| Thursday 1 May
Student Union Awards at the University of Leicester Students’ Union, a chance to recognise and reward some of the fantastic volunteers that made my year as an officer at Leicester so much easier. Friday 2 May
After a morning in Leicester, I went off to visit the outgoing officers at the University of Wolverhampton Students’ Union and help them plan for handover. From there I went off to the University of Derby Students’ Union May Ball which was headlined by the Sugarbabes – thanks to Mike Duckworth and the team for the fantastic hospitality. Thursday 8 May
Attended the Higher Education Academy (HEA) conference on the National Student Survey in Nottingham and also gave a presentation on how Universities should look to engage with Student Unions to help promote the survey. Friday 9 May
Ahead of starting officially at NUS in July, I attended a meeting of the NUS Senior Management Team at HQ. Monday 12 May
Morning meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Burgess where we discussed a number of issues including the upcoming trial of the Higher Education Achievement Report, and a significant capital investment from the University into the SU building. Tuesday 13 May
Regional Conference for the Midlands and East at Warwick University. For a regional conference it was surprisingly productive. A useful session in the morning allowing officers to speak openly and honestly about the narrowly defeated governance proposals, a session on the education funding campaign for the year ahead, and networking by officer position. In the afternoon I returned to Leicester for University Council. Wednesday 14 May
An early start, so that I could be in Oxford for 9am to give a keynote presentation on ‘The Learner Voice’ at a Student Learning Conference at Oxford Brookes University. Left around Midday, to come back to Leicester for a Student Experience Enhancement Committee. Thursday 15 May
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator held an open forum at their head office in Reading for Student Union advisors to give their thoughts on how the work of the OIA could be improved. Another area of work for me in the Higher Education zone this year will be looking at the inconsistencies that exist in institutional regulations, and the awareness amongst students that after exhausting internal complaints procedures they are entitled to independent adjudication from the OIA. The forum was useful, and gave both the staff and me as incoming member of the board plenty to think about for the year ahead. From Reading, I then went up to Sheffield, where the University of Sheffield Students’ Union were hosting a panel debate on Higher Education funding. Credit to the Students’ Union for managing to put together such an excellent panel including; Bill Rammell MP (Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further & Higher Education), Professor Rick Trainor (President, UUK and Principal, Kings College London), Professor Keith Burnett (Vice-Chancellor, University of Sheffield) and Wes Streeting. Friday 16 May
An exceptionally early start, where I was asked to join an 8am breakfast meeting of the UUK Student Experience Policy committee at their HQ in Euston. This is a committee chaired by Professor Les Ebdon who is also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire. I was delighted that following a request from NUS, the respective SU Presidents of the member institutions were invited to join their Vice-Chancellors round the table to discuss trends and expectations in the student experience. Monday 19 May
A trip to Birmingham for the RAWS Conference at Aston University. Invited to give the opening remarks at the Conference, where I concentrated on the centrality of the learner voice, and the increased focus that SUs should be placing on representation and campaigning, whilst also outlining recent changes and professionalism within the work of NUS nationally. Tuesday 20 May
Down in Canterbury, at Kent University, to contribute to an event bringing FE and HE together. Particularly keen to try to understand the different student experience of HE students in an FE setting. Looking at the partnership work which Kent University do in the region was particularly enlightening. Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 May
Up in Chester for the NUS affiliation referendum. As I have outlined earlier in this blog, it was really pleasing to be a part of this winning referendum, and particularly to win by such a margin. A huge thank you should go out to student officers from across the UK who wanted to come to Chester and show solidarity with NUS. Wednesday 28 May
Senate at the University of Leicester, where proposals for £12m investment into the Students’ Union was given the go ahead, with work due to start in early 2009. This was a major priority for me as an officer at Leicester, and I was delighted to be able to deliver before my term of office had finished. Following Senate, and as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the University of Leicester, Professor Stephen Hawking delivered a lecture on the ‘History of the Universe’ which I attended in the new library lecture theatre. Thursday 29 May
A focus group on the National Student Survey at UCL, where outgoing and incoming officers were able to share best practice about how best to promote the survey, and then looking at examining the data to identify areas for campaigns and required change in the institution.
