What an amazing year in Academic Representation! 

If you’ve ever wondered what Students Reps do, look no further. 

Student Reps are volunteers, who represent the academic interests of their cohort to the staff who shape your academic experience. What does that actually mean? Student Reps will gather your feedback: on assessments, teaching, learning resources and more, then urge teaching staff to make your course better. At a school level, you’re represented by our Lead School Reps: part-time Student staff who collect feedback across courses and escalate it to high-level academic meetings. Everyone who makes up our Representation system is generous with their time, and the impact is evident, just look at what has been achieved this year!  

• In Computer Science: clearer and more standardised marking criteria 

• In Aerospace Engineering: Addition of Simulink to first-year teaching 

• In Health Technology: Additional teaching sessions for difficult modules 

• In Economics: An enhancing field trip and climate education initiative 

• In International Business: Practical solutions to make assignments clearer 

• In Professional Policing: A course survey completion rate of 80% 

• In LLB Law: Changes to the module assessment structure 

• In Architecture: Provision of free model-making materials, and closer alignment of studio workshops to portfolio outputs. 

• From the School of Arts: challenging the prices of Bristol buses and shops on campus, and a strong petition to defend technicians’ jobs raised at a school-level meeting. 

• From the School of Engineering: The best-attended Lead School Rep meetup in years 

• From the School of Health and Social Wellbeing: Advocacy for disabled students’ access on Glenside Campus, more post-colonial perspectives in Postgraduate teaching, and improved communication around placements. 

• From Postgraduate Research: A new position, the first ever UWE PGR Lead Rep, and the inaugural Postgraduate Research Welcome Fair. 

• From the Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers: A Parliamentary inquiry into Student Loans, through the NUS “Don’t Freeze Our Futures” Campaign 

• From Khadiza Hossain, your Vice President Education 2024-2026: Approval from the Vice-Chancellor's Executive to trial alternative delivery, addressing timetabling, assessment, and resit challenges 

• From Khadiza: Ongoing Commitment to Degree Apprentices, ensuring they have an effective voice in UWE’s Representation System 

• From Khadiza: Standardised feedback template, and ongoing work to improve consistency and transparency around assessment feedback.  

All of this amazing progress was made possible by the brave and dedicated students who support the Representation System, thank you! 

Interested in becoming a Student Rep next Academic Year? You can learn more about the role here, we’d be delighted to have you! 

Do you know who your Lead School Rep is? You can find out who represents you at higher-level meetings here. If you’d like to be a Lead School Rep yourself, keep an eye on the Students’ Union jobshop page, where we post all of our vacancies throughout the year.  

It’s time to say goodbye to Khadiza, who has now completed her two terms as your Vice President for Education, and Trustee of the Students’ Union at UWE.  

She’s been truly amazing, representing UWE students across the University, the UK, and even on international news! Her legacy is one of dedication, hard work, and compassion: thinking always of UWE students regardless of the task. She will be deeply missed!