What is student representation?
Student representatives are a vital part of the University's quality assurance and enhancement processes.
The University operates two levels of student representatives.
Programme representatives
Programme representatives work at the local level, representing students in the same year and on the same programme as themselves. Their role is to gather feedback on the student experience on that programme - primarily focusing on learning and teaching - and share that feedback with relevant staff, working with them to enhance the student experience for current and future students.
Programme representatives may communicate with staff throughout the academic year, but each semester they also attend a Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) meeting, where key areas of feedback are discussed, and students and staff work in partnership to resolve any issues identified.
Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) Policy
Elected representatives
Elected representatives, including liberation officers, section representatives, and school representatives work together to give a voice to particular cohorts and communities of students. Their role is to gather feedback on the student experience from the students they represent and share that feedback with relevant staff and the University more widely, working with them to enhance student experience for current and future students.
Elected representatives may also work to build supportive and inclusive communities, and campaign to achieve positive change beyond the University.
Each month elected representatives attend Student Council, the Students’ Association’s democratic decision-making body, where they discuss issues impacting the University of Edinburgh’s 45,000 students.
Information about student representatives
Information about Student Council
All student representatives receive a robust induction and training package from the Students’ Association, and support throughout the year from the Students’ Association’s Student Voice Team, as well as relevant staff in their school and across the University.
How to become a student representative
How to become a student representative
How to contact your student representatives
If you have feedback on your student experience, you should contact your student representatives to share your thoughts with them.
Your programme representatives may already have introduced themselves to you during the year, but if not your course organiser, programme director, or school teaching organisation should be able to provide you with their names and contact details.
You can find the names and contact details of your elected representatives, including your school representative, and relevant liberation officers and section representatives on the Students’ Association’s website.
Contact your elected representatives
Case studies
Hear from students and staff about their experiences of student representation.