Queen Margaret University - Student Partnership Agreement (SPA)
The purpose of this Partnership Agreement is to present the partnership work between Queen Margaret University (‘the University’) and the Students’ Union (‘SU’) to improve the student experience and to show students how they can get involved in that work.
The SPA does not replace other strategic documents; rather it is intended as a user-friendly document to make students and staff aware of agreed areas for enhancement.
We believe that this Partnership Agreement is an important statement of our commitment to further developing as a university community, a community within which we each have a role and a function to perform, and where we all have rights and responsibilities.
Amongst the University’s stated purposes is to provide a supportive and creative learning environment in which students thrive [1].
The Students’ Union is an independent, autonomous organisation whose primary objective is to enhance the student experience by providing representation, advice, activities and services to all students studying at QMU in Edinburgh.
The Agreement reinforces the joint commitment of the University and the SU to developing and supporting effective student engagement and representation. It is designed to promote student engagement and to encourage students to provide feedback on their experiences whenever possible.
Important principles underpinning this are:
- Student engagement is a partnership between the University, the SU and all our students.
- Students can engage at all levels of decision-making in learning and teaching and the overall student experience, thereby promoting an environment that empowers the student voice.
What is partnership?
This Agreement recognises that all members of the University community, including staff and students, have legitimate, though sometimes different, perceptions and experiences. The University and the SU value the diversity of the student population and are committed to ensuring all students have a sense of belonging to the University. By working together towards a shared goal, steps can be taken that promote enhancement in a way that works for all concerned. The use of the term partnership reflects a mature relationship based on mutual respect between students and staff.
Partnership working is based on the values of:
- Celebrating and building on good practice;
- A constructive on-going dialogue;
- Trust and honesty;
- Openness;
- Agreed shared goals and principles.
Part A - Student Engagement and Representation
The SU and the University acknowledge and welcome student engagement's essential role in enhancing the quality of learning and teaching, and the student experience more broadly. We are committed to involving students in decision-making processes and ensuring they have the best possible experience while studying with us. We work closely together to ensure that students are represented on all relevant University committees and supported and trained to fulfil their roles.
Opportunities for students to formally engage with their university experience are:
1.0 Academic representation
Each class has a Class Representative whose role is to collect and give feedback on students’ views on their learning and teaching experience through appropriate channels, including Student-Staff Consultative Committees, Programme Committees and the SU Academic Council.
There should be a student representative from each Division on each School Academic Board (SAB) so that students’ views are considered fully in the School’s strategic direction.
There are student representatives on the Senate, the Student Experience Committee, the Equality and Diversity Committee and the Research Strategy Committee, and elected student representation on the University Court, so decisions affecting the University experience reflect students’ needs.
Students are involved in a wide range of other quality assurance and enhancement-related activities, including, for example, as full and equal members of working groups and validation and review panels. In particular, the Student Experience Committee provides opportunities for students to get involved at an institutional level. The SU and the University have ensured that these opportunities will continue, accommodating a hybrid approach where it is applicable.
2.0 Students’ Union and Democracy
The Officers’ Committee (2 full time and 8 part time Officers) represents students and various aspects of student life and engages with students to get their feedback. The Officers’ Committee articulates students’ views at various working groups and committees, including the Equality and Diversity Committee and the Student Surveys Working Group.
The Officers’ Committee is held to account by students at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and any other General Meeting.
The President – Academic Life, and President – Student Activities are both members of the University Court, the University’s governing body, and of the University Senate, the body to which the Court delegates authority for academic matters.
The three representative groups (Academic Council, Student Experience Forum and Pop-Up Union), provide students with space to provide feedback to the Officers and stay informed on relevant developments that concern the student experience. The Student Experience Forum provides a safe and constructive environment for students to discuss issues with the Student Union Presidents and representatives of the University’s Senior Leadership Team once per semester.
The Students’ Union Partnership Board, comprising the President – Academic Life, the President – Student Activities and SU CEO, and the Deputy Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and the Vice-Principal and University Secretary, provides a forum for regular dialogue between senior staff from the SU and the University.
3.0 Other opportunities for students to provide feedback
Students can use other channels to shape their learning and university experience, such as:
- Participating in focus groups and surveys, including the National Student Survey, QMU Student Survey and the SU’s ‘Question of the Semester’.
- Providing feedback to academic, professional services staff and the Students’ Union.
- Sharing their views with Class Representatives.
- Using the routes set out in the Easy Guide for providing feedback on the University website.
- Submitting ideas through the Your Voice, Your Ideas section on the SU website.
- Sharing their views with the Captains and Presidents of Sports and Societies.
Part B - Partnership Projects for 2024-26
Introduction
Using student feedback from a range of sources [2] and existing initiatives, the University and the SU have agreed to work together on the following areas over the coming two-year period.
1.0 Student Life
The Cost-of-Living Crisis continues to impact students and their ability to fully engage in the academic and social life of the University, with this impact exacerbated for commuting students [3].
Action: The SU and the University will continue to work together to mitigate this risk and ensure all students have access to the necessary support to thrive, drawing on insight from students and advice from relevant organisations. We will review the University’s timetable policy with the objective of facilitating access to part-time work opportunities and minimising the cost of travelling to the University while ensuring any such changes do not result in unintended adverse consequences for learning and teaching.
Action: The SU and the University will work closely to ensure that Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled activities to enable students to engage in sports and other recreational activities.
