For full-time provision (excluding fully online), the University requires either the establishment of a staff/student consultative committee or student representation on the course committee (with at least two students per year group); the use of both is recognised as best practice. Such committees meet at least once each semester and are expected to include substantive items relating to learning and teaching on their agenda. For part-time and fully online courses, where formal committees may be less practicable, course committees should develop an appropriate method of consultation, e.g. email circulation, online discussion boards, meetings with students, outcomes of discussions with advisers of studies or module tutors. A summary of issues raised must be formally minuted at course 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.
The role of Student Advocate has been developed to support the implementation of the Partnership Framework, particularly in relation to student representation. Nominated academic staff across Faculties help to ensure there is effective student representation across courses and at all levels and, working with the Students’ Union, provide support to student representatives and academic staff.