Posted on Thu 10 Jul 2025 at 10:32 by
Anthony Foster WHAT’S THE STORY?
This year we went from 300 Programme Representatives to 600 Programme Representatives. The time commitment is a couple of hours a month (or more if you wish) and it gets included on your official transcript. You can be in any year of study as we give full training and we support you as part of the wider Rep Forum meet four times a year. This is specifically about your academic programmes. More details here Programme Reps
SOME MIGHT SAY…
…Student Council is a talking shop. But long gone are the days of writing, debating a motion and demanding the University do something about it. Now we identify your issues about courses in general, housing, the cost of living, looking for a job. We identify solutions not problems. Then we get into active dialogue with members of the University to understand the issues and come to positive solutions or workable compromises. It’s how politics should work and it starts here on campus. You can join in person or hybrid but we want to work with you. Again participation gets added to your transcripts. More details here Student Council
CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA
This year we will be looking for three paid interns from second year and above (and ideally been a class rep or member of student council) who can be the bridge between the University and Class Reps to the elected Student Sabbaticals. Sabbaticals then can act on your behalf with staff at the Association, University Meetings they attend and working with the National Union of Students (NUS) and representing student interest nationally. The interns are Academic Community Reps and there will be one for each campus at Merchiston for (Arts and Creative Industries and Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment), Sighthill (Applied Science and Health and Social Care) and Craiglockhart (The Business School). Applications will open in August and it’s a great pathway to standing as a Sabbatical.
LIVE FOREVER
What is a sabbatical? It’s one of three students who takes a year out of their studies or at the end of their studies to represent you in Sports, Well Being, Societies, Housing and Academically. You are paid, get paid holidays but unlike a job you are not interviewed but have to stand for an election and your fellow students decide if you are the person to represent them to the University and beyond. This year vote turn out was up 4% with nearly 6000 votes. It’s not an easy job but can be very rewarding, you meet and work with all senior movers and shakers in the University, is great for potential employers in the future and you get immortalised in Napier History on our Sabbaticals Wonderwall Board at Merchiston.
STAND BY ME
Whatever you do don’t look back (in anger) after leaving university and say ‘I wish I’d done that’. You can be a rep, run a sports club or society, be a volunteer or intern at your Students’ Association. There are people like to party and make friends and that’s why we run events for you. Some find that more difficult and some people face issues that need help and support. Our Advice Team provide that for you and will support you confidentially or direct you to the right place to go. Never delay if you need help, it’s okay. thanks to you coming to see our independent and professional Advice Team they can feed into our representatives what real issues students are facing. We then look for solutions so others don’t have to consistently face the same issues time and again. So even if you don’t have time or can’t get engaged yourself due to issues you face you help others when needing help. 600 students have done that this year. More on ENSA Advice here About ENSA Advice
ROLL WITH IT
Want to know more – check out our Masterplans with the Student Community Development Plan here Student_Community_Development_Plan_v2.pdf and our Impact Report here ImpactReport25.pdf