I have now been in my role as Education President for 6 months now and what an amazing 6 months it has been!
With many of you taking exams this month, I hope you are being kind to yourselves – the exam period can be a very stressful time!
Since November 2025, my work as Education President has focused on maintaining strong academic representation, strengthening communication between students and the University, and supporting students’ academic wellbeing.
This period has involved ensuring continuity of representation during periods of absence, responding to structural challenges within the University, and continuing to strengthen representation systems so that student voices remain clearly heard and acted upon.
Representation
- I proposed and presented papers at SEWsC focusing on Postgraduate Research (PGR) representation and the impact of mid-term University redundancies on academic representation capacity in CEDPS.
- In response to increased workload and structural pressures, I supported and led the recruitment of additional Senior Representatives, working closely with the Advoice team. As a result:
- Senior Rep capacity has increased from two to three per college
- Recruitment and training have now been completed
- Academic coverage, continuity, and resilience across colleges have been strengthened
- I held a Senior Rep catch-up session to reflect on feedback from the previous term, discuss ongoing challenges across colleges, and agree shared priorities and goals for the current term. This supported clearer expectations, improved coordination, and open, constructive discussion. This feedback was mentioned in our Senate report.
Campaigns and Engagement
- I was actively involved in delivering the Christmas Pizza and Movie Afternoon, which took place on Christmas Day and was the first time the Union has delivered an event on this day. The event was designed to support students who remained on campus during the holiday period, when much of the surrounding area is closed. It was well received by students, received positive feedback, and was appreciated by the University.
- The ECs and Extensions Campaign is now live online, supporting students to better understand these processes.
- Alongside this, I have begun planning an AI Campaign, working closely with the Advice team to ensure the messaging is accurate, accessible, and student-centred.
- Following student and alumni feedback, I engaged in discussions with relevant Union teams to improve access to Union-led events. As a result, alumni tickets for Union events at Locos and The Venue have now been introduced, responding directly to feedback and demand and supporting continued engagement with the Union community beyond graduation.
- Met with Student Professional Development (SPD) to discuss employability and placement-related issues affecting students. These conversations focused on improving communication, support, and collaboration around employability opportunities.
- Collaborated with the local MP in relation to a local employability fair, ensuring that Brunel students were made aware of and able to participate in the opportunity. This was achieved through online promotion, widening access for students beyond campus-based events.
Impact So Far
- Improved visibility and credibility of the Education President role.
- Stronger working relationships between Brunel Union and University academic teams
- Increased confidence among student representatives in raising and escalating academic issues
- Tangible cost-of-living outcomes for students, including the accommodation fee freeze
- Increased institutional focus on accessibility, inclusion, and digital infrastructure
- Actively contributed to university-level discussions around the cost of living and campus services, ensuring that student concerns were clearly represented. As part of this work, the Union played a key role in influencing the University’s decision to freeze accommodation fees for the coming academic year, representing one of the Union’s most significant achievements in supporting students during ongoing financial pressures.
- I also raised campus Wi-Fi issues, which the University has acknowledged and is actively working to improve. Additionally.
- Highlighted challenges faced by disabled students in Senate discussions, where the Union’s work was formally acknowledged, appreciated, and supported by the University.
Priorities for the Next Period
- Further development of Course Representative training and engagement
- Increased focus on employability and placement workshops for students
- Stronger use of data to support evidence-based campaigning
- Continued collaboration with Union officers, University stakeholders, and external partners