Turning feedback into action: My experience as a first-year Student Voice Leader

Starting my first year in Psychology with Counselling Studies has been a huge learning curve, but one of the most rewarding experiences so far has been stepping into the role of Student Voice Leader (SVL). This is the very first year of the SVL role, and it feels exciting to be part of something new. The Student Voice Leader role is about making sure students’ voices don’t just get heard, they get acted upon.

The journey began with our SVL training session, which introduced us to how this role works and how it differs from the old Course Rep system. Unlike before, SVLs are focused on closing the “feedback loop.” We look at students’ feedback and comments and work directly with staff to help make practical changes to enhance the student experience.

One of the highlights so far has been taking part in the Eduthon, an education-focused event where students and staff came together to brainstorm ideas for improving teaching, learning, and the wider university experience. The energy in the room was incredible. Seeing staff and students working side by side, bouncing ideas off each other, made me realise just how valuable this role is. It showed me that when feedback is taken seriously, it can lead to real, lasting change.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that student feedback is the starting point for change. Each course has its own Padlet, which is the quickest and most direct way to make your voice heard. Every single comment posted is reviewed and discussed in meetings and helps us identify what needs improving. Whether it’s a big idea or a small suggestion, the Padlet is the perfect place to share it. So if you haven’t used it yet, I strongly encourage you to give it a try.

Even though it’s early in the year, clear themes are emerging from the feedback. Students have asked for more clarity on assessment criteria, and many have highlighted the need for better support in balancing workload with wellbeing. These are not just passing comments, they are real concerns that affect student success and satisfaction. By raising them through the Padlet, students are helping us shape solutions that matter.

As Student Voice Leaders, we are here to drive positive change. But we can’t do it alone. Your feedback is what makes this possible, so please keep it coming, the more you share, the more we can achieve together.  

Graphic Design (BA) Student Voice. 

Blog by SVL Alise Golovaskina. 08.12.2025

Since starting my role as a Student Voice Leader, I have had the opportunity to discuss issues raised by UOB students during Student Voice Forums and the Eduthon, as well as bring forward solutions for issues raised by students at the School of Art and Media and other UOB students. 

The comments made by SAM students were brought to the attention of staff, further discussed and resolved during Student Voice Forums:

–             Entire Course: The Graphic Design staff is working to improve inner communication, as well as clarify brief expectations and provide Research and Development Document examples. 

–             Entire Course: The Graphic Design staff is working to improve communication with the student body. Students are also encouraged to reach out to lecturers and PATs in the University when possible. Tutor office hours to be published.

–             Entire Course: Due to time constraints and seating placements, some students do not get the chance to join in during group tutorials. The staff will aim to keep group tutorials structured, giving all students a chance to have their work discussed and reviewed.

–             Level 4: Due to high printing costs, the Graphic Design staff plan to allow Level 4 students to choose between physical and digital research documents.

–             Level 4: The Graphic Design staff will review the curriculum for Level 4 and discuss whether it is possible to change the number of briefs for next year. Level 4 Module leaders are also considering longer project timelines in Level 4 to include a weekend for research.

–             Level 5: The Graphic Design staff aims to provide clearer module expectations and provide examples of past projects during the Level 5 AGX506 sessions. 

–             Level 5: Due to confusion caused by the switch between physical and digital Research and Development Documents, PDF Research Document examples are to be provided to Level 5 students. 

–             Level 6: Formative feedback sessions will be taking place shortly to ensure that students are aware of their predicted grade before their final assessment in January. 

Student feedback is taken from the Student Voice Padlet. 

The Padlet Boards for Student comments are available on MyStudies, in the ‘BA(Hons) Graphic Design Course MyStudies’ section. The padlets for all Graphic Design Levels can be found in the ‘Student Voice’ folder. Please leave your feedback regarding your experience with the Graphic Design course. All the comments are reviewed and discussed during Student Voice Forums.  

Hi everyone,

My name is Anne-Sophie Labossiere, and I am the Student Voice Leader for the Math and Computing Masters courses. I’m writing this blog post to share recent updates and ongoing discussions about improving the student experience across both MSc Computing and Mathematics Courses. These developments come directly from feedback you’ve provided, and conversations held in recent academic forum meetings.

Over the past term, several new measures have been introduced to make expectations clearer and support more consistent across modules. One significant update is the adoption of the AI “traffic-light” system, which outlines when and how AI tools may be used in assessments. This was introduced in response to student concerns about unclear guidance around AI use. Another improvement is the move toward a consistent 2pm submission deadline for assessments. Many of you noted that varying deadlines were confusing and difficult to manage, especially when juggling multiple modules. The new standard aims to help students plan their time more effectively and reduce unnecessary stress.

A major theme in the academic forum was accessibility of student resources. While the university already offers a wide range of support such as 1-to-1 academic assistance, emergency laptop loans, and software-based computer lab bookings, students have expressed that these options can be difficult to find or navigate through the website. The academic team has recognised this and is working toward creating clearer pathways and more user-friendly access points for these services. We also discussed the need for a more intuitive communication and announcements system. Many students shared that the volume of daily emails can feel overwhelming, especially when important messages get lost in crowded inboxes. The academic team is exploring alternative ways to streamline how information is delivered while ensuring students still receive everything they need.

Throughout the term, we had an Eduthon where we could speak and brainstorm with the academic staff to find solutions to commonly reported issues. The major themes of these discussions were, access to technology, support for learning differences, and increased careers support. In each subject, it was highlighted that there was a sentiment of students feeling misunderstood or having support that was not personalised enough to fit their needs. For increased technology access, we discussed about the possibility of having funds reprioritised based off what technology is most necessary to succeed in each course. These are discussions we will continue to have and welcome suggestions from the student body.

Unfortunately, there was a lower engagement on the last round of student surveys. However, I would also like to urge all students and especially master’s students to provide feedback where possible. The student voice leaders are here to communicate and push for change that will create a noticeable difference even for those that have a shorter course duration. The team is also calling for suggestions on how students prefer to give feedback. 

If you have ideas, concerns, or suggestions, please share them via the Course Palette, linked in the Student Voice section of your MyStudies page. I will bring all comments to the next Student Forum meeting and ensure your voices are heard.  

Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to begin my role as a Student Voice Leader by attending training sessions, agenda meetings, and a curriculum meeting. Even though we are still in the early stages of the Student Voice Forums, these experiences have already given me an understanding of how student feedback is gathered and how it will be used going forward. During the curriculum meeting, I and another Student Voice Leader took part in the Curriculum of the Future workshops, which focused on reviewing and refining the university’s draft Curriculum Principles. The session involved group activities where we discussed how these principles could better support the university’s long-term goals which are to create a distinctive and attractive student experience, ensuring excellent and equitable outcomes, and keeping the curriculum affordable and sustainable. We explored what makes a curriculum effective, including how it shapes learning, teaching, assessment, and overall student experience. It was a collaborative session with lots of discussion, and all the ideas shared will now be analysed by the Learning and Teaching Hub before an update is provided in the new year.

In the agenda-setting meeting, the focus shifted toward how the Student Voice Forums will run throughout the year. We looked at the process for collecting feedback, the topics that should be included in upcoming meetings, and how to make these forums more engaging and accessible for students. A key point that came up was communication and helping students understand that their input isn’t ignored. Instead, their feedback becomes part of ongoing discussions that teams across the university genuinely take into account. Although it’s still early days, this planning helps build a strong foundation for the forums as we move into the new term.

Even at this early stage, I want to encourage all students to share their thoughts through their course padlets. Padlets are one of the simplest and most direct ways to express what’s working well and what could be improved. All feedback shared there is anonymous, and everything added will be brought into the Student Voice meetings. The more students use them, the clearer the picture becomes for staff about what support or changes are needed, whether that’s better resources, clearer communication, or improvements in teaching and learning.

