Representation Blog

Student Council Update - November 2025

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:28:08 Z

The second Student Council of the academic year took place on Thursday 20 November 2025 on Merchiston Campus and online; with over 50 students in attendance and engaging with student issues that matter to them.

The second meeting of Student Council saw the Student Presidents updating on their current work and priorities, an update on issues submitted by students to the new Student Council Padlet, a short poll on Campus Quiet Rooms and Campus Accessibility, and an introduction to the Student Elections 2026. The busy meeting also saw an update on the current University Review and situation regarding staff redundancies.

Student President Updates

President (Societies & Community) Evans Eghan

Napier Student Film Festival 2025? took place 5-7 November with 23 films from 11 countries being screened, a number of different sessions and a series of awards given to students both at home and away
Took part in a panel discussion as part of the Times Higher Education Conference
International Student Support Scheme - work continues with contacts made with multiple Consulates across Edinburgh all willing to provide support to international students
Community Food Pantry - currently using FareShare at Asda Chesser for weekly collections however this is not a consistently reliable approach so alternatives are being looked into
International Guarantor Scheme
Meetings with University Leadership and People's Team to discuss the ongoing University Review and staff redundancies

Co-President (Sport & Wellbeing) Austen Brunton

Movember Success - Clubs have raised £9,899 so far, officially surpassing last year’s total by Day 20. Huge achievement for everyone involved.?
14% up on sports club members across the university to 1,236?
Recreational sports intern has been hired and has started working on creating a program with zero barriers to entry.

Co-President (Education & Employability) Chika Marvis

QAA-STEP Programme continues - ENU/ENSA leading on driving assessment reform in Scotland. ?
Advocating for fairer academic integrity processes to better support students?
The new academic calendar will now include a grace period for deadlines especially for graduating students, post-results.?
UNIFORCE Employability Programme is live: 5 Uni, 64 students, 14 project team In the work-experience programme (Award + Employer Engagement night in Jan 30th) Over £8,880 in partnership?
403 Programme Rep + Our 3 Paid Academic Community Reps are actively engaged, Introductions soon?
The Big Employability Event Coming up @ENU, Feb 11th, following Times Higher Education Partnership

Student Council Padlet Update

Padlet is an online platform that allows anonymous submissions that can be read and voted on by others. A Student Issues Padlet has been created for Student Council as a space where students can feedback their specific issues within broader issue areas.

Following on from the Padlet being introduced at the first Student Council meeting in October 2025, it has received over 35 responses from students. ENSA has taken these issues as they have been submitted and worked on them with the University to ensure that the student voice is heard on the things that matter to all Napier students.

In the below table you can see the issues submitted by students and an update from ENSA about them.

