VP Wellbeing Update 11 January

Posted 112 Months Ago

Sahara Choudhury, VP Wellbeing

What I have been working on Semester 1...

• Refurbished the Advice Hub- as the Union’s welfare department it needed a touch up to make it a more workable and inviting space. The work the Advisors do is the most important: from helping students with their mental health to handing out sexual health materials, we know the Advice Hub is pivotal for student survival!
• Was elected to attend NUS Scotland Zones Conference where I debated and pushed forward items that were important for our campus in relation to asking Parliament what they can do for students- this includes improving the mental health services at institutions across Scotland.
• Leading your Student Union to better represent your views and be more inclusive- such as being opposed to PREVENT. Alongside other officers and students, we have educated ourselves on PREVENT (#StudentsNotSuspects tour) and have support from the National Union of Students (our policy was shared nationally)
• Building better links with the Muslim Society and Students with Kids in hopes to include them in the Union by dealing with their issues and representing them to the University
• Raising awareness of the Liberation groups on campus- by engaging new students in Freshers Week to sign up (395 new students to the groups) and re-branding to the Liberation Operation
• Co-ordinating and pulling together a week of events for Mental Health Week- from Agnes Torok a LoudPoet leading a mental health and happiness session to CRAFTPUNK
• Pushing a campaign to get students to fundraise for mens health: Movember
• Getting Liberation groups more active- we had very little representation for International students, despite being an international university. I engaged many new students to join the International Students Group, formed a committee and encouraged students to become the Representatives. This new group is passionate and have already hosted a Tea and Chat welcome session and a Diwali Party to engage more international students. We currently plan on more activities in semester 2 to celebrate international cultures.
• After engaging more members to join Womens Group, I lead the first meeting and from that we gained a new elected Womens Officer and 2 committee members. We have a plan of activities for semester 2
• I joined many of NUS Scotland in going down to Westminster to lobby our MPs about the worrying increase in student debt, the cuts to maintenance grants (preventing the poorest students from attending education), cuts to Nursing bursaries and the Disabled Students Allowance being cut. This is a serious Welfare concern, one that I am adamant to help in dealing with at a national level.
• Peer mentoring is shortly to be piloted and I am the Union point of contact for it as I am incredibly passionate about its run and success
• I am working on my Change One Thing which is to find more Muslim Prayer Space on Campus as well as Ladies Products in the bathroom
• I have planned the E and D side of Refreshers Week as well as Diversity Week upcoming in semester 2, as well as finishing Mental Health First Aid training so I can better support students in need who find me as the first point of contact

VP Community Update 11 January

Posted 112 Months Ago

Miranda Matoshi, VP Community

What I have been working on Semester 1...

My name is Miranda and I’m your Vice-President Community. What does this mean? I work full time after having graduated from Heriot-Watt and I’m one of your representatives, specifically for the community on campus. This includes sitting on University Committee Meetings, ensuring decisions which are made by the University are in your best interests. Alongside this, I run Activities (societies, halls, charities), Events and any Campaigns that the Union is spearheading.