As Student Voice Leaders, we’re here to represent you, but we can only do that effectively if we hear from you. If you’ve shared feedback with us in person or in your course group chats, please try to add it to your padlet so it’s officially recorded. However, if you’re unable to upload it yourself, it is okay for us to add it on your behalf as long as it reflects your views fairly and accurately.

I’m looking forward to continuing this work as we move into the next term. Thank you to everyone who has already shared their ideas, and I hope even more students will get involved through the padlets in the future. Your voice helps shape the university experience for everyone.

Student Voice Leader: 

The role of Student Voice Leader has grown a lot in recent years. The role of course rep has changed and developed into an SVL now working closely with staff and other students to help shape real change across the university. Through meeting with members of staff and the student’s union SVL’S will help to give insight and look at feedback and come up with solutions to create change across the university. 

How the University Collects Feedback:

Feedback from student and staff is collected by surveys and Padlets, which give students a quick, easy way to share their thoughts. All students have access to these padelts and can give feedback about things that they like or things they feel need to improve around the university. It was great to see how these tools help capture voices that might otherwise go unheard. Those in their third year of university will take part in the National Student survey. This survey collects feedback across all universities on a student’s experiences. 

EDUTHON: Creating Solutions Together:

After training we took part in EDUTHON, a creative workshop where we tackled some of the most common issues raised by students through the padlets. Some of the reoccurring things that came up were more support for international students, timetabling issues, mental health support and more support for neurodiverse students. 

My group focused on supporting international students, improving academic support, and dealing with timetabling problems. We shared our experiences, came up with practical ideas, and presented our solutions to everyone at the end. 

Some solutions that we discussed were changes to communication throughout the university for example putting messages out through email, my studies and announcements to ensure everyone is aware of timetabling changes and things going on at the university. There is already a lot of mental health and wellbeing support available at the university but through seeing the feedback we were made aware that a lot of students were not aware of the support available, meaning that we need to ensure that everyone has access to what is going on and how it can help them. These were just a couple of things that were discussed. 

Looking Ahead:

Overall, the session was inspiring and made me excited to start the year as an SVL. I’m looking forward to working with students and staff to help make positive changes and strengthen the student experience for everyone. If you have any feedback, make sure you add it to the padlets and fill in the surveys to provide the university with feedback and make your experience the best it can possibly be. 

In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to participate in several meetings as a student Voice Leader, and I want to share with you an update on what we have done so far. It has been an intense but very useful period, especially to understand what the priorities of the students are and how we can improve the University experience together. The first important appointment was the initial training, where they explained our role, what is expected of us during the year and how the various forums work. It was very helpful in clarifying how to collect feedback, how to communicate it to course leaders, and most importantly how to make sure that students’ voices are really heard.

After that first meeting I felt much more prepared and more aware of the impact we can have as representatives. Immediately afterwards we participated in the first Student Voice Forum, where we started discussing the main topics that emerged from the courses. Although we are only at the beginning of the academic year, some important questions have already come up. One of the central discussions was about the use of Padlets on MyStudies: many students don’t know exactly how to use them or don’t realize how useful they are. During the forum, we were reminded that Padlets are a key tool for sharing ideas, reporting problems and suggesting improvements. The feedback you leave there really gets to the teachers and is then discussed in the forums; So, I encourage you a lot to use them more! It’s an easy way to make our voices heard. We also talked about readings, especially when there are problems with access to materials or some texts are missing. This is a point that the University is monitoring and we representatives have the task of reporting any difficulties, so if something happens to you, please let us know. One of the most interesting meetings was the Eduthon, an interactive event in which we worked together on some of the challenges of the University. It was great to see students, staff and representatives collaborate and propose solutions. Some of the main topics were IT and disability support and more generally how to make the University a more inclusive and functional environment for everyone. It was a very creative and motivating moment, and I believe that some of the ideas proposed can really lead to concrete changes. Finally, I participated in the “Curriculum of the Future” workshop, where we analyzed the principles of the curriculum that will guide the University in the coming years. We talked about equity, collaboration, creativity, sustainability and how to integrate these ideas in a clear and accessible way. We worked as a team to make the principles more understandable and closer to the real needs of the students. It was a rich and stimulating discussion that made me realize how important it is to include students in decisions that affect future learning. In conclusion, we are only at the beginning of the year, but we are already working hard to carry on your voices. Keep sharing feedback, especially via Padlet because every little bit can make a difference. I am here to represent you, so please feel free to contact me.

4 DEC 2025

Hi everyone! I’m Cinar, your Student Voice Leader for Undergraduate Architecture, Interior Architecture, Product Design and Design Engineering. As we approach the end of the first term, I wanted to update you on the work I’ve been doing to represent your voice and share the feedback you’ve provided through the new Padlets introduced this year. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.

At the start of the term, I met with our Student Engagement Leader, Idil Fenercioglu Aydin, to review last year’s feedback, discuss priorities for this year, and talk about the new Student Voice Leader system. In early October, Idil and I visited several lectures to introduce ourselves, explain how the new system works, and encourage you to use the Padlets to share your experiences.

Shortly after that, I took part in Eduthon, an event hosted by Professional Services and the Students’ Union. This brought together Student Voice Leaders from across the university, along with PS and BSU staff. During the event, we reviewed the main issues raised on the Padlets and explored underlying causes and potential solutions. Each table focused on a different topic, such as mental health and counselling, timetabling, communications, and information services, and we rotated in groups to discuss them in depth. It was an insightful experience and helped strengthen how I communicate your feedback in university discussions.

In mid-November, we had an agenda-setting meeting with the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering leadership team, including the Dean Imran Rafiq and Associate Dean Mahmood Alam, along with BSU staff and other ATE Student Voice Leaders. This meeting shaped the structure of the Student Voice Forum held on 25 November.

During the Forum, we presented your feedback, discussed the issues raised, and worked collaboratively on potential improvements. We began by reviewing the latest NSS results, which showed an increase of over 200% in feedback for Architecture and Design compared to last year, the highest across the school. This strong engagement made me incredibly proud and shows how committed our community is to improving the student experience. Thank you again for your contributions.

Here is a summary of the key points I raised on your behalf in the Forum:

• Mithras House opening hours: Many of you expressed concerns about the building closing at 7pm. Since Mithras is the only suitable space for architecture students to work on models and studio projects, I asked whether the closing time could return to 9pm. This will be reviewed.

• Watson Workshop access: Some Level 6 Design Engineering students reported that current opening times are restrictive. The school is looking into this, and we expect an update soon.

• Food on Campus at Mithras House: I passed on your feedback about limited variety and the lack of healthy options compared to other food on campus facilities. I also raised the question of why the existing hot food kitchen is not used, suggesting that even one day of hot food service per week would benefit both students and staff. This will be discussed with Hospitality Services.

• Studio and furniture concerns: Last year, the MH Main Gallery chairs were replaced after student feedback. This year, I highlighted that the chairs in the South and North studios on the third floor are uncomfortable and may also need replacing.

• Student spaces: Many architecture students feel there are not enough accessible workspaces outside the studios, as the library is not suitable for model-making. I asked for clarity on available spaces, and the response was positive.

• Technology and software access: I requested clearer information about computer rooms and their availability for architecture students. Many students are unaware that certain labelled library computers have software like Rhino and Vectorworks installed and can be booked through ATE SharePoint. The university also offers short-term laptop loans.

Next week, I am pleased to announce that I will be attending a meeting with the Pro Vice-Chancellor to further discuss your feedback and the new Student Voice Leader system. As always, if you have any questions or additional feedback, please feel free to reach out

So! I’m a Student Voice Leader, huh? I’ve got a lanyard and everything!  