Broad Issue Area	Submitted Student Issue	Update from ENSA
Employability	More placements and internships available to students	Employability & Careers posts all available opportunities for students on the MyFuture platform although it is recognised that there will never be enough supply from employers to meet the demand from students. Virtual work experience is available to all students using the online Forage platform which can be found online here.
Employability	Short-term internships directly related to students' fields of study	ENSA regularly meets with the Employability & Careers service to bring student feedback on employability opportunities at Napier. This has been fed back to the Placements Team for further discussion and exploration.
Employability	Further options and information for international students for work post-graduation	ENSA will seek to improve the information we provide to international students - including in our upcoming Student Guide - and will also reach out to various University departments to provide feedback.
Employability	Advertisement of University jobs to students first	ENSA will bring this suggestion to the Employability & Careers team. All vacancies for ENSA roles can be found on our website, and University jobs can usually be found on the MyFuture job platform.
Health & Wellbeing	Health support (e.g. SAD lamps, Vitamin D tablets) for students during winter months	ENSA will bring this suggestion to the Wellbeing & Inclusion team as part of the continuous improvement of support for all Napier students.
Health & Wellbeing	Online health & wellbeing support and forums for discussion	All students can access the free online platform Togetherall. Togetherall is an online platform where you can anonymously share your experiences with others, receive advice from trained professionals, and get support from a variety of resources all designed to help improve your mental health.
Health & Wellbeing	Walk-in sessions for students wanting to talk	ENSA will bring this suggestion to the Wellbeing & Inclusion team as part of the continuous improvement of support for all Napier students.
Health & Wellbeing	Increased awareness and support around bullying and discrimination	ENSA will work with the University around tackling any bullying and discrimination at Edinburgh Napier; including increasing awareness and support.
Housing	Student Accommodation heating during appropriate and effective hours	ENSA regularly meets with the Head of Student Accommodation, and our Student President, Evans Eghan, undertook a tour of all residences earlier this trimester. We will speak to the Accommodation team about this issue.
Personal Finance	Improved support for mature students	ENSA will discuss this with the relevant University teams and ask for further feedback/comment from students.
Personal Finance	Improved support for student parents	ENSA will discuss this with the relevant University teams and ask for further feedback/comment from students.
Public Transport	More assistance and guidance for international students around navigating Edinburgh and UK public transport	ENSA is looking to update the information on our website, specifically creating a Welcome Hub for all new students. This will contain information on public transport and we will also speak to the University about including this information alongside the induction for all students.
Sustainability	University Catering adoption of 'thegoodcup' and remove plastic, single-use lids for takeaway food and drink	ENSA has a regular meeting with the University Catering team and we will be speaking to them about any issues reported by students. Students can also provide feedback using the QR codes found in all University Catering outlets. Catering is looking into usage of more environmentally friendly packaging, including the potential introduction of a returns scheme. There will be more information available in the New Year.
Sustainability	Water usage and wastage by University Catering staff	ENSA has a regular meeting with the University Catering team and we will be speaking to them about any issues reported by students. Students can also provide feedback using the QR codes found in all University Catering outlets.
Sustainability	Inconsistent and inappropriate campus heating	ENSA will discuss this with the Property & Facilities team in order to provide student feedback and receive an update.
Other	Wi-Fi issues, particularly in certain areas of campus	All Wi-Fi issues should be reported to the Information Services team. ENSA will also report any issues so that they can be looked into fully.
Other	Timetabling of classes on Wednesday afternoons during supposedly protected times for extra-curricular activities	This is an ongoing issue that ENSA is extremely keen to solve in the best possible way. It is University policy that there be no classes scheduled on Wednesday afternoons wherever possible in order to allow students to take part in sport and other extra-curricular activities. We are aware that some cohorts of students still have timetabled classes on Wednesday afternoons which mean that they are unable to take part in some activities which enhance their student experience. We will be continuing discussion with the University on this and lobbying for all students to have Wednesday afternoons free from classes as stated by University policy.
Other	More healthy food options on campus, particularly in vending machines	ENSA has a regular meeting with the University Catering team and we will be speaking to them about any issues reported by students. Students can also provide feedback using the QR codes found in all University Catering outlets.
Other	More food options on campus after main catering outlets close	ENSA has a regular meeting with the University Catering team and we will be speaking to them about any issues reported by students. Students can also provide feedback using the QR codes found in all University Catering outlets.

If you would like to add any issues or comments to the Student Council Padlet, you can do so at the link here.

University Review Update

An update was provided to Student Council on the current University Review and the resulting staff redundancies that are taking place at Edinburgh Napier University. The details presented to students can be seen below:

University Review - What is happening?
- Edinburgh Napier University is currently running a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme.
- The University has been in collective consultation with EIS & Unison on proposals that could reduce staff by 50-70 people.
  - A recent update from the University Principal stated that following the voluntary redundancies, a further 10-15 roles will need to be made redundant. More information will follow in the New Year.
- Consultation took place from 27 August to 23 October, and staff were advised of proposed changes and any individual impact in the week commencing 3 November.
- The deadline for staff accepting voluntary redundancy was 21 November, and the Union ballot closed on 28 November.
  - ENSA will be meeting with the Union representatives to discuss the results of the ballot and next steps.
University Review - Why is this happening?
- The Higher Education sector has experienced significant challenges over the last few years due to a mix of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing effects of Brexit, and more.
- Like most institutions, Napier has experienced challenges in recruitment, and has been reliant on Clearing and lowering of entrance and confirmation grades and thresholds.
- Growing costs, alongside challenges in student recruitment and reduced income, have all caused challenges in institutional finances.
Whilst Napier has financial reserves, continued use of these is not a sustainable solution to address a structural deficit.

