Student Representatives
Body
There is an extensive system of student representation in place to ensure students get to have their say at programme, School and University level.
- Programme-level representation
Each taught MSc programme and PG research subject area appoint one or more student representatives (usually during Welcome Week), who convey students' views to the Programme Directors (for MSc programmes) and Postgraduate Advisors (for PhD students) throughout the year. Student reps also participate in various meetings within the School to represent the views and opinions of their fellow students.
To have your role as a Programme Rep within SPS recorded on your HEAR certificate, you must:
- Completing the training/induction provided by EUSA.
- Actively collaborating with EUSA and your subject area or programme to gather feedback, ideas, and thoughts from the students you represent.
- Attending and actively participating in Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings.
- Closing the 'feedback loop' by informing the students you represent about how their feedback was communicated in the SSLCs, what resolutions and recommendations were made, and any actions taken in response to this feedback.
- Successfully completing a Handover Document by the end of your term ( in August for Postgraduate programme representatives ).
Students' Association's Information Drop-In sessions
Come along to one of the Students' Association's friendly Information Drop-In sessions to find out what the role involves, the difference Programme Reps make, and the skills you can gain. You’ll get a clear overview, plenty of time to ask questions, and leave with everything you need to decide if the role is right for you.
Please find the details at: Programme Representative Information sessions.docx
- Remit for Student-Staff Liaison Committee
- School-level representation
Each School at the University elects three School Representatives in the Edinburgh University Students' Union (EUSA) elections – a School Convenor, a PG Vice Convenor and a UG Vice Convenor. Both PGT and PGR students are eligible for these first two positions.
The role of the School Convenor is to represent the needs and interests of all students in the School, at all years of study, whilst the Postgraduate Vice Convenor has particular responsibility for ensuring that the needs of PGT and PGR students are effectively represented.
Students can stand for either of these positions in the By-Election in October.
- University-level representation
The EUSA also elects a Postgraduate Convenor who represents all PG students at the University. This student convenes the PG Group - a committee where PG School Reps and Class Reps can attend to work together on issues affecting postgrads across the University. All elected reps will find out more information about these meetings throughout the year.
More information on representation in the Edinburgh University Students' Association section.
- Sharing your University email address with Representatives
Your University email address will be shared with your nominated Class or Programme Representatives. Class and Programme Representatives will only receive the University email addresses of the cohort they represent. If for any reason you do not want your email address to be provided to your Class or Programme Representatives you should email pgtaught.sps@ed.ac.uk. Sharing student University email addresses will allow Programme Representatives to effectively gather views from all students they represent.
Further information on student representation can be found in your programme handbook and on the University Quality page.
- Student feedback
We also seek student feedback in the following ways:
- each course organiser invites feedback midway through the course at the end of the semester. This forms the basis for the course organiser's annual report on the course and is reviewed by the School Quality Assurance officers and in the external review of the School, conducted by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
- informal feedback to Course Organisers, Programme Directors and School Officers is welcome at any time.