But what does that mean? Honestly, we’re trying to figure that out! The role was created because the previous Course Rep system was  great at flagging up potential issues and gathering information, but not so great as a method of telling students what changes got made because of their feedback!  

So, we were recruited to bridge that divide! You could think of us as your ambassadors between BSU and the university, working to make sure that a) your concerns are heard and considered, and b) that you get to hear about the results!  

Unfortunately, due to being struck down by illness, I was unable to attend the recent Student Voice Forum, but I did  go along to the “Eduthon” (Education Hackathon), where tables of 3-6 Student Voice Leaders brainstormed responses to student concerns and suggestions. Once they’d generated a good number of initial responses, the teams swapped tables and continued to refine the other groups’ ideas.  

I found the process to be interesting and engaging. Having watched the training video on Hackathons, I wasn’t convinced of how well the format would work for non-coding/product development. However, as we got stuck in, it became clear that having multiple SVLs’ input meant we could address issues using a broad spectrum of experiential responses, and some of the responses to the problems at hand were things I would never have thought of. I’d be very interested to see how our solutions were collated at the end of the event. 

I felt that the pageantry and “fun” that was decked around the event probably encouraged SVLs to attend, and put them in a relaxed and engaged space, but  for me, I found it a bit distracting. As an AuDHD student, if I’m able to get engaged in a task, I’d rather not be distracted by peripherals, and I must admit I felt like I was spending a significant amount of time masking. All that said, I think the responses that my team made to the tasks were great!  

Something else I noticed at the Eduthon was that some students’ concerns – which seemed to be specific to a particular demographic or a school – weren’t necessarily shared by the broader student body. Other issues that I hadn’t considered were prioritised.  

I suspect this is always going to be the case where we’re dealing with issues across a spectrum of some 17,000 students, but I wonder – in those instances where issues are put “on the back burner” – what happens to them behind the scenes. I’d personally like a bit more transparency on this, and when I find out, I will let you know!   

If you’ve got any feedback that you’d like us to address, be sure to fill out your SU Pulse surveys, course Padlets, and the NSS (if that applies to you!), since these are the main sources of feedback for us!  

That’s all from me!  

So far as one of the student voice leaders for psychology, I have been part of some incredible opportunities to raise the student voice for the university, and specifically my school – Humanities and Social Science.  

Since becoming a student voice leader, I have attended meetings with the Dean of Academics, Dean of the school, Student Union, and fellow student voice leaders for HSS. The meetings really allowed for the staff to start really hearing the students’ voice, along with proposing real time feedback to questions around important topics; marking and feedback, release date for assignment questions and ensuring that recordings are made and available for students to have when required. We also took the time to speak about the school’s positives and negatives, and explore the numbers behind these, looking at the numbers of students in the course vs the participation in the surveys and padlets. We addressed some key issues that have been brought to light from students on particular courses, and provided the staff with real time feedback, also getting positive answers in response to our issues – with the agreement of change. This has been reflected within classes, may they be lectures or seminars.  

The Eduthon was also in November, and this was a group event, with student voice leaders from all schools and staff who worked in the professional services within the University. This was a really key event, for staff to have the opportunity to listen to the students, and to understand from our perspective the real life issues that are affecting the students this year. We focused in small groups on different issues, such as mental health, timetabling, IT issues and lack of social space. These were all taken seriously, and really dived in, allowing for all different perspectives to be taken into account; first, second and third years and postgrad students. Specifically from the group I was working with, we focused on mental health and finding a way to help students. There are counselling services available in the University, however these are limited, due to demand and the lack of staff able to undertake this. We proposed the idea of ‘a peer support mental health scheme’, this would involve students themselves going through some training, to be able to then take on the role of a peer support worker, where they would help support students with mental health issues. Not only would this allow for students to have someone who is in the same position as them support them, but would also be an incredible opportunity for those who are looking to work within the health sector to gain some valuable experience to add to their CV. 

Throughout November, the student voice was really heard, and gives a lot of hope to help staff understand students needs/wants throughout the coming academic year! 

Hello, this is my first official blog as a Student Voice Leader at the University of Brighton. Since it’s still early days, there’s not as much to talk about as I would like to, but I’m still here to give you a rundown of how things have been going for the past 2 months. 

So far, I’ve attended 3 SVL meetings. 

Of course, when I applied for the job, I had a decent idea of what I would actually be doing, but there were still some unanswered questions that I had in my head. Thankfully, these first sessions negated the confusion. It helped me, and presumably the rest of us gain a deeper understanding of what our role was.  

The meetings were essentially training sessions that told us exactly what we do to help students feel heard at the University. They let us know to urge you guys to log any feedback that you have onto your course padlets, so that they can be discussed by us in our meetings, and we can work together to fix whatever issues that may arise. 

At this point in time, I feel like everyone in the course would agree that the experience has been completely fine so far, which is evident from the fact that there have been no formal complaints or problems disputed. But again, it’s quite early on. 

That’s about all I have to say as of right now, so just remember that as we head into the new year, if you have any persistent problems or complaints to do with the course, use the course padlet to make your thoughts known – it’s completely anonymous, so there’s nothing to worry about. 

Thank you for reading and have a great rest of your day. 

As this role has only started, there hasn’t been much progress yet and there have been very few meetings that I have been able to attend due to class clashing or due to other reasons. There are very limited things that I can write about. During the few meetings that have been attended, such as the training, the Advice and Representation team have exclaimed the importance of feedback and surveys for the student voice Leader as our main responsibilities are based around the students’ voice. Our main roles and goals are to raise, discuss and find solutions for the feedback which are raised by the students. We work along with staff and academic services. Larger and wider issues are dealt with by the elected officers. Our Job is to improve the student’s experience. There’s also a huge emphasis of not having an undue influence on the students taking part in a survey. The students should not be told what to write and shouldn’t be promised a prize. They should be encouraged and the surveys should be given as an option.

The student padlet and course comment boards allows students to contribute and share their ideas and concerns online, which helps the student voice leaders have an idea of what issues can be discussed in the student voice forums. It is highly encouraged for all students to complete and take part.

There was an Eduthon which was encouraged to be attended by the Student Voice Leaders, which was meant to be a creative and fast-paced meeting for students and staff to join together and discuss on how to improve education for others .It’s presented as a relaxed environment to be able to come up with ideas much easier. There were many topics which were looked at during the last Eduthon, it looked at; student timetable, mental health support ,academic support, careers and placements, disability and access to IT. A key goal that was shared by a lot of other student voice leaders when it came to support with disabilities was the knowledge of who needs support and giving better support to them. Another concern which was shared and mentioned by many student voice leaders was the limited and lack of mental health support. They often feel abandoned. Some ideas which were mentioned to combat this problem were to spread the awareness of mental health problems a lot more and share stories or art which people who have struggled with mental health can get people to relate to. This was all shown in the Eduthon Gallery.

Design Thinking would be used to guide the process of the Eduthon. It would require emphasising, expanding and coming up with solutions for your ideas. It was designed to be fun while maintaining a professional role. Design thinking is a process to find solutions for complex decisions. It draws from analysis and imagination and it includes five processes; phases, empathise, define, ideate prototype and test.

As student voice our role is to discuss and overcome issues raised by the students of the university. A platform for students to voice their concerns in a safe environment. 

During a student voice meeting it is crucial that we communicate clearly with each other when vocalising any issues raised. What we discuss in each meeting is dependent on what students have put on the Padlet board, the Padlet board allows us to compile and find common themes that as a group we can discuss actions that need to be taken. Finding solutions sometimes needs more time to discuss therefore extra meetings will be scheduled so that we can have a focussed based conversation. 