• Over the summer, I was heavily involved in the refurbishment of the Geordies bar where we kitted the place out with new sofas, tables, chairs and a HD projector. We wanted to provide you guys with a place of maximum comfort on campus with the offering of food, drink, board games, Sky TV and pool tables. Also, if anyone fancies themselves an artist – we’re always looking for people to draw something cool on the blackboard.
• To kick off the academic year, I had the honour of planning and running the most popular Freshers Week yet! Thanks to the team at the Union and with the help of our wonderful Fresher Helpers, we hope you had a cracking and memorable time.
• I’ve run a variety of events ranging from club nights at Liquid Rooms, Craft Punk (including a pumpkin carving session), a Magic Show and more.
• Hannah and I have been attending various meetings of University Senate, University Court and many more important committees. We have been giving consistent input on the future of SLS, the Prevent strategy and the five year plan for the growth of the campus among other items.
• I have had a crucial role in the new Global Students Liason Committee, which reviews the current processes in place to ensure that student experience is of the highest quality it can be around the world. By strengthening ties between our campuses in Galashiels, Orkey, Dubai and Malaysia, we are wanting to ensure that no matter where you are geographically – that you are getting the most out of your time at University at Heriot-Watt.
• The Volunteer Accreditation Scheme “Watt Volunteers” has been ticking on this academic year, which I have been maintaining and developing over time so that student volunteers at the Union have the opportunity for personal growth and appreciation.
• Sahara and I, went to Westminster recently to lobby our MP about student facing cuts, reminding the Government why it is absolutely imperative that funding should be untouched when it comes to education. It was an incredible experience visiting the House of Commons, to talk about the rising financial issues students are facing and how things have changed in comparison to when they were students themselves.
• The Activities team and I have been planning Semester 2 for a while now, having looked at the upcoming Refreshers Week and Charities week along with a roster of night time events.
• I have put together the first rounds of Workshops (body language 101) for Semester 2, which launch during Refreshers and will steadily be coming to the Anderson Room in the library in the next few weeks.
• Me and a student have been in talks about bringing a potential Dragons Den onto campus to inspire you to think innovatively and spark some entrepreneurial spirit!

President Update 11 January

Posted 112 Months Ago

Hannah Frances, President

What I have been working on Semester 1...

• Pushed for technology enhanced learning to become a key topic in the University. The Learning and Teaching Board will be using this as the topic for their first thematic review. Additionally I’ve been pushing for continued room upgrades, such as better audio-visual technology in lecture theatres – many rooms benefitted over the summer of 2015, and I’ll keep pushing to see more upgrades in Summer 2016. One of my manifesto points was a minimum standard for classroom learning technology – when I got in to the role I was happy to discover this already existed, so now it’s a matter of ensuring the University continues to stick to it.
• Continued the legacy of the fight for study space, including securing additional tables/seating in Elements Café and the booking of fourteen additional spaces purely for studying during exam time. I’ve also been a part of the Capital Projects Planning Workshop, which is designing the new layout for Elements to be transformed in to a managed “learning commons” specifically for our students, part of this has been pushing for more prayer/faith related space, gender neutral bathrooms and more/better water fountains.
• Working on feedback collected through Change One Thing and our token voting system in the shop. After reports of widespread dissatisfaction with timetabling in certain subject areas, the Union sought further feedback around timetabling issues. Thankfully the majority of students that had issues had had them resolved fairly quickly, however the University still took notice of this and as a result the Academic Registry will be conducting a review of their current timetabling practices in the near future. This should hopefully ensure fewer issues in the future.
• I participated in the University Senate appointed School of Life Sciences Working Group (Teaching), to ensure that all teaching remains coherent, accessible and accredited during the restructuring of SLS. With this group, myself and other Union Officers helped shape the criteria of any move to ensure that students and staff were considered at all times, and that there would be minimal disruption to the learning & teaching functions within subjects. Recommendations for subject relocations have been discussed and are now awaiting the approval of University Senate at its first meeting of the New Year.

Watt Ventures 2016

Posted 113 Months Ago

Are you a student? Do you have an idea for a new business? Then Watt Ventures is for you!

 Heriot-Watt, in partnership with Santander Universities, is running a business ideas competition for students to win up to £1,000. 

 Now in its second year, Watt Ventures is looking for ideas from budding student entrepreneurs from Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh, Malaysia and Dubai campuses to submit an application form and 1-minute video pitch to be in with a chance of winning one of five cash prizes.

Simply tell them about your idea by Friday 19th February 2016 to be in with a chance of winning up to £1,000!

Register your place at the Watt Ventures 2016 launch event on Wednesday 2^nd December in Heriot-Watt University to learn more about the competition and hear from inspiring entrepreneurs.  You can also visit the website for more details.