Join us for a session facilitated by the National Union of Students (NUS) National President and Education Officer where we will learn about the strategies to raise awareness about representation work and best practices to engage students in voting and sharing feedback.

If you are a student representative in SRC, Student Senate, Student Union, Student Association or in any other capacity – this is the session for you! We will hear a presentation by Ngaire and Grace from NUS and follow it up with a group discussion on this topic to exchange experiences and build your network on a national level.

The NUS was founded in 1987 to represent all post school students in Australia. We are the peak representative and advocacy body for more than 1 million university and TAFE students. The NUS exists to fight for students' rights and to ensure that all students, regardless of background, gender, ethnicity or class, have access to a fair and fully funded education. Our primary objectives include, amongst many others, working with student unions across the country to further the interests of students in quality of education, academic freedom, access to education, social security, health and welfare.

Presenters:

Ngaire Bogemann

Ngaire (she/her) is the 2024 National President of the National Union of Students Australia. She resides on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country (Melbourne, Victoria), where she studies a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics and International Studies and French Studies, at the University of Melbourne.

Ngaire is a proud Indigenous woman, with ancestral links to Ngahpui and Gunaikurnai Country. Her upbringing and public school education taught her the importance of free, accessible, equitable education and the need to fight for an education system that benefits students, not the corporate bottom line. Ngaire is passionate about students' rights, intersectional feminism and Indigenous rights, and hopes to use her voice to advocate for a better, fairer future for all students studying in Australia.

Grace Franco

Grace Franco (she/her) is currently a Steering Committee Member at the Global Student Forum and the National Education Officer for the National Union of Students Australia. She resides on Kaurna Country (Adelaide, South Australia), where she studies an undergraduate double degree of Law and International Relations at the University of Adelaide.

Grace is a Narungga woman; her lived experience provides a deeply sad but unique outlook, giving her the ability to empathise with people who are struggling with the effects of systemic inequality and who are fighting for equal representation. Grace’s Indigenous heritage empowers her to advocate for the rights of Indigenous students. She also advocates for women’s rights, climate action, and the right to education. Grace is honoured to utilise her platforms through amplifying the voices of people and students from minority backgrounds.

>> Register here

Join us for an impactful session sparked by the recent Universities Accord, proposing an array of recommendations to ensure the welfare, safety, and wellbeing of all students nationwide.

As our student body diversifies and more students embrace online or hybrid learning, universities must innovate to foster student belonging. Collaboration between students and universities is key to addressing issues and driving change and enhancements. Yet, some challenges are too complex for individual educators or institutions to tackle alone. That’s why we are inviting student leaders to come together and exchange practices, share ideas and have discussions. This session is hosted by Student Voice Australasia (SVA).

If you're passionate about advocating for student interests and driving positive change, join us in the discussion!

What will be discussed:

The Universities Accord Final Report, Section 4.3.1, Link to report

Recommendation 18: Ensuring student safety and experience

Guest Speaker:

Professor Shamit Saggar CBE FAcSS

Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success at Curtin University.

Read more details and register here.

On 19 July 2023, the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, announced the release of the Australian Universities Accord Panel’s Interim Report. The Interim Report outlines a vision for the future of higher education. It seeks to build a broad platform for change across higher education in ways that will benefit all Australians. In addition, the Interim Report proposes five immediate priority actions to address the fundamental challenges currently facing the Australian higher education system.

We will be discussing the Australian Universities Accord Panel’s Interim Report and if you have any feedback regarding the report we can collate it in the meeting and submit it before the consultation closes on 1 September.

A Fishbowl discussion about the challenges and experiences representing diverse cohorts or advocating for more inclusive and accessible environments in higher ed institutions.

The session will be facilitated by Sabrine Yassine, a Law Student Member of the UTS Academic Board and ex-General Secretary of the UTS Students Association.

Sabrine will be discussing the benefits and challenges of the Student Partnership Agreement that she implemented during her time in the Students’ Association and reflections on the outcomes for students and the effects of the agreement one year on. The new exciting step in enriching student voice at UTS has been covered in media and you can read more about the UTS Student Partnership agreement in this article: https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/news/enriching-student-experience

Watch this session on YouTube https://youtu.be/eUiQWBZAwpA