In my first meeting for student voice, I bought up that many students in my class were struggling with mystudies, a website that contains information on our briefs, reading materials and is where we submit our projects. Therefore, it was important for me to bring this up as it plays a key factor in my course. A meeting was scheduled, and I spoke with my course leader Daniel Cabtree and Vanessa Marr, bringing up a point that many of us missed crucial information at the beginning of the year which led to us missing multiple supplies for our first week. This being a technical issue it was then raise to the tech team in charge off mystudies and it’s notification system. 

In the second meeting our main agenda was coming up with ways to get students to interact and use the Padlet board. The main consensus was that students did not know where to go to find it, meaning we need better advertisement. Getting tutors to allocate time for students would also be beneficial as it would be an specified time where students are given the QR code and can simply answer the questions on their phones. 

Printing and its pricing is causing many issues with students due to the raising price of living that has lead to the raise in price of everything else. Facilities aren’t consistently working which affects the sustainability aspect, as student are wasting paper and ink when having to re print. A potential solution moving forward would be to make more projects digital. 

Communication between tutors has been raised as students are being told opposing information. This can become very stressful for a student as not knowing what is the correct answer creates a gap in their work and can ultimately pull them behind. It is once again critical that communication between tutors and students is very clear.  

Moving forward I will continue to take any additional feedback from my piers that I can then bring forward in the student voice meetings. Creating solutions also requires thinking logically and whether or not a curtain request is achievable, attending more meeting helps me get to grips with the process of the student voice, and having the team available to talk to is also a huge help. 

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well and getting on with your studies this semester. I am Eva Degen, your new Student Voice Leader (SVL) for the Undergraduate Engineering courses. The Student Voice Leader program is a new job role that replaces the Course Rep system. This means that, unlike having course reps for each course at each level of engineering, you now have one student representing the whole of undergraduate engineering, me!  

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for providing their feedback on the Padlets and surveys throughout the semester. For those of you who have not, don’t worry, we will be having another Student Voice Forum meeting in January, so do ensure that you provide any feedback, whether positive or negative. This helps me brainstorm solutions that I will bring up to the module leaders, Associate Dean, and other staff at the meetings that we will have. After the meeting, I will write blogs, like this one, to give you an update on what can and cannot be solved and what action is being taken. 

Some key points about what I have been up to as your SVL this semester include attending productive training for my SVL role, introducing myself to some courses in lectures, attending the agenda meetings, and attending the Eduthon and Student Voice Forum meetings. At the start of the semester, we had a training session provided by the BSU Staff that enabled us to learn how to effectively collect and assess feedback, to ensure that we do our jobs the best we can. Upon having this training, I met with the Student Engagement Lead, Dr Idil Fenercioglu Aydin, to discuss the role as well as to introduce myself to some of the engineering courses during their lecture time. It was very lovely to meet some of you. In November, we had our Eduthon, which is an event hosted by Professional Services and Brighton Students’ Union that allowed us to meet the other SVLs and Professional Services staff and to work with them to brainstorm problems and solutions for some topics. This included mental health support and counselling, accessibility, timetables, IT services, oncampus announcements, and others. This event was a great opportunity to work on our problem-solving as a team.  

Additionally, we had our first Student Voice Forum for this academic year. One of the issues discussed was, “Students experiencing challenges with the teaching of ME643 Dynamics and Control and felt that it was often unclear what they should be doing in their classes” This led to students feeling unsure about the module and stressed due to the fear of failing. This has been discussed with your Module Leader, Zuhaib Khan, and the action plan is for subject leaders and module leaders to discuss this, and I will be given an update on it in the next meeting. Another improvement the university has made that directly affects the engineering department is the new system for AI usage for assignments. With the new traffic light system, we hope that students are more aware of their usage of AI in assignments. For engineering courses, we are required to use various software, and some of them cost money. However, the university has a lot of software licenses that we are not aware of, and so upon discussion, the university will be providing a full list of all the software licenses on the School SharePoint so that everyone is aware. Finally, the concern that students may not know where to provide feedback or what is going to be done with it, and so the module leaders are taking action to remind students of the Padlets and surveys used for feedback or who to contact in lectures. 

I hope everyone has an amazing holiday, and good luck with any upcoming exams or assignments you may have. Once again, don’t forget to provide feedback on the padlets and surveys so that you can help me help you make your university experience better.  

Hello everyone! I’m excited to share my very first update as your Student Voice Leader. Think of this as a behind‑the‑scenes look at what’s been happening so far, what themes are emerging, and how you can shape the journey ahead.

What I’ve Been Up To

So far, I’ve attended:

• Training sessions designed to help me understand the role, sharpen my listening skills, and learn how to turn feedback into actionable solutions. We explored how to use Padlets effectively, how to spot both positives and areas for improvement, and how to make sure student voices lead to real change.

• Two meetings where we began discussing key issues raised by students. These meetings are still in the early stages, so no actions have been implemented yet…but that’s because we’re carefully building plans that will actually work, rather than rushing into quick fixes.

Key Themes Emerging

From the first meeting, a few important issues stood out:

• Attendance and formative engagement: Students want clarity and consistency around attendance expectations, especially when it comes to formative sessions. It’s not just about being present it’s about feeling that your presence matters.

• Feeling seen and valued: A recurring theme was the importance of belonging. Students want to feel part of the cohort, not just another face in the crowd. This goes hand in hand with attendance…when people show up, they want to feel noticed, heard, and included.

• Early stages, big potential: Right now, we’re still brainstorming and shaping plans. Nothing has been rolled out yet, but the conversations are laying the foundation for meaningful improvements to student life.

Why Your Feedback Matters

Here’s the fun part: none of this works without you. The Padlet is our main hub for collecting feedback, ideas, and experiences. Whether it’s something that’s going brilliantly, something that could be improved, or even a small suggestion that might make a big difference, your input is gold. Think of the Padlet as a giant suggestion box, but smarter and more collaborative. Every comment helps us understand what’s working, what needs tweaking, and how we can make student life even better. So please, don’t hold back, add your voice!

Looking Ahead

As your Student Voice Leader, my priority is to make sure every student feels seen, heard, and valued. The training has given me the tools, and the meetings have given me the themes but the real power lies in the collective voice of the cohort. Together, we can shape plans that improve attendance, strengthen community, and make our student experience something we’re all proud of.

So, what’s next? More meetings, more feedback, and eventually, real actions that reflect what you want. It’s early days, but the energy is already building.

Final Word

This role isn’t about me it’s about us. I’m here to amplify your voices, but I need you to keep speaking up. Head to the Padlet, share your thoughts, and let’s make sure our cohort continues to be the amazing, supportive, and inclusive group we know it can be.

L4 Padlet – https://universityofbrighton.padlet.org/emhawkins1/remake-of-student[1]comments-board-for-marketing-management-l4-nsjgdpbepnlpi29y

L5 Padlet – https://universityofbrighton.padlet.org/emhawkins1/student-comments[1]board-for-marketing-management-l5-wvqth3nld2r4zwk4

L6 Padlet – https://universityofbrighton.padlet.org/emhawkins1/student-comments[1]board-for-marketing-management-l6-v1plgbkzd8vkpq3

As we approach the end of the first term, it feels like the perfect time to properly introduce myself. I’m Jess, a third year BA Geography student and this year’s Student Voice Lead (SVL) for Geography, Ecology and Environment. My role is all about representing your views, amplifying your experiences, and helping ensure our school continues to grow and supports students. I wanted to share what I’ve been working on so far and how you can get involved.

Taking on this role has already been an exciting experience, beginning with the initial training session, which helped clarify my responsibilities and the purpose of the role. The training gave me a solid foundation for understanding how the student voice influences decision-making, and how I can best support our cohort by acting as a link between students and staff, and taking an active role in problem solving and celebrating successes.