Friday 30 May
Headed to Cardiff to meet with NUS Wales President, Ben Gray to look at how the work of the Higher Education zone can compliment work in Wales. Also had the opportunity to look round the Welsh assembly, before heading off to Leeds to join the outgoing team for the Leeds Universities Summer Ball at Lotherton Hall. It was a truly impressive event, and was without doubt a very special night, and this wasn’t just because Bill Rammell and Professor Michael Arthur (VC, Leeds University) were out on the dancefloor into the early hours! Saturday 31 May & Sunday 1 June
My first event in the Black Students’ campaign was the Campaign Conference in Coventry. I found it quite unlike any other NUS event I had been to before, the political landscape in particular was very striking. Congratulations in particular should go to Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy who was elected as the new Black Students’ Officer. Although I wasn’t involved in her campaign, I look forward to working with her over the course of the year, and supporting the campaign where I can. Monday 2 June
After a day in the office at Leicester, I headed to Nottingham Trent in the evening to chair a debate on Academic Freedom between Wes Streeting and the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education Bill Rammell MP. Tuesday 3 June
I was invited to give a keynote speech at Sheffield Hallam’s one day event on Feedback. It was really pleasing to see an institution take this issue seriously, particularly given the poor satisfaction students have continually given feedback in the National Student Survey. I concentrated on institutions needing to be more flexible to the needs of students, updating assessment practices to allow for better feedback, providing more useful feedback which would be valued more highly by students, and allowing students to ‘feedback on their feedback’ to help continuous improvement. Thursday 5 June
A day at NUS HQ in Camden, where the newly elected officers on the NEC were brought together for an induction into the organisation. Friday 6 June
A journey up to Durham to take part in a Funding Debate with the outgoing DSU President Flo Herbert and their Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Higgins in the grand setting of the Durham debating chamber. Just prior to the debate, the local MP, Roberta Blackman-Woods, joined us and the students present to receive the petition from hundreds of students on the inequalities of the current funding arrangement for Higher Education. After the debate at Durham, I went to join the outgoing and incoming Sabbatical team at Royal Holloway for their fantastic Summer Ball, headlined by none other than Jason Donovan. Monday 9 June
The day started off at Leicester with a morning meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, followed by a meeting with the Senior Management Team of the University where the plans for the new student union building took centre stage. In the evening, I went across to Birmingham for the inaugural NUS Awards which was a great success. A swathe of really deserving winners, but I’d particularly highlight four; Sheffield University Students’ Union (HE Union of the Year), Equality and Diversity Award (Leeds University Union), Unionist of the Year (Tobin Webb, Bristol) and the Campaign of the year from Heriot-Watt University Students’ Association. Wednesday 11 June
After a funding debate in Durham last week, this time I was off to the other end of the country – Exeter for a debate with their VC (Professor Steve Smith) and two Exeter Students. Again it was an excellent event, and a really engaging way to discuss and debate the issues around the barriers and inequalities of the current funding system for HE. Thursday 12 June
Met with the new team at Bath University Students’ Union and took part in their introductory session to NUS. Was also very interesting to hear their planned campaigns for the year, and also from my point of year introduce to the key NUS work for the year ahead. Friday 1 June
Up in the East Midlands to give a talk on future careers and the benefit of going to University at Loughborough High School. Saturday 14 June
At the Compass Conference, NUS were given a fringe on Higher Education funding. We hosted a panel debate which I chaired, with 4 excellent contributors; Bill Rammell MP, Wes Streeting, Professor Clare Callendar (Professor of Higher Education policy, Birkbeck College University of London) and Baroness Helena Kennedy QC. In the evening, I was back up in Leicester for our Summer Ball which was a fantastic success, and my last night ‘official’ night out in Leicester. Monday 16 June
After the morning in Leicester, I travelled down to Plymouth in the afternoon to attend the Centres for Excellent in Learning and Teaching (CETLs) conference at Plymouth University. Historically, NUS haven’t really engaged with the students that take part in these centres, but I think this is an excellent way to engage with a different group of students to those we normally do. Thursday 19 June
The first of the round of Regional Receptions, with the first stop being at Leeds Metropolitan University. Friday 20 June
Second stop on the Regional Reception tour was in the Midlands and East at Bishop Grosseteste in Lincoln. Saturday 21 June & Sunday 22 June
A handover event for outgoing and incoming officers in Unions94 hosted by Royal Holloway, University of London in Egham. After the first year of Unions94, I was keen to try and evaluate our successes and also areas for improvement. There was unified agreement, that it was a useful forum, where the sharing of best practice and benchmarking was useful, and I hope this can go from strength to strength in the coming years. Monday 23 June
Stop three on the Regional Reception tour was the South, hosted by the University of West England and an incredible introductory poem from their SRC President Dom Passfield! Tuesday 24 June
Final stop for the Regional Receptions was in London at University College London (UCL). Wednesday 25 June
In preparation for undertaking my role at NUS full-time, I took part in Safeguarding training at NUS HQ, and then onto York University in the evening for their Summer Ball. Friday 27 June
Having still not officially taken over from Wes at this point, I attended the OIA Board meeting as an observer, but found the opportunity useful ahead of officially starting on 1 July. Saturday 28 June – Monday 30 June
Attended my first European Students’ Union event in Liege, Belgium concentrating on the Lisbon agenda and how this could be developed and sustained. Really interesting to see differing EU perspectives, and to see how other national Unions operate. Many will be surprised to hear that NUS is considered to be one of, if not the most progressive of all the national Unions! When I arrived back in London on Monday 30th, I headed straight to NUS HQ for a meeting of the NUS Improvement Board, which has been an important cog in the internal process NUS has gone through to professionalise its operation and improve its delivery and performance. All in all, you can see that despite not having started officially at NUS in May and June, it was an incredibly busy two months and just whetted my appetite to start at NUS properly on 1 July! In unity, Aaron
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