Be a Student Rep

“What’s it all about?”

Student Reps are the voice of the students on their course or in their research group. They provide a vital link between the student body, the University and the Students' Union and they work hard to make sure that student opinions are heard, and teaching and learning experiences for the students they represent are as rewarding as possible.

“What will I do?”

As a Student Rep, you’ll attend meetings at Programme, School and Faculty level to ensure representation is embedded at every level of decision making within the University. This allows you, as a student, to play an active role in shaping the delivery of your education.

You’ll probably be asked to attend around 4-5 committee meetings a year. You’ll be expected to spend time preparing for these meetings by speaking to your fellow students to ask for their comments and views.

There’ll also be lots of other opportunities to get involved in additional projects and consultations - so the amount of time you spend working as a Rep can vary depending on your other commitments, your passion and desire to engage.  Some of the projects Student Reps have been involved with recently include a consultation on academic advising, a Faculty-wide project on timetabling and a review of the pastoral support in their programme.

“Is this for me?”

Anyone can be a representative and help other students have their voices heard. You could be a passionate campaigner, a confident people person or an empathic listener.

You will need to be able to gather feedback from those you represent then present this and other ideas back to committees, be able to organise your diary to ensure you can attend meetings and keep on top of your work as well as having a positive and creative approach to problem-solving when working with University staff.

You will get trained to help you build these skills, and the most important factor is that you’re someone who wants to help make the student experience great for yourself and your fellow students.

“What will I get out of it?”

You will join a community of over 800 Student Reps working to make the University of Manchester a better place to study, our Education team in the SU will provide opportunities for Reps to network, socialise and share ideas with each other and with other representative officers.

You’ll also get the opportunity to engage with some interesting projects across the Union, University and further afield.

You will be fully supported in role and will be invited to attend training workshops throughout the year to support your development.

If you’re an Undergraduate and active in role, you’ll have the role recognised on your Higher Education Achievement Report when you graduate as well as this role counting towards the Step Up and Lead aspect of Stellify.

Find out more

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"The most fulfilling aspect of my role is that it provides me the opportunity to interact with individuals belonging to diverse backgrounds, and in turn open my mind to different perspectives. I am very grateful for this experience as I am relatively introverted, and it has definitely helped me step out of my comfort zone.”