A highlight of the term has been taking part in the Curriculum of the Future workshop, which brought together a range of university staff and student representatives to reflect on where our current curriculum sits and how it can be improved. We discussed both the strengths and areas for improvement across the whole university, looking at everything from academic content and course collaboration to the wider student experience. It was fascinating to collaborate with university staff in this way, and seeing how our different perspectives can shape the educational environment we’re part of.

Having the chance to speak from my viewpoint, both as a student and as an SVL, reinforced just how valuable student feedback is in shaping future developments. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to take part in more conversations like this throughout the year.

Looking ahead, I will soon be attending the SAS Student Forum, where your feedback submitted through course Padlets and boards will be reviewed to address any challenges students are facing, and celebrate what’s working well. Together, we’ll look at how issues can be addressed and what steps the school is already taking to support students across Geography, Ecology and Environment courses.

After the forum, I’ll be able to share an overview of what was discussed, what actions are being taken, and how your feedback is directly influencing change within the school. This is why your contributions are so important – whether it’s highlighting something that’s going well or suggesting where improvements could be made, your feedback as SAS students truly shapes the decisions being made. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to get involved, have you voice heard, and help us strengthen university life for everyone!

“Amplifying Your Voice: My Journey as a Student Voice Leader (so far!)

My name is Keegan; and I am the Student Voice Leader for Acute & Community Care (Undergraduate). This semester, I have had the privilege of representing you (my fellow students), in spaces where real change begins. Recently, I attended the first Student Voice Forum for the School of Sports, Education and Health. Each forum is a dynamic meeting that brings together staff and student leaders to discuss what is working, what is not, and how we can improve the student experience. Ideas developed that day are already being actioned, demonstrating the power of genuine staff-student collaboration.

Another highlight this term was participating in the Eduthon alongside members of staff and fellow Student Voice Leaders. In this intensive brainstorming session we tackled live issues head-on, generating creative, practical solutions to challenges affecting our university. The innovative ideas we generated during the Eduthon have now been forwarded to the relevant teams for review and possible implementation. None of this progress, however, is possible without your contributions. Your Padlet posts directly determine the agenda for our upcoming Student Voice Forums. Academic teams and representatives carefully review every comment to identify the topics that matter most to you. This ensures that each discussion focuses on current concerns. From extended library opening hours to enhanced wellbeing support. Many of the improvements we enjoy today originated as simple Padlet entries – all because students like you took the time to speak up.

Your contributions remain anonymous, yet immensely valuable. A single post from you could unlock the solution that benefits the entire cohort. Whether you wish to celebrate something that is working well, or highlight an issue that needs addressing, please take a minute or two to share your thoughts. The challenges we resolve together are the ones that we identify together.

Student Voice is not merely a phrase; it is an active partnership, and you are a vital part of it.  Please add your feedback to your cohort’s Padlet today.

Your voice. Our future.”  

When I stepped into the role of Student Voice Lead back in October, I knew I wanted to advocate for my peers and to help foster a cohesive, productive team encompassing staff and students alike. Representing the Visual Communication Postgraduate courses (which happens to just be the Sequential Design & Illustration Masters Course) has offered me a first row seat to how issues are voiced, reported, and hoisted further up the chain, ultimately to be resolved. 

I have represented all Sequential Design & Illustration students, including those who originally enrolled in the Graphic Design postgraduate programme. After the restructuring that absorbed Graphic Design into our course, these students found themselves navigating a curriculum slightly different from what they anticipated. This created a dynamic cohort with overlapping but distinct expectations – and it made student representation feel even more important. 

From the beginning, I was warmly welcomed into the SVL community. I spent the first few weeks getting to know the processes in place for how issues should be raised, discussed, and moved forward. It quickly became clear that the role isn’t just about passing along comments; it’s about understanding the systems behind them, translating concerns so they can be acted on, and ensuring students feel heard throughout the process. 

Some of the issues raised so far have been practical ones, but are no less important for the daily experience of students and staff. For instance, the persistent leak in the ceiling of room 250 has been a recurring frustration, especially as we move into wetter months. Likewise, the printers and computers have been temperamental at best. I’ve brought all of these concerns to Student Voice Lead meetings to make sure they’re on the radar of the teams who can address them. 

Alongside these logistical challenges, I’ve also been working to articulate a more complex concern: the experience of students who initially signed up to study Graphic Design. Some have voiced that they don’t feel they’ve received enough graphic-design-specific content since being absorbed into the Sequential Design and Illustration course structure. Their feedback is thoughtful and important, and ensuring it’s communicated clearly has been one of my priorities. I’m keen to get resolutions in place before the year is over, to ensure that everyone feels fulfilled by the end of the short one/two year course. 

Student Voice Lead meetings have shown me how much Brighton University values transparent communication, and I’m optimistic about the steps that will be taken to address the issues raised — both the practical ones that affect our day-to-day learning environment, and the broader curricular conversations that shape the long-term student experience. 

P.S. all of the work myself and other Student Voice Leads do would not be possible without the raised voices of everyone on the course. Even in this short year, real changes can be made to improve our experience at Brighton University, so I’d like to thank those who have filled in the feedback Padlet so far, and to encourage everyone to keep adding your thoughts! 

Becoming a Student Voice Leader, this year has been like pulling back the curtain on the hidden world of university life. There’s a whole network running behind the scenes that most students never get to see, and I only realised this after completing the Student Voice Leader (SVL) training and attending my first SVL meeting.

The SVL training was my starting point, kind of like a crash course in how to be useful in this role. We talked through what it means to represent a whole group of students, how feedback works, and how even the smallest comments can make a difference when they’re brought to the right people. I also met other leaders from different courses, and it was reassuring to see that we all share the same goal: making sure student voices don’t just disappear into the void.

After the training, we had our Student Voice leader meeting with staffs and lecturers, and this is where things really came to life. Even though it’s still early in the year and few issues have surfaced yet, it was interesting to watch how feedback is handled. Staff take time to look at what students are saying, and they make plans around it, and nothing gets ignored, even when the list of concerns is small for now. It showed me that this whole system is designed to grow with us as the year moves on.

One thing that stood out to me is how important communication is. Students want answers, staff want clarity, and we, as Voice Leaders, sit right in the middle helping both sides understand each other. Even when the feedback is just: “We’re fine for now,” it still matters because it helps build a picture of what students are experiencing day to day.

And speaking of feedback, this is where I want to make a gentle but important plug.

Please use your course Padlet.

Seriously. It’s one of the easiest ways to raise anything that’s on your mind: timetable confusion, assignment worries, suggestions, or even positive shoutouts. Everything you post is anonymous, and it does get seen. Your Padlet entries are brought directly to the Student Voice Forums where real conversations happen, and real changes can begin.

Even if you think something is “too small” or “not important enough,” I promise you it isn’t. Small patterns become big themes, and early feedback stops problems from growing later. Plus, it helps us, your Student Voice Leaders, understand what you need so we can speak up for you confidently and accurately.

So that’s where we are so far, early days but full of potential. I’m excited to keep attending meetings and seeing how your feedback shapes the rest of the year. If you ever want to talk, ask a question, or pass something on, feel free to message us. And don’t forget: your Padlet is always open, always anonymous, and always listened to.

Two Months in – Navigating My Role as Student Voice Leader

Hello, I am Morenike, and this academic year I have been working as a Student Voice Leader (SVL) to help shape student voice and provide solutions to the key issues and complaints raised by students. This has been a unique transition from my previous role as a Course Representative, where I was primarily involved in gathering feedback and advocating for student voice.

Since starting my role, I have been opportune to take part in an in-depth training session and the Eduthon, where I was immersed in offering feasible solutions to a range of issues. 

