The ASPIRE-to-Excellence Initiative: Can We recognize Excellence in Student Engagement with the Curriculum?

Research has demonstrated clear benefits of student engagement both in terms of student performance and for academic institutions. Policy guidelines from a variety of sources have advocated for student engagement on a variety of levels. Academic Support Program Inspiring Renaissance Educators (ASPIRE)-to-Excellence initiative represents a means for medical schools to gain recognition of their achievements in this area. We continually see examples of positive initiatives through our work with AMEE, an international association for medical education and the Essential Skills in Medical Education course for students (ESME-Student). We hope to encourage further debate and sharing of experiences to promote student engagement.