How to make the most of your education (Representation at NTSU)
They say a change is as good as a rest. Here's how to change things at NTU (with a little help from NTSU).
Student representation at NTSU can help you actively create your ideal learning experience at NTU. "Student representation" is a bit of a jargony buzzword, so let me explain what it is…
NTU is a great uni, and you'll undoubtedly have a fantastic time here. But, like all things in life, it's not 100% perfect for everyone all the time. At some point, there's going to be something that annoys you… something you wish you could change. It might be to do with your course, your campus, or even the SU (yeah, we're not perfect either).
But trying to change things on your own is hard. That's why we're here to help. We have systems and support structures that can help you make the changes you want to see become a reality. We'll even do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
That's why we say we're your official representative body while you're at NTU… because we want every NTU student, including you, to get the best out of your time here. And if something's not right, we want to change it.
To help you understand how this whole student representation thing works, here are a few ways you can influence change at Trent through your SU:
NTSU's Exec team
NTSU's Executive Team (commonly known as "the Exec") are current students and recent graduates who work full-time to represent you on everything from your academic experience to your welfare. They are each responsible for a different area of your student experience, as indicated by their job title.
I'm the President of the Exec, and there are seven team members in total. Most of our work involves listening to what students want then influencing the University to make the changes our students want to see. If you're not happy about some part of your uni experience, we want to know about it, so reach out to us. Also, follow us on Insta and say hi.
You can meet the team, find our contact details, and see what we're working on here
You'll also be able to vote for next year's Exec team (or even nominate yourself for a role) in our term two elections. Look out for more info nearer the time.
Big Ideas
If you have an idea to improve the University or Students' Union, take advantage of our Big Ideas scheme. It's a quick and easy way to suggest changes to your student experience.
Proposing a Big Idea is super-simple. You submit it through our website. Other students can vote on it, and if your idea gets enough support, we'll try to make it a reality (within reason).
Learn more about Big Ideas here
Academic representation
You pay a lot to get your degree, so you should expect a high-quality learning experience. That's why we invest lots of time and work into our student-led academic representation system. We do this by enabling NTU students to become one of two types of academic rep: Course Reps and School Officers.
As the name implies, Course Reps represent their coursemates by gathering student feedback to help improve their course. We then take this feedback to the University and lobby for the changes students want.
School Officers work at a slightly higher level. They meet with each other and NTSU's VP Education and VP Postgraduate to influence decisions made by the University regarding your education.
If you want to change something about your course or school, you should speak to your Course Rep. They can then work with your School Officer and the Students' Union to influence change at the university.
If you want to become a Course Rep or School Officer (both of which are great for your CV and personal development and will help you get more out of your time at uni) you'll be able to apply for the role at the start of the academic year.
We'll send you more info nearer the time, so look out for it, but it's worth considering ahead of time as the opportunity only comes around once a year.
Want to know more? You can learn more about our academic representation system here.
If you want to learn more about our student representation work and how you can get involved in or use it, look at the student voice section of our website.
For more info about what your Students' Union has to offer, take a look at our socials:
P.S. We asked current students for advice on starting at NTU. Here's a useful one for avoiding burnout and overwhelm: "Learn how to plan ahead and manage your time effectively."