Team Training

My first introduction to the role was the team training on 15th October 2025. Here, we trained in different aspects of the role, including how to come up with creative and inclusive solutions and the key issues that have been frequently raised by students. I also had the opportunity to interact with other Student Voice Leaders and learn about their goals and motivations for taking up the role.

During this training, we heard from the Brighton Student Union Education Officer, Naomi Spence, and Communities Officer, Rosie Birch, who shared the initiatives they are putting in place to address key issues such as transportation, affordable meals on campus, and the Find it, Flag it and Fix it initiative to help ensure accessibility across the campuses. This was a reassuring reminder that student voices and feedback are being heard and implemented.

The training concluded with a session led by Vicky Johnson, who provided valuable support on navigating the role, managing potential stress, and engaging in self-affirming exercises and meditation.

Eduthon

On Wednesday 19th November, I took part in the Eduthon, where I worked with a group of other SVLs to develop solutions to issues around IT support, disability, careers, and placement. In my team, we were tasked with exploring the issue of accessibility and support for disabled and neurodivergent students.

First, we identified the main and recurring issue: accessible routes on campus, staff awareness of students’ disabilities and reasonable adjustments. Our goal was to help create an environment where students with additional needs are catered for and staff are fully aware of the different ways they can support students regardless of their disability.

To address these issues, we proposed that staff undergo rigorous training on how to respond to and support students with disabilities. We also suggested that students who are comfortable disclosing their disabilities should be encouraged to do so, ensuring lecturers are aware of the reasonable adjustments required. This could be as specific as a lecturer projecting their voice or using a microphone to support students with hearing impairments.

Although it has been less than a month since the Eduthon, I am optimistic that the proposed solutions will be carefully considered and eventually implemented.

 See you soon… 

Hello everyone, My name is Patrick Stone and I am the SVL ( student voice lead ) for Pharmacy within the SAS ( school of applied sciences ). As an SVL it is my job to work together with the other SVL’s both in the school of applied sciences and with all the other SVL’s from across all other courses. There is a new focus now with the SVL’s where compared to the former course representative system where the focus was on personally gathering feedback related to our cohort, now the student voice leaders are considering broader university wide issues. Thus, part of our role is to get together at meetings and look at university wide feedback that is collected by Brighton students’ union. When I started this new role at the start of the academic year in October myself alongside my fellow SVL’s attended some core training that was designed to function as a baseline of what the structure of the new SVL role entailed and critically how this differs from the previous course representative system. Furthermore, this was an invaluable opportunity to get to meet the student voice leaders that were representing other courses and schools. This was especially enjoyable as it enabled me to get an insight into what motives others to do the role of the SVL and I believe by understanding this we can work more cohesively and effectively in the future. Alongside the move to the new SVL system there is a new emphasis on the use of the course padlet feedback system as the primary mechanism for which to create a feedback loop specific to any particular course. This development is designed to try and create a system by where there is a central point of which the course specific feedback can be considered and then responded and actioned as appropriate. Another important part of the role of the role is to ensure that the overall feedback loop functions more effectively by us as the SVL’s updating everyone on the broad spectrum of issues that could potentially be discussed and thus raising awareness to generate further understanding or debate of these issues and hopefully work towards solutions in the future where and when possible. While I have not yet personally been to any meetings yet as it’s still early day’s I am looking forward to attending a student voice forum in December shortly before the winter break. I want to emphasis particularly on this topic that while the Student voice leader role has not existed for very long we are all passionate and committed to raising the concerns of the student body at a higher level and thus reinforcing how much the voice and opinions of Brighton’s students matter. In a personal capacity, I look forward to the coming year and having the chance to carry out the special role of a student voice leader as it is an honour to be able to represent all of the hard working and enthusiastic students here at Brighton.  

This blog dives into what actions have been taken so far, as a Student Voice Leader for the School of Business and Law, and what opportunities we’ve had the chance to take part in so far, and what’s to come.

The first session I attended as a Student Voice Leader (SVL) was the Induction Session. Here, I met other SVL’s from all six schools at the University of Brighton, we took pictures for the Student Union website so that students can find their SVL’s for their courses, received a briefing on role expectations and what the SU is trying to build with us, which is to replace the old course representative system with Student Voice Leaders, a paid role working under the Brighton Student’s Union to work on finding solutions to the existing feedback that is gathered through other streams, such as National Student Survey and Padlet, collaborating with academic staff, and communicating changes that are happening though a blog (such as this one!).

After the induction, the next session I was able to get involved in was the first Student Voice Forum for the School of Business and Law. In this 2-hour meeting, the first of three to take place across the academic year, everyone was still finding their feet with the new SVL system. This mostly consisted of us contributing our course experiences, and we set an agenda to think more about solutions next time, and to encourage our peers to put any feedback they find on Padlet. 

Padlet is where YOU can share your feedback! You can find your course Padlet on MyStudies > My Courses and Modules > My Course > Your Representation and Voice > Select your year, and it will take you to your course and year’s Padlet page

And finally, the most recent session I had the opportunity to get involved in was the Eduthon. This was a fantastic event, where we were put into groups and got to brainstorm ideas for solutions to major student body issues that you have raised, following the Design Thinking Process for each issue. Being in a group with 2 other SVL, one from the school Architecture, Technology and Engineering as a Computer Science Student, and the other from School of Sport and Health Sciences as a student of Paramedic science, and additionally there was a University of Brighton Staff Member staying at each table to help walk us through the previous groups ideas and encourage the best ideas from ourselves in the next step of the Design Thinking Process. We took turns rotating around to different tables with different issues; for example, ‘Access to IT’ and ‘Careers and Placements’ were a few of the ones that our group rotated through. What I found most impactful about how this was organised was how the other schools and courses had such a different perspective on issues compared to my own. It was insightful to hear about issues that I hadn’t considered and to be able to generate solutions to these. What really stood out was the value of having representatives from varying areas of the university contribute to new solutions. 

In conclusion, so far, my experience as a Student Voice Leader has been really optimistic. It’s still early days, and hopefully the next update to come will involve some solutions that we’ve suggested, and what actions the University is taking to get these into action. 

Being a Student Voice Leader means I hear a lot of honest opinions from students across different pathways. When people talk to me, I realise very quickly that many of us are facing the same challenges, even if we don’t always say them out loud. When all the feedback is put together, it shows a clear picture of what students are actually going through while trying to learn and do well on their course.

One of the biggest issues students talk about is not understanding what content really matters. In lectures, there are often loads of slides, loads of context, and sometimes really long explanations that don’t link directly to what we’re expected to know. Students have said they leave lectures with even more confusion because it’s not always clear which parts are essential for exams. Some students said they were told to “just know the basics,” but no one explained what “the basics” actually were. Another student shared how they asked which parts of a 79-slide lecture were important, but the answer didn’t help them feel any clearer. This makes people stressed, especially when exams decide whether they can continue the course.

Another issue is the language used during teaching. Students mentioned that comments like “this is easy,” “this is simple,” or “you should already know this” make them feel embarrassed or behind. Even if lecturers don’t mean it in a harsh way, it can make students feel silly for not understanding something straight away. People have different backgrounds and different levels of experience, so it’s important to recognise that everyone learns at their own pace.

Students also said that sometimes lectures don’t feel as helpful as they should. Some lecturers read straight off the PowerPoint without giving deeper explanations, which leaves students feeling lost. Other times, lecturers spend a long time talking about things that aren’t even on the exam, and then rush through the actual key content. Students said this makes them feel like they’re constantly trying to catch up.

A lot of students also mentioned wanting more practice. Having only one or two exams that decide everything creates a lot of pressure. Without example questions or mock exams, it’s hard to know if you’re actually prepared. Many students said they feel anxious because they don’t get enough chances to test their understanding before the real assessment.

Another common issue is the lack of interaction in seminars. While tutors try, a lot of sessions still end up being more like extra lectures. Students want more activities, more chances to talk, and more opportunities to apply the content rather than just listen to it again.

