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.

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!