Welcome to NUS' new officers

A big welcome to all new NUS officers.

We have an exciting year ahead of us, with a major reform of student funding, student union’s charity registration and an increasingly severe economic climate. Getting the student voice heard has never been more important.

Funding Our Future is NUS' education funding campaign. We are working for a fairer funding system for all students, but we need your help to achieve this.

Remember that NUS is here for you. The team at HQ and in the Nation’s offices and around the regions have had loads of experience in supporting people in your role, so if you need advice, information or contacts then please get in touch.

And don’t forget to register online and encourage your team to do the same so that we can keep you up to speed on all up coming events and campaigns.

First NUS Postgraduate Conference held

NUS held its first Postgraduate Conference in Nottingham on 19 - 20 June. Electing the first Postgrad Taught Rep (Chris Jenkinson, University of Manchester) and a Postgrad Research Rep (Joy Elliott, University of Aberdeen) to the NEC. The conference also elected a Postgraduate Committee and passed policy on postgraduate issues. View presentations from the conference.

NUS Awards 2009 winners announced

The NUS Awards 2009 winners have been announced.

Friday 12 June saw the winners of the 2009 NUS Awards awarded their trophies at the Brewery in London.

To see who the winners were go to the Awards website now!

Funding our Future Blueprint

As part of our Funding Our Future Campaign, NUS has launched its Blueprint for an alternative higher education funding system. This is our moment as the student movement to break up the consensus that top-up fees are the only way of funding higher education.

Find out more.

Funding our future

NUS is launching a Blueprint for an alternative higher education funding system on Wednesday 10 June.

The Blueprint is our mechanism to break the consensus that top-up fees are the only way of funding higher education. Read more

NUS welcomes opportunity to work with Lord Mandelson

Following the announcement that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will merge to form the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, National Union of Students (NUS) President Wes Streeting said:

“NUS would like to welcome the opportunity to work with Lord Mandelson in his new capacity as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. We hope that he will be bold in his approach to the forthcoming review of higher education funding and ensure that students have a genuine voice in the coming debate." Read NUS' statement in full.

NUS Black Students' Officer Elected

Bellavia Riberio-Addy was re-elected at the Black Students' Conference this weekend.

Speaking at the Conference, held in Coventry, Bellavia said she would ensure that Black students are heard.

NUS Exam Feedback Amnesty

NUS have sent out over 25,000 stickers to SUs wanting to make an issue out of the lack of exam feedback their students receive.

Vice President Higher Education, Aaron Porter said:
"We've had a lot of attention already, and I'm looking forward to watching the campaign unfold across the UK, and crucially start watching Universities react - and hopefully start offering better exam feedback to students!"

Download the Exam Feedback Brief and download the HE Focus (volume 1 - the great NUS feedback amnesty) here.

Meet the Parents

NUS has launched a major report into life as a student parent.

Meet the Parents, a first hand account of life as a student parent, was launched at the House of Commons today.

The report, sponsored by NASWUT, reveals that, despite the benefits education can offer to those with children, there is still a lack of information and funding available. Constant struggle

Find out more and download the report.

Your year in pictures

As the academic year comes to a close, we'd like to see what students have been up to. Whether you've campaigned for some causes close to your heart or partied hard all year, we'd love to see your best shots. Send us your pictures now. There are some prizes up for grabs too.

Officer Development Programme 2009/10 is launched

Registrations for the Officer Development Programme 2009/10 are now open.

As well as providing invaluable networking opportunities these courses aim to develop knowledge and skills of sabbatical officers, giving you the best possible start to your year in office.

Find out more about the course and how to register

Internationalising Students' Unions

NUS has been working with officers, staff and international students to develop a strategic framework and audit tool to help students' unions make a positive impact on international students' experience. Read the full report

NUS welcomes Stonewall's new stance on blood donation

Stonewall has decided to join the campaign for the National Blood Service (NBS) to lift the discriminatory blanket lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

Responding to the news, NUS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Officers Daf Adley and Lucy Brookes said:

“We are delighted that Stonewall has decided to join the campaign against this policy."

Good advice comes straight from horsesmouth.co.uk

NUS has entered into a 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.