Organisation is another challenge. Students said they sometimes prepare for a lecture that ends up being different from what was scheduled, which feels like wasted effort. Others said MyStudies is difficult to use on mobile, with too many steps to navigate, which discourages people from checking updates regularly.

Overall, all this feedback shows that students care deeply about their learning. They want clarity, fairness, consistency, and confidence in their studies.

Hi everyone. I wanted to share an update on what I have been involved in so far as part of the Student Voice Leader team and highlight what students have been saying during the first part of the year.

Over the past few weeks I have completed the Student Voice Leader training sessions and taken part in the early meetings that shape how conversations will develop throughout the year. The training helped me understand how feedback moves from student comments and padlets into formal discussions. Seeing how the process works behind the scenes made it very clear that every piece of student input matters. From the meetings so far there is one message that students have expressed with real consistency.

Many students are enjoying interactive classes and feel more engaged when sessions include discussions and shared viewpoints. When lessons allow students to participate actively the learning experience becomes more meaningful and students often understand the material more deeply. As a result many students have expressed that they would like these interactive elements to continue.

Students have also said that classes with fewer opportunities for interaction would benefit from including more activities that encourage conversation and participation. The message is strong and simple. Interaction supports better engagement and more engaging lessons support better learning.

Another important theme that has come through is the value of getting student feedback into the right conversations early in the academic year. We are still in the stage where patterns are beginning to form and when themes are recognised now it becomes much easier for action to be taken later. If students do not raise an issue it cannot be addressed. This is why your voice matters. The more feedback we receive the more accurately we can represent what students are experiencing. The most effective way to make sure your feedback is heard is by using your course padlet.Everything submitted there is reviewed before meetings and brought into the Student Voice Forums.

Staff and leaders take the content seriously and it directly shapes how discussions unfold. Even if you only want to make a short comment your contribution helps build a clearer picture of what students want to see improve or continue.

You can always speak to me directly as well. If you prefer to send a message or talk in person I am more than happy to listen. If you share feedback with me but do not want to post it yourself I can add it to the padlet for you. All padlet entries are anonymous so the focus is simply on making sure your experience is represented fairly.

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed. Your feedback is guiding the conversations happening right now. Let us keep the progress going and make sure student voices stay at the heart of every discussion as we move into the new year.

✰☆Hi, my name is Ruby Horton☆✰. I am a third year BA Photography student, and I am the student voice lead for the Fine Art subjects. The courses under this bracket are BA Photography, MA Photography, BA Fine Art, MA Fine Art, MA Fine Art Painting, BA Fine Art Print Making and BA Digital Music and Sound Arts. In this I will be feedbacking student solutions, action plans and updates regarding our campuses.

In regard to our campuses, both Grand Parade and Edward Street. There is availability of free hot water in Grand Parade if you bring your own cup (30p if you do not have your own cup)- perfect for teas, coffees and more! Also there is now four microwaves in the Grand Parade campus rather than two.

Another point regarding many courses within the Fine Art bracket is Adobe suite access at home and Printing cost. The Adobe suite platform is vital for photo, video, and other editing; however, it will not be able to be accessed at home unless you pay the £70 yearly student subscription. To take this as a positive it will allow us as students to be more engaged in the facilities at the campuses as well as utilising the technical staff to help with specific needs. A friendly reminder that at Brighton university within the School of Art and Media that the professional printing services costs across the school is cheaper than industry standard. Although at this time of financial strain printing and material costs can be frustrating it is useful to reminder ourselves about the cheaper costs!

I have been in conversation with Conall Gleeson who works in the School of Art and Media as the Fine Art Quality Standards Lead. Conall and I have been discussing what actions we can take to make a fairer playing field across the Fine Arts. Some of the feelings across the Fine Art subjects is an uneven amount of opportunity outside of the university setting- so this would be volunteering, invigilating and other professional opportunities. Therefore, Conall is in the process of attempting to do Fine Art wide email blasts to make everyone aware of these chances that wouldgive vital experience.

To make everyone aware of awesome opportunities that can help us as studentwith material help and cost that there is a swap shop that is beginning to take place at Grand Parade. There is the chance to bring material and take material which is really great to help if you want to lower the cost of your projects both inside and outside of Uni!

★☆Also a final reminder- please fill out your course padlets if you can! If you have any trouble finding them, just email your module/ course lead.☆★

Here’s a quick look at what Biosciences students have been saying this term. 

This is the first of three Student Voice Leader (SVL) blogs you’ll get this year. One for autumn, one for spring, and one for summer.  

What actually is an SVL? 

There are no longer traditional course reps across the university. Instead, each area has a Student Voice Leader (SVL), based in the Brighton Students’ Union (BSU) – which is a charity and independent from the University’s management. 

Our role is less about collecting individual complaints and more about spotting patterns and helping fix them. We look at feedback that’s already being collected, bring it into Student Voice Forums (SVFs) with staff, and work on realistic solutions together rather than just handing over a list of problems. 

A big part of that is the feedback loop – making sure your comments don’t just vanish into a form.  

Our aim is to ensure that every piece of feedback genuinely goes somewhere, is heard by the right people, and leads to outcomes that students are aware of. 

You can also be reassured that the main feedback routes are anonymous unless you choose to share your name – you can be honest without worrying that it’ll affect your grades or relationships with staff. 

Where your feedback comes from 

Instead of you having to hunt down an SVL in person, there are already several systems that collect what you think about your course: 

·      Course Padlets – a space for quick, everyday comments about modules, labs, organisation, assessments, etc. 

·      Module evaluations – end-of-module surveys about teaching, content, and assessment. 

·      SU Pulse surveys – termly snapshots about stress, belonging, confidence, and general wellbeing. 

·      National Student Survey, NSS (final-year only) – a national survey that influences university rankings and course improvements. 

·      Course discussion boards, academic societies and SU spaces – natural places where feedback often comes up in conversation. 

Padlet, module evaluations, Pulse surveys and the NSS are anonymous and handled independently of your lecturers. 

If sending an email feels like too much, you can also leave a quick comment on your MyStudies Module Discussion Board (note: these are not anonymous) 

What we’re hearing so far (Autumn term) 

Across the Course Comment Boards (CCBs) for Biomedical Science and Biological Sciences, students left a total of 44 comments this term. These came from Levels 4 and 6 Biomedical Science, and Levels 4 and 5 Biological Sciences. 

Engagement varied across cohorts: no comments were submitted by Level 5 or Level 7 Biomedical Science students, nor by Level 6 or Level 7 Biological Sciences students. Nonetheless, the feedback that was submitted shows clear, repeated patterns in what students would most like to see improved. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I have taken part in two valuable activities through my Student Voice role: a Student Voice Forum and a curriculum principles workshop. Although they focused on different topics, both centred around improving the student experience and ensuring learners feel informed, supported, and listened to.

Improving Communication and Navigation

The Student Voice Forum mainly discussed communication, especially how students engage with emails. A recurring theme was that students receive a large number of messages, which means many of them are ignored or skimmed. Important information can easily get lost between newsletters, reminders, and announcements. Even if the content is useful, it does not have much impact if students never fully read it.

We talked about ways this could be improved. One suggestion was to introduce the app MyBrighton which was initially brought in 2/3 years ago. Another was reducing repetition and thinking carefully about timing, rather than sending several emails at once. Small changes like these could make students more likely to engage with updates, instead of feeling overwhelmed.

Another topic was navigation around the My Brighton SharePoint. Many students find it difficult to locate essential information because it feels scattered or labelled in an unclear way. Even when resources are available, they can be hidden behind several layers of menus. This becomes frustrating, especially when students are looking for forms, or support information. Suggestions included improving layout and signposting, so sections are easier to understand at a glance. If navigation were clearer, students would spend less time searching and more time accessing what they need. It was reassuring to see staff actively listening and open to change.