Students were invited to ask questions and raise their concerns about the University Review with students speaking of what they had heard from staff in certain courses, expressing their concerns around any effects on their teaching, and asking whether there could be strike action by staff. ENSA has taken all student questions and concerns to University Senior Leadership for response and so that they can accurately assess student opinions and concerns about the current challenging situation.

Keeping students informed of these significant changes and challenges in the University are a core part of the role of ENSA, and we will always ensure that you are provided with accurate information when it is available. As your Union, we are continuously meeting with University Leadership to provide your voice and advocate for all Napier students, and we will continue to do so.

If you have any concerns or questions about the University Review, please email me on d.wright@napier.ac.uk.

Quiet Rooms & Campus Accessibility

Following a similar poll at the latest Rep Forum, Student Council also took part in a discussion and poll on Quiet Rooms and the general accessibility and feel of the Napier Campuses.

Students received details of the Quiet Rooms on each campus and asked for what they would include in them with responses including comfortable seating, adjustable lighting, room dividers and fidget toys. Through an interactive Mentimeter, students also gave their thoughts on how campus accessibility and visual appeal could be improved. This information will be collated and presented to the Property & Facilities team at the University to look at how improvements can be implemented so that all students can make use of Quiet Rooms and feel welcomed and comfortable on campus.

For note, the Campus Quiet Rooms can be found in the following locations:

Craiglockhart - 4/32
Merchiston - H12 & H13
Sighthill - 5.B.04

If you have any questions or suggestions about the Quiet Rooms, please email chaplaincy@napier.ac.uk

Student Elections Introduction

What are the Student Elections?
- As a charity, ENSA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
- As a students' association, ENSA is led by 3 democratically elected student officers.
- As well as a legal requirement, the Student Elections ensure that ENSA remains up-to-date with student views and opinions and that students decide what focus they want us to have.
Why should I be interested in the Student Elections?
- Whether you are a student voting or a student running for election, you should be interested in the Student Elections!
- All Napier students, whether online or in-person, are eligible to vote during the Election Week in order to decide who should lead ENSA for the next year.
- All Napier students are also eligible to run for the Student Elections - a great opportunity for a full-time job in Edinburgh either as time out from studies, or right after graduation!
When are the Student Elections?
- Nominations Open: Monday 19 January
- Election Drop-Ins & Candidate Workshops: January & February
- Election Breakfast: Tuesday 3 February
- Nominations Close: Thursday 19 February
- Candidate Briefings: w/c Monday 23 February
- Voting Opens: Monday 9 March
- Voting Closes: Thursday 12 March
- Winners Announcement: Thursday 12 March

If you are interested in running in the Student Elections, or just finding out more, then complete the Expression of Interest Form below!

ENSA Student Elections 2026 - Find out More! – Fill out form

We look forward to Student Council next trimester where we can make even more change happen! Have a great festive holiday and New Year!

Rep Forum Update - November 2025

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 15:05:58 Z

On Thursday 13 November 2025, we held our second University Rep Forum of the academic year on Sighthill Campus and online, with over 50 students attending to hear from ENSA and discuss their experience as Programme Reps with one another.

Rep Forums bring Programme Reps together to share feedback on learning and teaching, hear about university developments, and connect with other Reps to exchange experiences and ideas.

Following an update given on behalf of Co-President (Education & Employability) Chika Marvis - including his national work on assessment reform, details of the new grace period for deadlines in the new academic calendar, and the success of the Uniforce Employability Programme - news on the recently appointed Academic Community Reps was given.

