Within the UK Higher Education setting there is an emphasis on student satisfaction and experience surveys in combination with an increased interest in connecting teaching with research. As a result there is an unprecedented focus on engaging students on all levels within their university experience, from concerns related to governance, policy and administration to considerations of teaching and learning activities. In this paper I explain and analyse two distinct staff-student collaborations. Case study 1 demonstrates how students' personal interest led to the development of innovative, creative methods for reflections. Case study 2 describes how students took on the role of co-researchers in order to investigate and explore student experiences. In the discussion I explore some factors influencing staff-student collaborations: the relevance of purposefulness, the importance of time, the necessity of developing a trusting relationship and finally, the differences in knowledge and outlooks amongst staff and students.