About the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme

The Co-Curricular Recognition Programme actively encourages and recognises students’ involvement in co-curricular activities that develop skills and learning experiences through a structured and meaningful way.

Through this programme, students can achieve the University of Auckland Distinguished Graduate Award by:

• Completing two paths before the Distinguished Graduate workshop (key dates below)
• Attending the Distinguished Graduate workshop (provided by the Student Engagement and CDES teams)
• Attending a 20 minute interview with one panel member

Students have the option to embark on the following four pathways:

1. Community Engagement Path: Develop and utilise skills to support activities which positively benefit the community.
2. Leadership Path: Display role modelling leadership behaviours and positively lead and develop a team of people to achieve successful outcomes.
3. Global Citizens Path: Display integrity and fluency across cultures and perspectives, commit to the betterment of society, and work towards a sustainable future that considers the social, cultural, environmental, and economic consequences of national and international issues.
4. Innovation Path: Initiate new approaches to create positive outcomes, develop unique and sustainable solutions to real world problems, and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set.

To complete a path, students must:

• Complete at least 40 hours of eligible activities (on and/or off campus, activity must be completed according to their chosen path).
• Attend an approved workshop, with a focus on professional development, provided by the University of Auckland.
• Complete a written reflection (between 300-500 words) explaining their experience and the skills developed through their chosen activity.

Only one path can be completed at a time, and an activity can only count towards one path. However, students can use multiple activities to count towards the 40 hours of chosen path.

Once a path is complete, the student will be invited to complete a second path. The completion of two paths is a prerequisite for achieving the University of Auckland Distinguished Graduate Award.

This workshop helps students recognise the skills learned during their co-curricular activities. The session defines the reason for participation, the impact, the result, and potential opportunity to be put into action developing their soft skills. In the workshop, student will:

• Gain self-awareness of their ability to give and take in a collaborative environment
• Identify skills they have developed during their co-curricular activity
• Understand the process of recognition and development of each skill
• Building of professional profile based on skills gained during the programme
• Get interview tips and how to use STAR method

The purpose of the interview is to encourage students to articulate their experience in a face-to-face setting, not too dissimilar to a job interview. Encouraging students to consider how to use their volunteering experiences to answer interview-based questions and applying their experiences to a wider context (e.g. what employability capabilities they might have developed, what have they learnt from the experience) will help prepare them for future interview scenarios. The interview setting will also help them build confidence and consider the broader benefits of their experience.