A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of welcoming two of my former Finance & Accounting students, Fakhria Joya and Alexander Georgy, into my Level 4 lecture for my Marketing for Finance & Accounting module at the University of Westminster. Their lecture focused on their experiences from the previous year—particularly on-site debate assessment and the ethical opportunities and concerns of AI in marketing finance and accounting products and services. What emerged was more than a guest lecture—it was a moment where teaching and learning were shared, co-created, and truly relational. By giving space to my students’ voices and expertise, we built a positive teaching culture—one rooted in mutual respect, authenticity, and active participation. I learned that when my Level 4 students heard from their peers who sat exactly where they are now, the experience becomes instantly relatable, and the large lecture hall became a space of active conversation and discussion among students. That classroom shifted from a hierarchical space to a community of practice, where learning moved horizontally instead of solely vertically. This approach reflects that education is not something served or simply done to students, but something constructed with them. Fakhria and Alexander served as role models of how students’ insights enrich both pedagogy and connection.
What impressed me about Fakhria and Alexander wasn’t just their willingness to stand in front of a large group of students but their ability to lead from within. They didn’t present themselves as formal experts but as reflective and supportive peers—students who have navigated challenges, experimented with strategies, and learned through lived experiences. This type of leadership is powerful because it happens naturally. Fakhria and Alexander spoke about their academic growth, their fears during first-year debating, and their thoughts on AI in finance and accounting, as well as their deeper reflections on their relationship with AI as a thinking tool rather than a replacement. In doing so, they shared an empowering message for the Level 4 students—leadership doesn’t require a title; it starts with curiosity, reflection, and courage. Their presence demonstrated a shift from passive learning to active agency and responsibility in knowledge construction through sharing, caring, and dialogue. They showed newer students that academic success is a journey shaped as much by mindset as by ability. In Positive Academia, we see this as relational leadership—leadership expressed through connection, humility, and shared experiences. Their session highlighted what leadership looks like when it’s collaborative, compassionate, and rooted in students’ everyday practices of supporting each other.
The peer-to-peer setup also reshaped the relational dynamics between me and my students. Rather than being the central figure who leads knowledge, I became a facilitator who created the conditions for others to thrive. This redistribution of voice fosters trust, as students witness that their experiences are valued and that the classroom is a shared space. It also builds a stronger sense of community across year groups—something often difficult to cultivate but incredibly powerful when achieved. Fakhria and Alexander’s willingness to return, contribute, and support the next cohort demonstrates the strength of community-based learning that contributes to a Positive Academia Collective Transformation https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13505076251351089.
Such moments confirm that students and teachers are partners in an ever-changing and increasingly complex higher education ecosystem. For me, this experience deepens my relationship with students, making it more collaborative, based on respect and mutual support. A positive teaching culture is not just a philosophy but is demonstrated through little actions like this – inviting students back, recognizing their leadership, and co-creating brave, supportive spaces for collective care and critical reflection.
Thank you, Fakhria and Alex, for joining me! I loved your very positive feedback on your own experience and look forward to welcoming you back to my lecture in semester 1, 2026!