Academic Community Reps

Academic Community Reps are a new role created by ENSA designed to support and enhance student representation and engagement. One student has been appointed for each campus, and they will all work with ENSA, the University and the Schools to ensure that student voice is heard at the heart of every decision. Below are details of the three Academic Community Reps and their projects they are currently working on:

Nooriya Ali - Merchiston Academic Community Rep - n.ali@napier.ac.uk
- Nooriya's project focuses on exploring student loneliness and social wellbeing; through community-building initiatives that create connections within programmes of study, and advocate for open conversations based on people's experiences.
- Nooriya is also looking at amplifying student portfolios of work through promotion of the SACI degree show and inspiring case studies from staff and students.
Fiona Makou - Craiglockhart Academic Community Rep - f.makou@napier.ac.uk
- Fiona's project is focusing on supporting students with chronic health conditions; raising awareness, promoting understanding and empathy, and creating a more accessible learning environment for all.
- Fiona is also looking at the Campus Quiet Rooms and how they can be made to best suit the majority of those that need them.
Ben Coulter - Sighthill Academic Community Rep - b.coulter@napier.ac.uk
- Ben is looking at the overall experience of Programme Reps at Napier, with a particular focus on how Reps are recruited and communicated with.
- Ben has also started discussions around the creation of a new Programme Rep Database potentially using the MSL system currently used for Club and Society Members.

Quiet Rooms & Campus Accessibility

The Rep Forum then turned to a discussion and poll on Quiet Rooms and the general accessibility and feel of the Napier Campuses. Reps were provided details of the Quiet Rooms on each campus and asked for what they would include in them with responses including comfortable seating, adjustable lighting, room dividers and fidget toys. Through an interactive Mentimeter, Reps also gave their thoughts on how campus accessibility and visual appeal could be improved. This information will be collated and presented to the Property & Facilities team at the University to look at how improvements can be implemented so that all students can make use of Quiet Rooms and feel welcomed and comfortable on campus.

University Review

The main topic for the Rep Forum centred on the current University Review and the resulting staff redundancies that are taking place at Edinburgh Napier University. The details presented to students can be seen below:

University Review - What is happening?
- Edinburgh Napier University is currently running a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme.
- The University has been in collective consultation with EIS & Unison on proposals that could reduce staff by 50-70 people.
- Consultation took place from 27 August to 23 October, and staff were advised of proposed changes and any individual impact in the week commencing 3 November.
- The deadline for staff accepting voluntary redundancy was 21 November, and the Union ballot closed on 28 November.
University Review - Why is this happening?
- The Higher Education sector has experienced significant challenges over the last few years due to a mix of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing effects of Brexit, and more.
- Like most institutions, Napier has experienced challenges in recruitment, and has been reliant on Clearing and lowering of entrance and confirmation grades and thresholds.
- Growing costs, alongside challenges in student recruitment and reduced income, have all caused challenges in institutional finances.
Whilst Napier has financial reserves, continued use of these is not a sustainable solution to address a structural deficit.

Reps were invited to ask questions and raise their concerns about the University Review with students speaking of what they had heard from staff in certain courses, expressing their concerns around any effects on their teaching, and asking whether there could be strike action by staff. ENSA has taken all student questions and concerns to University Senior Leadership for response and so that they can accurately assess student opinions and concerns about the current challenging situation.

If you have any concerns or questions about the University Review, please email me on d.wright@napier.ac.uk.

It is always great to engage with so many students at Rep Forums and I look forward to speaking with more of you in 2026 at the next one!

Student Council Update - October 2025

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:49:57 Z

On Wednesday 22 October 2025, ENSA hosted our first Student Council of the academic year on both Craiglockhart Campus and online.

Following a fundamental redesign last year, Student Council is now a forum for discussion and debate open for all students to bring forward ideas, issues, solutions and policies to be implemented by ENSA. As well as updates from the Student Presidents at every meeting, the University also shares updates at Student Council, and there is always the chance to share feedback on the student experience at Napier and make genuine change happen.

The first meeting of Student Council saw the Student Presidents going over their current work and priorities, an explanation of the recently introduced Napier Community Code, a run-through of the actions made from last year's Student Council, and an opportunity for students to provide their thoughts on the biggest issues for 25/26 both in the meeting and using a new platform available to all.

