
Generally recruitment occurs at the start of the year for a term from March to October. -
Each member of SAC is expected to attend six meetings (approximately two hours) throughout the year. There will be some time required ahead of each meeting for reading relevant documentation and preparing for these meetings.
You will be invited to be part of or lead a SAC project working group, invited to faculty events as well as to sit on faculty committees. However, these are optional.
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Six meetings will be held from April to October. These will be advised upon appointment to the SAC.
If you are unable to attend a meeting, you must communicate with the SAC chairs at earliest convenience. -
To get in touch, please email us at mdhs-sac@unimelb.edu.au
Grow Your Skills
Our Student Leadership space is supported by an in-house certified Training and Assessment trainer who designs and delivers thoughtful, learner-centred programs tailored specifically to achieve the strategic goals or objectives (big or small) into practical training sessions andlearning experiences.
Learning and Training Design
The team designs and plans a suite of intentional and strategic learning and training programs, tailored to meet the needs of student leaders within their respective student bodies. This involves identifying the training gaps, defining requirements and organising educational experiences and resources to support effective learning and outcomes through collaborations with the students and program owners.
Training Delivery and Evaluation
We deliver, facilitates and assess training programs using effective training methodologies to ensure key messages are communicated and the strategic goals are met. Training is provided through various formats, such as workshops and online, to foster learning, personal growth, role development and skill enhancement.
Ongoing On-the-Job Training Support
Beyond formal training, we create real-world leadership experiences that allow students to practise and strengthen their professional skills in authentic settings. This includes opportunities to participate in Faculty meetings, contribute in boardroom discussions and engage in collaborative initiatives alongside staff and stakeholders.
These experiences help student leaders build confidence, develop professional communication skills and gain first-hand insight into how decisions are made - turning learning into lived leadership.
Leadership Resources
Need leadership resources, templates or training materials? Reach out to the Student Leadership team - we’re here to support you.
Contact Trainer: Celine Goh celine.goh@unimelb.edu.au
Join us
Ready to step forward? Come Connect with Us! We’d love to shout you a coffee when we can!
Whether you’re curious about representing your peers, leading a student group or growing your leadership skills, there’s a place for you in the MDHS Student Leadership Network.
You can join by:
Applying for the Student Advisory Council (SAC)
Registering or joining an affiliated Club or Society
MDHS Clubs and Societies Registration Form
Becoming a Faculty Committee Representative
Faculty Committee Representative: email enquiry
Expressing interest to be part of the broader Student Leadership Network
Student Leadership Network Enquiry Form
Contact us
✉️ studentlead-mdhs@unimelb.edu.au
Visit us
Room G37, Ground floor
Alan Gilbert Building
161 Barry Street, Carlton. 3053.