Student Mental Health is a concern within Higher Education, and the last few years have had an adverse effect on students’ mental health and wellbeing. The Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Steering Group oversees the implementation of the University’s Student Mental Health and Wellbeing policy and action plan. Members of the group come from the SU, the University and NHS Lothian.
Action: The SU will continue to work closely with relevant departments, including Student Services and Accommodation to ensure vulnerable students are supported.
Action: The Tackling Sexual Harassment and Violence Working Group will lead on promoting the Equally Safe in Higher Education toolkit.
Action: Togetherall is available to all students and staff at QMU. It offers a free supportive online community accessible 24/7. The SU will work to promote Togetherall’s services.
Action: The SU will continue to work with students, QMU staff and representatives from the Scottish Drugs Forum and Scottish Ambulance Service on a holistic approach to drug awareness.
The QMU student body is diverse, and the University is committed to promoting equal opportunities and an inclusive institution. The University develops activities to widen participation and support student retention.
Action: The Equality and Diversity Committee and the WISER Board will continue to work towards providing an equal and inclusive student experience and will run annual initiatives.
Action: The Race Equality Steering Group, which includes SU reps (President – Academic Life and Equality and Diversity Officer), will work towards advancing the University’s commitment to race equality, which is underpinned by the University’s Declaration on Anti-Racism, as well as duties incorporated in the ‘Equality Act 2010’.
Social and recreational opportunities help students build social relationships, support student engagement and build a strong sense of belonging.
Action: The Students’ Union and the University will work together to enable students from across the University community to engage in such opportunities and to address barriers to participation.
International students are valued members of the University community. The International Student Barometer identifies areas of particular concern for international students
Action: The University will work with the SU in supporting students joining the University from other countries, and in responding to the complex needs and challenges they can face.
Climate Change poses severe threats to the environment, and this is recognised by the SU and the University.
Action: The SU and the University will work together in support of initiatives to help deliver the QMU Net-Zero Strategy 2023-2028.
2.0 Academic Life
Enhancing student learning, teaching and assessment, and the student experience more broadly is a core focus of both the University and the SU. We work together on key projects to enhance the student experience and to ensure the student voice is represented and heard. This commitment is demonstrated by the 2024 NSS results, in which the SU was 1st in Scotland and 7th in the UK for representing students' academic interests. However, the University recognises that recent student survey results indicate that it is not always clear to students how their feedback is acted upon.
Action: The SU and the University will continue to support an effective Class Rep system. A dedicated Canvas site provides a central source of information for reps and to host online meetings and training. We will continue to develop and make the best use of Canvas as a resource for our reps.
Action: Students and staff will be jointly involved in considering and responding to student survey results and other enhancement activities through Student and Staff Consultative Committees and other representative bodies.
Action: The University and the SU will work together to develop and implement projects identified within the Student Experience Strategy Delivery Plan and in the development of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy.
Students struggling with their studies require appropriate support but may not always be aware of the support that is available or seek out that support in a timely manner.
Action: The SU and the University will continue to work in partnership to communicate with students, guiding them to the range of academic and wellbeing support mechanisms to help students keep on track. The University will also explore mechanisms to facilitate the early identification of students struggling with their studies based on a range of engagement points.
Generative AI offers transformative opportunities for learning, teaching and creative practice, but also raises significant concerns, such as ethical issues around copyright and authenticity, potential job displacement, the propagation of misinformation, and the environmental impact of the computational power required for its large language models.
Action: The SU and the University will work together to ensure students have equitable access to generative AI to support them in their learning and preparation for employment, and support them in understanding its responsible use, limitations and impact.
3.0 Communication with and by students
The effective organisation of programmes and a positive overall student experience rely on everyone’s awareness of communication channels, of their individual and collective responsibility to keep themselves informed of essential University and SU information, of the importance of timely communication of change, and of respectful dialogue.
Action: The University and the SU will work together and support each other with all communication with students.
Action: The SU will continue to gather feedback from students via a range of mechanisms, including online surveys, Question of the Semester, verbal feedback, etc.
Action: The Students’ Union Partnership Board will continue to meet regularly to discuss current issues and how to deal with them.
Part C - Student Partnership Successes
The following student partnership successes illustrate the impact of just some of the recent partnership work between the University and SU:
- Coordinated welfare and academic support for students to ensure students could access appropriate support in a timely manner.
- High-level student engagement with University Induction events and SU activities for new students.
- The SU had 287 Class Reps in 23/24, which meant that 85% of students had a voice within their cohorts.
- 100% of those who attended the Class Rep training would recommend it to other students.
- The QMU Food pantry continues to be popular and a lifeline for students, and the University has committed to investing in this vital student-led activity.
The provides further details of achievements.
Reporting/Monitoring
Overseeing and monitoring of this Agreement will be undertaken by the Students’ Union Partnership Board, which will review progress on a quarterly basis. The Student Experience Committee will receive the annual SU Impact Report outlining progress and achievements.Ìý
| Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor | Jay Brown, President – Academic Life | Silvia Cardinale,Ìý President - Student Activities |
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Footnotes
[1] Strategic Plan 2020-25
[2] Student responses to feedback surveys, including the SU Learning and Teaching survey and the NSS; the Annual SU survey; discussions at the Students’ Union representation groups; External Examiners’ reports and priorities identified by institutional committees.
[3]
