sparqs' COVID-19 information hub 06 Apr 2020
As we all find ourselves having to rapidly transform our working practices in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, sparqs has developed a COVID-19 information hub as a dedicated space to provide updates about our refocused work plans, our forthcoming online… Read More
Our refocused work plans in the light of COVID-19 06 Apr 2020
On 31st March, we circulated a letter to all of our stakeholders, outlining how sparqs intends to support students and staff to work in partnership to safeguard the student experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the letter is accessible on our… Read More
sparqs' Easter shutdown: 6th-17th April 06 Apr 2020
Please note that sparqs is closed from 6th-17th April inclusive, to allow for an Easter leave period for the staff team and to avoid carrying significant amounts of leave into the new academic year, which will inevitably be a challenging… Read More
Book now for our online SESN meeting on 5th May! 06 Apr 2020
The next meeting of our Student Engagement Staff Network, on Tuesday 5th May 2020, will take place by video-conference. Our agenda will focus entirely on the sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with discussions that reflect sparqs’ three short-term priorities: Supporting online representative… Read More
Our online NEON meeting on 7th May is open to book! 06 Apr 2020
Join us on Thursday 7th May 2020 for the third meeting of sparqs’ National Education Officers’ Network (NEON), which will take place by video-conference. NEON was set up in response to feedback from student officers who expressed the need for… Read More
COVID-19 - useful college sector guidance for student officers 06 Apr 2020
We know that college students’ associations are doing great work in supporting students through the crisis and that much of your time has been taken up with keeping students safe and secure and dealing with issues such as funding and… Read More
COVID-19 - useful university sector guidance for student officers 06 Apr 2020
We know officers are being involved in some difficult decisions around how universities can adapt their provision during the current crisis. Universities and officers are balancing keeping students and staff safe with trying to protect the quality of the student… Read More
Five top tips for supporting course reps during COVID-19 06 Apr 2020
Exactly what it says in the title.... some top tips for supporting course reps during COVID-19, given the challenging situation we all suddenly find ourselves in. We've put the tips together in a handy infographic for easy reading. It covers a range of things… Read More
The role of the SA Academic Co-ordinator during COVID-19 06 Apr 2020
As significant changes to learning, teaching, quality and assessment processes are implemented over the coming weeks and months, student engagement has never been more important. From sabbatical officers to course reps, students’ associations and institutions are being asked to find… Read More
Still time to apply to be a sparqs' Associate Trainer for 2020-21 06 Apr 2020
sparqs 2020-21 Associate Trainer recruitment is still open for applications - deadline 12noon, Friday 15th May 2020! .Calling all course reps and apprentice reps! Do you have experience as a course rep or apprentice rep? Will you be a student or apprentice during… Read More
sparqs is recruiting student Associate Trainers 09 Mar 2020
sparqs 2020-21 Associate Trainer recruitment is open for applications - deadline 12noon, Friday 15th May 2020! .Calling all course reps and apprentice reps! Do you have experience as a course rep or apprentice rep? Will you be a student or apprentice during 2020-21? If… Read More
Introducing sparqs’ Student Engagement Analysis Workshop 09 Mar 2020
We are delighted to introduce a new methodology that can help institutions and students’ associations to reflect on and develop their approaches to student engagement. Our Student Engagement Analysis Workshop was developed for our international consultancy, where we have helped institutions… Read More
Volunteer to join the SAAS Student Representative group! 09 Mar 2020
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) are looking for student volunteers to form a Student Representative group. This group’s purpose will be to allow SAAS to consult with students for feedback before releasing new products. This will allow students to view and… Read More
sparqs' support around attainment and retention 09 Mar 2020
The College Improvement Project (CIP) which ran from 2017-2019 brought together five colleges as part of a pilot project to begin to tackle attainment and retention challenges in Scotland’s colleges. sparqs were involved in supporting student engagement in the project,… Read More
Reflecting on student engagement at #ETConf20 09 Mar 2020
QAA Scotland’s 4th International Enhancement Conference, which takes place on the 3rd and 4th of June 2020 in Glasgow, is open for registration – and sparqs has contributed two sessions to the programme! On day 1 of the conference, Senior Development… Read More
'Talking Student Engagement' Interview with Katie Dubarry and James Bamkin 09 Mar 2020
In this interview, we talk to Katie Dubarry, Vice-President of Scotland’s Rural College Students’ Association (SRUCSA) and James Bamkin, Students’ Association Development Officer at SRUC. Katie is one of SRUCSA’s two sabbatical officers, and previously studied agriculture. James’s role involves… Read More
Happy New Year from the sparqs team! 07 Jan 2020
Happy new year from the sparqs team! We're looking forward to a busy 2020, and look forward to working with all our colleagues across the sector and beyond during the coming year. We're also looking forward to welcoming a new Development Consultant… Read More
sparqs' Postgraduate Research Student Engagement Project 07 Jan 2020
sparqs is currently undertaking a project on Postgraduate Research student engagement and representation. PGR students form a significant part of the student profile in universities, but due to the nature of postgraduate study there are often distinct challenges and opportunities… Read More
SE Staff Network meeting open to book - 5th February 2020 07 Jan 2020
Bookings are now open for the next meeting of the sparqs' Student Engagement Staff Network (SESN) which is taking place on Wednesday 5th February 2020 at Forth Valley College's Falkirk Campus. SESN (previously ARC) has proved to be a valuable forum for staff… Read More
SPOTLIGHT ON... Edinburgh Napier University's development of the course rep role 07 Jan 2020
This ‘SPOTLIGHT ON’ features a new approach to generating school-specific ideas from course reps about the nature of their role in subject contexts, piloted through a workshop in November 2019 in the university’s School of Art and Creative Industries (SACI). The… Read More
