Edinburgh’s Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) is now in its second year. This agreement builds on the strength of the existing partnership between the University and the Students’ Association. It highlights how the wider University, including all students and staff, can effectively work together to enhance the student experience.
In the SPA’s first year, we worked together to select three themes of focus. These were ‘Student Voice’, ‘Academic Support’ and ‘Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing’. These themes have continued into the second year of the SPA.
The University and the Students’ Association were keen to ensure that students and staff at all levels were able to engage with the SPA and run their own projects and initiatives based on the themes. We therefore created an SPA Project Fund which was supported by a grant from the Senior Vice Principal Learning and Teaching, so that students and staff could bid jointly for funding for projects.
To be eligible for funding, projects must:
- Be linked to one of the SPA key themes.
- Involve both students and staff as participants.
- Have the potential to make an impact on the student experience.
- Have considered how successful activities can be sustained in future years.
The funding panel comprises:
- Students’ Association Vice President Education.
- Assistant Principal Academic Standards and Quality Assurance.
- Senior Lecturer in Student Engagement.
- Academic Engagement Coordinator (Students’ Association staff member).
- Academic Policy Officer (Academic Services team member).
Funds are awarded up to a maximum of £500. Each project which is awarded funding must write an end of project report in order to disseminate findings and good practice. The funds will only support new activity, although the funding panel considers applications from existing projects as long as the initiative they want funding for is new.
Over the last two years, the SPA has received 39 applications and approved 26. These projects have been diverse in nature, from a student-hosted podcast to a staff-student sports day! Others have created wellbeing resources and School-based community events. Successful applications have come from all 3 Colleges across The University of Edinburgh.
This year, the Students’ Association and the University are evaluating the impact of the first two years of the SPA in order to consider next steps for the project. We are excited to see next year’s projects and continue to support partnership working between students and staff across the University and to ensure that the SPA continues to make a tangible difference to student experience at The University of Edinburgh.
For further information, please visit:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/academic-life/student-voice/partnership-agreement
To see the SPA booklet, please visit: https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/spa-booklet.pdf
For any questions or additional information, please contact reps@eusa.ed.ac.uk.
