In early November 2013, Edinburgh Napier University and Napier Students’ Association (NSA) worked together to deliver a Rep Residential training weekend, in an excellent example of taking joint responsibility for student representation and engagement.
The residential was part of a change in the way NSA works. This year, a group of around 30 ‘super reps’ were recruited from students in the schools across the University. In addition to helping with student representation at school and faculty level, these ‘super reps’ have been given projects, in groups of 2 or 3, which they will carry out throughout the year. The projects might be carrying out a piece of research on a particular issue, or helping to organise a particular event. These ‘super reps’ attended the Rep Residential alongside the NSA sabbaticals, and the weekend was organised by Maxine Wood, Student Engagement Manager at NSA.
The first day of the training involved sessions on topics which are relevant to student representatives, or which are up-and-coming within the University (for example, as Edinburgh Napier’s ELIR visits are happening next year, there was a session on the ELIR process and preparations). These sessions were delivered by staff within the University and external partners, including sparqs.
The centrepiece of the day was a session on working together in teams effectively, and introducing basic project management. This led into the second day when the groups were able to choose their projects, and start planning how they would be carried out. We look forward to hearing how the projects go!