Student President Updates

President (Societies & Community) Evans Eghan

Napier Student Film Festival 2025? takes place 5-7 November with 23 films from 11 countries being screened, a number of different sessions and a series of awards
International Students Support Scheme
Rent Guarantor's Scheme - University has agreed to act as a guarantor for International Students, meeting the same requirements as Edinburgh University
Student Housing
Residence Tour
Society of the Week & Societies Volunteering Committee

Co-President (Sport & Wellbeing) Austen Brunton

Increase in sports memberships to 1192
Sponsorship and partnership? for clubs, Varsity & Societies & Sports Ball
Alumni giving support
Sports steering group strategy
Visibility around sports (including team photo on PC screens)
Access to sports

Co-President (Education & Employability) Chika Marvis

Student-led peer support and academic skill improvement. Starting with TBS in November
Academic Community Rep (ACR) : A new role aimed at fostering a sense of belonging and building an engaging on-campus academic community
Uniforce Employability Programme – Now Live! To help Napier Students connect with students from other universities while real work experience on real project.

Napier Community Code

Previously known as the Student Charter, the Napier Community Code outlines the values and behaviours that all students and staff should follow and adhere to.

Co-created by ENSA and Edinburgh Napier University staff, the 4 values in the Community Code - Professional, Ambitious, Inclusive and Innovative - are now the same for both staff and students; aligning all members of the Edinburgh Napier community with the same values, behaviours and targets. During registration, all students sign up to follow the Community Code, and all staff also agree to follow the same values and behaviours during their onboarding.

The Napier Community Code can be viewed online here: Community Code

Both ENSA's Question of the Week, and the feedback from Student Council, showed ENSA that there is more work to be done on ensuring that all students and staff are aware of and understand the new Community Code. In particular, ENSA's Question of the Week found that over 50% of students had not heard of it and therefore had not read or followed it. We also found that the co-creation of classroom rules - a recommendation from the Community Code - appeared to have only be done by a tiny handful of classes.

ENSA has provided this feedback to the University and will be working with them in order to improve awareness of the Community Code and its implementation for all staff and students.

Student Council 24/25 Action Update

A big part of this year's first Student Council meeting was a comprehensive update on the actions of Student Council last year.

In academic year 2024/25, over 140 students took part in Student Council and helped create a number of solutions which students voted on for ENSA to take forward and implement. A total of 24 solutions were taken forward for implementation and ENSA have been working on these with various University staff and departments. The full list of these and their current status can be found in the table below.