Curriculum Workshop: Student Support Through Principles

The second event I attended was a curriculum principles workshop, which I really enjoyed. The discussion explored the principles that shape the curriculum, and how students connect with them. We considered which principles students are most drawn to, where some overlap, and how wording might be adjusted to make them feel more supportive. A lot of the staff I spoke to during this meeting pointed out how most of the principals leaned towards a more leadership approach rather than the freedom of choice of a student’s life in Brighton University.

What stood out to me was how much influence language has. Even a small change can make a principle feel more inclusive and encouraging. The workshop highlighted that the curriculum is not fixed. Staff were open to feedback and willing to rethink how principles are presented, making the discussion collaborative and positive. Students were given room to share their views, showing that lived experience is valued alongside academic design.

Final Thoughts

Both sessions reminded me why student voice matters. When concerns are raised, whether about confusing navigation or unclear communication, real improvements can follow. Being part of these conversations made me feel more connected to the university and confident that changes will continue to make everyday student life easier and more supportive. I am looking forward to attending more meetings and encouraging others to share their feedback too.

As course representative for my undergraduate degree, I was excited to see the changes that would be made with the new student voice leader system within the university for handling student feedback, whilst the course representative model was good, there was always an issue with bridging the gap between the feedback and the changes, even if those changes were made. With the new student voice leader system, these are the very issues it aimed to solve, and I can already see this happening. The training I have completed so far has been highly informative, with systems in place for when our voices are not being listened to or tangible changes are not coming to fruition. Furthermore, the focus has been shifted from us as student voice leaders being responsible both collecting feedback and proposing solutions, to focusing solely on how to improve our courses based on student feedback. This is not as difficult with cohorts as small as the law conversion masters but will be invaluable for much larger classes where constant feedback can be overwhelming. I would still encourage my cohort to use the padlet and other platforms for providing feedback as it can ensure it is all in the same place and easy to collate for future meetings. 

As for the meetings I have attended so far, the feedback I have provided from the cohort has mostly consisted of issues with the first introductory week, as due to the nature of the course, it is often a sharp turn from previous fields of study to law. However, my fellow class and I are thoroughly enjoying the modules we are currently undertaking. Some of the changes and solutions I have suggested through talking to my cohort are more thorough explanations of the law referencing system (OSCOLA), a greater focus on study skills, and most importantly help with the decision we must make very soon for whether we will undertake a dissertation or a street law project, of which we have now received some more information on, and we have now had a lecturer speak to us in our seminar about what the street law project entails. Looking forwards towards the future, I would like to place a greater focus on providing solutions, especially with the aforementioned study skills, perhaps by coordinating some sessions in the library or booking a study room where we can sit down with each other and focus on the areas we are struggling with, such as a weekly or bi-weekly study group. I will also endeavour to get the information on when our exams will take place in the end of January.  

We have officially made it to December. If you are anything like me right now, your brain is functioning on 40% caffeine, 50% deadline adrenaline, and 10% pure anticipation for the Christmas break.

As we wrap up this term, how about a nice update from your friendly neighborhood student voice leader?

I wanted to step back from the usual course updates and do a nice Boardroom-style review of my first semester as your SVL. Think of it like a mid-term election speech, but without me screaming into a microphone, “Vote for me!”

First, let’s start with The Wins:

Outside of connecting with all of you and having a bit too much of a blast at The Venue, I wanted to share a few behind-the-scenes highlights.

A few days ago, I represented the Finance and Accounting cohort in the Curriculum of the Future Workshop. This wasn’t a standard feedback session or a panel of keynote speakers. It was SVLs and staff collaborating to define the principles guiding future modules. Our goal? Ensure every module maximizes the student experience, not just administrative convenience. We reviewed principles covering everything from inclusive design to the ethics of technology integration.

A second win was the Eduthon. Picture a Comic-Con for SVLs where we came together for collective brainstorming, and to play with Lego and Play-Doh apparently. We sat together with staff and members of the student union and strategized ways to improve the overall student experience.

For example, we discussed the lack of structured activities for students to build that essential network of friends. It clicked for me immediately. Based on that conversation, I worked with our Course Leader to organize more social hangouts after school trips. Because let’s be honest, the best networking usually happens after the books are closed.

Now, let’s talk about the ‘Work-in-Progress’:

A major topic from the Eduthon was the timetable. We need a schedule that drives academic rigor but also allows us to be dynamic students who join societies and clubs. We are collaborating with staff to find a student-focused solution. Trust me, we are brainstorming!

Additionally, for a focused class of postgraduates, the friction regarding course materials is a bottleneck. Specifically, access to textbooks for specific modules has been a challenge. We are working to ensure everyone has easy access to learning materials, whether via digital licenses or library copies. We shouldn’t be fighting for the tools we need to do the job.

Since you probably won’t see me posting #NewYearNewMe, let’s call these our New Year resolutions. But with that comes my little request. One can say it is your Christmas present to me: A busy Padlet.

I know typing feedback into the Course Padlet can feel like shouting into a void, but having sat in these meetings, I can tell you that it is not a black hole.

It is actually our most powerful tool. When I bring up the textbook issue or the congested timetable, it carries 10x more weight when there is a Padlet trail of other students saying the exact same thing. So if you are struggling with a resource, if you love a lecture style, or even if you just want to say how dashing your Student Voice Leader’s outfit was in class today (okay, maybe not that), feel free to log it. No feedback is irrelevant.

And there you have it, folks! A great semester behind us and a great semester to come.

I hope you all have an incredible holiday. Rest up, recharge, and enjoy the food. I fully intend to return to campus with an extra 20kg. You can blame it on the holiday dinners and Christmas cookies.

See you in the New Year!    

Welcome to the first Student Voice Leader (SVL) blog post for the MA Creative Writing and MA Curating Collections and Heritage courses! It feels like this academic year has just begun, yet here we are in December, ready to wrap up 2025 and work on submitting our semester 1 assignments. In this blog, I wanted to provide a quick update on how your feedback is being considered.

Our first Student Voice Forum – a meeting with the school leadership team and the SVLs – took place on November 12th. With this being only a few weeks into teaching, we focused on looking at feedback from previous cohorts and national surveys, identifying which areas our postgraduate courses require improvement in. While teaching, assessment and engagement scored very high with the previous cohorts, it became clear that students feel we are missing a sense of community. Being postgraduate students, a lot of us juggle full and part-time work, caring responsibilities and our personal lives while trying to complete our degree. This makes it harder for many students to attend after-class activities or feel involved in everything going on. I would love to hear more from you on how your community experience could be improved, so we can work on realistic and engaging solutions!

We already made a suggestion to the Students’ Union that the secret Cockcroft garden be turned into a space for outside study, where students can learn in a different environment than just a classroom. With assessment time upcoming, some students might be looking for a space to focus, study, collaborate and ask questions – or just find motivation! The school is organising Writing Retreats in Mithras House throughout the year for Humanities and Social Sciences students to do exactly that – find information about these on MyStudies or ask your course leader! The next ones are on 18th December and 15th January in the City Lab.

In the next meeting with the school, I want to focus on finding and implementing solutions to your issues and suggestions. So please go to your MyStudies Comments Board padlet – and leave any thoughts or feelings you have about your experience so far! It’s all anonymous and really helps; whatever you have to say, someone else is probably thinking as well.

Don’t forget to complete your module evaluations and keep an eye out for more updates!

Lastly, make sure you are taking care of yourself, especially at this busy time; and don’t be afraid to reach out to your course team and support services, or to me as your SVL, if you ever have questions, feedback or need support. See you in the New Year!