Staff Student Consultative Committees

For full-time provision (excluding provision that operates fully online), the University requires either the establishment of a staff student consultative committee or that there is student representation on the programme committee (with at least two students per year group); the use of both is recognised as best practice. Such committees meet at least once per semester and are expected to include substantive items relating to learning and teaching on their agenda. For part-time and fully online courses, where a formal committee structure may be less practicable, programme committees should develop an appropriate alternative method of consultation. For example, via email circulation, online discussion boards, meetings with students, or sharing the outcomes of discussions with advisers of studies or module tutors. A summary of issues raised must be formally minuted at programme committee meetings and appropriate feedback provided to students.

The Students’ Union has developed Student Voice Guidelines and provides model agendas and terms of reference for consultative committees and role descriptions for representatives at course, school and faculty levels. The Students’ Union Academic Representation Coordinator coordinates elections and arranges training and provision of developmental opportunities with day to day support for student representatives. Resources are available from the Students’ Union website.