Category	Student Council 24/25 - Proposed Solution	Update on Current Status
Employability	ENSA will work with Employability & Careers to promote job skills workshops, job fairs, volunteering and more on the ENSA website and My Future platform.	Employability & Careers is working with ENSA to improve cross-promotion on all campuses and online. ENSA website was updated with new Employability & Careers information. Employability & Careers events can now be posted on the ENSA Events platform, Native.
Employability	ENSA will work with Employability & Careers to implement improved job filtering and available information around suitability specifically for international students.	Employability & Careers have redeveloped the My Future platform, including the look and feel, as well as improved accessibility and ease of use. ENSA was consulted and involved in the process of My Future improvement.
Employability	ENSA will work with Employability & Careers to provide workshops and training for international students on employment within the UK.	Employability & Careers partnership with Student Circus has already started to have a positive impact for international students. Employability & Careers are working with the international recruitment team to improve their offering of support to incoming and existing students.
Employability	ENSA will work with Employability & Careers to strengthen industry links, networking and opportunities within programmes of study.	Integrated employability support within programmes of study is a core part of the new Employability & Careers Strategy. Work across all Schools is headed by the Vice-Principal Learning & Teaching, and ENSA is being consulted on improving employability skills development within classes.
Employability	ENSA will work to improve the promotion of available internships and volunteering opportunities.	ENSA has introduced new paid internships for students - Academic Community Reps, Recreational Sport Intern, Content Creators etc. ENSA will continue to introduce new employment for students and continually refresh our volunteering opportunities for students across the year.
Health & Wellbeing	ENSA will produce a practical guide to starting University.	The ENSA Advice Team is currently working on this as a resource for all students. The guide will be brought to Student Council for review and suggestions.
Health & Wellbeing	ENSA will work with the University's Wellbeing Team to promote a positive approach to student health and wellbeing in all programmes of study.	ENSA is continuously working with the University to improve its' approach to student's physical and mental health and wellbeing. ENSA has been part of the University's work on compassionate communication to ensure that all student communications, e.g. on VISA's and Academic Integrity, are written to help understanding and not negatively affect students. ENSA is continuing work on improving University support of sport, including freeing Wednesday afternoons for fixtures, and the creation of a comprehensive sport strategy that includes improving facilities for all.
Health & Wellbeing	ENSA will work with the University's Wellbeing Team to streamline information provided to students on wellbeing support available, including timeframes available for accessing support.	ENSA regularly meets with members of Wellbeing & Inclusion team. Waiting times for Counselling & other Wellbeing services are not shown on the website due to fluctuations throughout the year. Max waiting times are available to students however to help expectations. It has been found that Napier's service waiting times are amongst the shortest for all students in Scotland.
Health & Wellbeing	ENSA will work with the University to improve the availability and pricing of healthy food across all catering outlets, and the signage showing dietary requirements.	ENSA have introduced regular meetings with the Catering Team to provide feedback and discuss ongoing improvements. ENSA undertook a review of all catering outlets, in comparison to comparable services nearby and at other universities, and submitted findings on affordability and variety to the University. Catering have now introduced online feedback forms to allow for continuous feedback from students, and are acting on the feedback through the year.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will help students struggling to find flatmates by providing information on various platforms, and through targeted events like 'Speed Flatting'	ENSA has updated information on our website about finding a flatmate. This information will also be included in the upcoming practical guide to starting university. ENSA has started running 'Speed Flatting' events and will continue to run these at appropriate times throughout the year, alongside other events related to housing and accommodation.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will address the issues around guarantors for international students, including requirements and advice on letting agents allowing for international based guarantors.	ENSA has updated information on our Advice pages about guarantors that is linked to information on the University Accommodation website. ENSA is working on producing a new student guide that will include information on this.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will improve information provided on student rights around housing; including landlords, council tax, guarantors and more.	ENSA Advice is currently undertaking a review of all accommodation information on our website.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will seek to open dialogue with local landlords and estate agents, as well as the Scottish Association of Landlords, to improve student treatment by private landlords and lobby for better student access to private accommodation.	ENSA President (Societies & Community) has been working with the NUS and other Edinburgh SU's in speaking to Edinburgh Council about the situation with student housing and how this can be improved. ENSA has worked with the NUS on their Renters Rights and Housing Bill campaigns, and will continue to do so.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will demonstrate and improve its commitment to improving student housing and accommodation by incorporating the area into a Student President position and mandating work on the area each year.	All candidates for President (Societies & Community) had to answer a question on housing in order to run in the Student Elections 2025, and this will continue each year. Housing has been incorporated into the President (Societies & Community) role at ENSA with work mandated each year. ENSA is exploring the recruitment of a student intern dedicated to campaigns on housing.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will work with University Accommodation to implement an improved online system of reporting repairs in university accommodation, with a timeframe on the issues being solved.	ENSA met with the Head of Accommodation to discuss this. Expectations and timeframes will be further communicated to those in university accommodation, with timeframes reviewed regularly. University Accommodation Repair Update: Non-essential: 15 days Routine: 7 days Essential: 5 days Urgent: 24 hours Emergency: 1 hour Majority of repair jobs logged are fixed between 24 & 72 hours.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will work with University Accommodation to produce a Student Accommodation Agreement to clearly set out expectations for students and accommodation services.	ENSA met with the Head of Accommodation to discuss this. ENSA is reviewing the Tenancy Agreement signed by students in University Accommodation to improve clarity, language and equality.
Housing & Accommodation	ENSA will continue to work in lobbying the university to act as guarantor for international students struggling to access affordable and private housing.	Following lobbying by the Student President, University Senior Leadership agreed to offer guarantorship for international students based on the same requirements as the University of Edinburgh.
Personal Safety	ENSA will work with the University to improve navigation and accessibility across all campuses.	Conversations has started with the university around signage on campus, as well as the opening of the Receptions. ENSA has been reporting any accessibility challenges and will undertake more work to improve this.
Personal Safety	ENSA will improve promotion and information around the SafeZone app.	ENSA staff received training in relation to the SafeZone app and its use. ENSA has promoted the app alongside the University Security team, and is working together to ensure that information on the app is relevant and up-to-date.
Personal Safety	ENSA will work with the University Accommodation to provide clear instructions on all appliances.	University Accommodation have agreed to provide printed instructions for appliances in each flat for easy access and understanding.
Personal Finance, Budgeting & Money Management	ENSA will work with the National Union of Students (NUS) to lobby for improved student funding and access to financial support for students.	ENSA will remain in the NUS following the Referendum in March 2025. Meetings have been ongoing with the NUS around ENSA getting involved with campaigns leading into the Scottish Election 2026.
Personal Finance, Budgeting & Money Management	ENSA will start a regular 'Swap Shop' to provide free student necessities such as textbooks, clothes and homeware, as well as food via a Community Pantry.	ENSA has launched a Community Pantry to provide free food to students, courtesy of FareShare, which will be run weekly. ENSA successfully lobbied University Catering to sign up to 'Too Good to Go' to help provide affordable food and reduce food waste. ENSA has been collecting donations from staff and students and will be giving all to students for free at various times throughout the year.
Personal Finance, Budgeting & Money Management	ENSA and the University will work together to offer a series of budgeting and money management workshops following Welcome Week.	ENSA has met with the relevant university departments over Summer 2025 to provide appropriate support to students at the right times throughout the year.
Personal Finance, Budgeting & Money Management	ENSA will lobby the University to require all programmes of study to provide a breakdown of additional costs to all students prior to starting.	ENSA is working with the Vice-Principal Learning & Teaching & Deans of Schools to ensure that students have a fair idea of additional costs for each programme of study.

