NUS Awards 2008 - nominations close in five days

NUS is proud to announce the launch of the NUS Awards in partnership with Endsleigh . Nominations are now open in ten award categories including Campaign of the Year, Course Representative of the Year and Students’ Union Publication of the Year. Nominations must be received by Tuesday 13 May. Full details are available at www.nusawards.org.uk

Unions are also able to order free promotional materials to promote this event by completing the order form or sending your request to nusawards@nus.org.uk

Let's get it on and promote safe sex

Next week, 12-18 May, is national condom week - a time to celebrate the french letter, the johnny, the sheath or whatever else you call a condom as well promoting safe sex. This year's event uses materials designed by Samuel Michael, a student at University College Falmouth, who submitted the 'I [heart]' designs to a Durex-sponsored exhibition. You can get these materials for your own students' union.

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Listening to the learner voice
Assist the HE Academy

Paul Ramsden, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Academy, has been asked to conduct a review into teaching and the student experience by Secretary of State John Denham. Given the importance of the learner voice to NUS' work in education, this is a great opportunity for your students to make their voice heard. Time is, however, short with the responses due in by Friday 16 May.

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Support a woman's right to choose

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is hitting parliament in May. There are opportunities and there are serious threats to a woman’s right to choose. This is the biggest threat to a woman's access to safe legal abortion in a generation. The message we want to send to MPs is simple – don’t attack the 24-week time limit and offer full access to women for safe, legal abortion on the NHS.

NUS is pro-choice and the organisation’s stance, set at women’s conference and supported by the disabled students’ campaign, is to defend and extend access to abortion. No matter where you are, you can support this cause by writing to your MP or lobbying at parliament on the day of the vote.

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NUS launches new research enquiry into the student learning experience

We are very excited to officially launch NUS’ new student learning experience survey. NUS has secured funding for the next three years to conduct a major piece of research into the student experience looking at all aspects of their time at university, and exercise which will provide a detailed evidence base for NUS leading in to the 2009 Review as well as our wider campaigning activity.

The survey will provide figures for key issues such as the number of contact hours that students receive, the 'hidden' additional costs associated with studying and the number of hours that students do in terms of paid employment during term-time, as well as looking at other issues such as whether their experience matches their expectations.

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news • advice• results

Good advice comes straight from horsesmouth.co.uk

NUS has entered into a new partnership with horsesmouth, an innovative online mentoring site.

You’ll be able to login to www.horsesmouth.co.uk to give and receive confidential advice, communicating with people all around the UK. Senior NUS staff will be the first to enlist as mentors, and will eventually be joined by other NUS members.

For more details visit www.horsesmouth.co.uk or, to sign up to wear the NUS badge while using horsesmouth, register through the NUS page.

NUS Strategic Plan 2008-10

The NUS Strategic Plan outlines our answer to the question – “What is NUS and what should it do?” It takes us back to our enduring purpose, to our core mission: we promote, defend and extend the rights of students – we are the national voice of students in the United Kingdom and we develop and champion strong students’ unions – we build capacity in our member organisations. Download the Strategic Plan

Milk It!

The NUS Extra card gives exclusive discounts on all student essentials, online and nationwide for just £10.

Find out about running NUS Extra at your union by checking the NUS Services website for useful downloads, guides, research and FAQs, and a print shop containing photos, card artwork, strap lines and discounter logos to use in your marketing materials.

Visit the NUS Extra website to purchase a card.

Are your members making their voice heard?

Find out more about the National Student Survey 2008 at officeronline.