Vygo: Support at students’ fingertips

• As part of the Student Experience Framework, Swinburne is thrilled to announce its partnership with Vygo
• Vygo is an intuitive digital platform designed to create a more connected and supportive student experience
• Vygo gives students personalised, on-the-go access to Swinburne's range of support services and makes it easier for them to connect with peers, share knowledge, seek advice and stay updated

Swinburne University of Technology students will have personalised support and peer-to-peer learning at their fingertips with the new Vygo app.

Designed to create a more connected and supportive student experience, Vygo is a one-stop portal that will connect students with the support they need to thrive at uni.

The platform is now available to all higher education students as part of the Student Experience Framework, delivering a world-class, next gen_student experience for all Swinburne students.

Tailored support for students

The Vygo app gives students timely access to the latest student news and a network of support, including:

• Student Success Advisers and study groups
• Well-being workshops, and peer-to-peer learning communities and mentoring
• Discussion groups for international, vocational education (Dip and Adv. Dip), and higher degree by research students.

Content on the app will be tailored to a student's individual journey, connecting them quickly and easily with support services and learning opportunities relevant to them.

Swinburne Director, Student Experience Ian Thomson said the platform brings the university's support services into the line of sight of all students.

"We know students are often overwhelmed when navigating university life for the first time, so we are making that transition as easy as possible by making our broad range of support services available to them quickly and easily," he said.

"If students are ever struggling, they now have a single location for all the Swinburne services they may need."

© photo by drazen zigic

Online learning communities

In addition to support services, Vygo facilitates communities and group chats, so students can connect and collaborate.

Once students sign up, they will be divided into cohorts based on their discipline area. This will provide a scaled approach to peer-to-peer interaction.
We also recognise that students want to mix with students in similar disciplines, where they can meet people who share interests, successes, and experiences.

Thomson said the learning communities and peer connections available to students through Vygo will be an important part of building students' capacity to succeed at university.

"Advice and support from peers is seen as high value in making choices, engaging support services, or staying on track with studies," he said.

"We also know that students will initially congregate with peers in their study discipline, before they develop the confidence to broaden their friendship groups through clubs, sports, and social activities."

Delivering a next gen_student experience

The Vygo platform underpins the values and feedback of the Student Experience Framework, co-designed with nearly 4,000 students.

At its heart, the framework reflects and responds to students' needs and expectations, setting them up for success during their studies and beyond.

Students recognised that the co-curricular university life experience, including academic and social support, was vital to boosting student success and outcomes.

Thomson said Vygo also supports Swinburne's goal of delivering a next gen_student experience through using tech to nurture students via mentoring, support, and peer connection initiatives.

"This is a significant part of our approach to bringing people and technology together, in this case, to deliver better student support outcomes at scale," he said.

Are you a Swinburne student ready to expand your community with Vygo? Download the app from the App Store or Google Play and sign in using your student login details.