There are a number of ways in which we involve our students in the design, implementation and review of policies and procedures. Our Corporate and Academic Governance Framework includes detail on the workings of both the Board of Directors and academic decision-making meetings. Within these meetings, Student Representatives play a vital role in enabling the student voice to be heard and taken into account. Student Representatives, with the exception of the Board of Directors, are full voting members of the academic meetings to which they belong. In turn, Student Representatives, in common with other members of the meetings such as staff, will be involved in the approval process of new policy and procedures as well as the review of existing documents.
Through our Student Staff Consultative Forum (SSCF), we provide a platform where all Student Representatives and key Institute staff meet. The SSCF enables us to share and consult the student body on new or developmental strategies, policies, ideas or initiatives. The SSCF also allows Student Representatives to all meet together and bring a collective voice to the Institute.
From time to time, we run Working Groups that consider new or developmental strategic or policy ideas. Such Working Groups will often focus on areas that directly affect students and we ensure that the Groups include students as full members.
Additionally, we hold Student Focus Groups (SFGs) which, as the name suggests, is made up entirely of students (with just one or two staff facilitating). SFGs really help us to share new ideas or policies with students and to ensure that their viewpoint is taken into account.