Student Issues 25/26

Student Council introduced students to the broad issue areas that were discussed last year, and provided the opportunity for students to give feedback on these, as well as suggestions for new ones.

When ranking the issue areas from 2024/25, Student Council ranked the areas the following:

Employability
Personal Safety
Health & Wellbeing
Personal Finance, Budgeting & Money Management
Public Transport
Housing & Accommodation
Disability & Accessibility
Environmental Sustainability
LGBTQ+ Representation
Black, Asian & Ethnic Minority Representation

This ranking shows a change from last year with Housing & Accommodation dropping in importance to some students when compared to Personal Safety & Public Transport.

The Student Council Issue Padlet was also introduced as an anonymous platform for any student to write their issues under issue areas. This will then allow ENSA to address these individually and begin planning potential solutions that can be brought to Student Council in the future. If you have any issues you want to add, please use the Padlet here: https://padlet.com/dwright176/studentcouncil25

Other Information

Student Council has also introduced a form allowing students to submit a proposal for discussion. This can be anything that you believe needs an in-depth discussion and consideration due to its positive impact on students.

You can fill out the form here: ENSA Student Council - New Proposal Submission – Fill out form

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The next Student Council will be taking place on Thursday 20 November, 2-4pm in Merchiston F10 & Online. You can join online at the link here.

Rep Forum Update - October 2025

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:30:07 +0100

On Wednesday 15 October 2025, over 70 Programme Reps joined the first University Rep Forum of the academic year — both on Merchiston Campus and online.

Rep Forums bring Programme Reps together to share feedback on learning and teaching, hear about university developments, and connect with other Reps to exchange experiences and ideas.

The Forum opened with an update from Chika Marvis, Co-President (Education & Employability), followed by a presentation on the results of a recent student survey. The survey, part of Napier’s new Ambition for Student Partnership, explored how students see their feedback being used. Encouragingly, 68% of respondents said they know what happens with their feedback, and 69% felt their feedback led to positive change. Examples of positive change influenced by student feedback included more diverse assessments, improved timetabling, and clearer guidance on student use of AI. These insights, along with Rep discussions, will be shared with the Department for Learning & Teaching Enhancement to help strengthen feedback processes and ensure student voices continue to shape positive change.

The main focus of the Forum was an introduction to Napier’s Professional Services. Reps heard about the wide range of student support available — from wellbeing and careers to academic skills and funding advice — and shared their experiences of using these services. Their feedback will help inform ongoing improvements to make student support even more accessible and effective.

It was fantastic to see so many Reps taking part and contributing their ideas. The enthusiasm and diversity of voices both in the room and online set a strong foundation for the year ahead in student representation at Edinburgh Napier.

If you are interested in getting involved with student representation and would be interested in taking part in a future focus group please complete the short form at the link below!