Student Manifesto

In May 2021 the Student Futures Commission was launched to address issues affecting future and current students arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Student Manifesto outlines six key ways that we will support students in a post-pandemic world.

Key actions we aim to take

Support for Students Before they Reach University

On-campus and Online Activities to Introduce University Life 

Academic life (to include academic skills), personal and social life (including being independent, managing money and making new friends), mental and emotional health and identity and careers with additional support for international students.

Scaffolded Transition and Micro-credentials

Support to all prospective and current students that can be completed as Staffordshire EDGE courses or as micro-credentials, including academic skills, digital skills, careers information, advice and guidance.

Pre-arrival Orientation and Transition

Support for under represented students to include (but not limited to) care-leavers, students with disabilities and additional needs, mature learners, LGBTQIA+ and ethnic minorities.

Peer Connections

To provide opportunities to connect with like-minded people so students can start to make friends before arrival.

An induction into university life for each year of study:

The university will deliver an induction programme for all students in each year of study that:

1. Has a consistent, clear, and well communicated programme of events that build communities at course, department, school, and university level.
2. That co-creates expectations with our students to enable their success.
3. That includes familiarisation and signposting to resources which support student success such as the library team, the careers team, the students union, and the student support teams.
4. Your University and Students’ Union will work together to induct you into your broader student experience, ensuring you understand how you can access a range of professional services, get involved in a range of activities and events and develop skills for your future.

Support for Mental Health and Wellbeing:

The university will provide in and out of hours contact and services to enable students to pro-actively manage their wellbeing.

We will ensure this provision is driven by your needs and is:

• Easy to access,
• Attractive to you,
• Socially relevant,
• Available at a Time when you need it.

In everything we do we will communicate with compassion, foster an environment where you are able to be yourself and support you to be an active member of our community.

A Clear Outline of Teaching Students will Receive and the Necessary Tools to Access it:

The university will ensure that:

• A single VLE is used as a platform for all our undergraduate and postgraduate provision.
• The University will implement an opt in lecture capture policy, is piloting software approaches and will provide an evaluation of this in August 2023.The University will use these findings to continually enhance its provision of lecture capture.
• That course and module handbooks will adopt a standardised template and be easily identifiable in the VLE.
• That all learning resources are inclusively designed and delivered, in line with our inclusion framework.
• That there are clear modules to develop key academic skills available to enhance your learning.
• That communication is consistent from academics across courses, using clear protocols and policies which specify how, when, and via which channels.
• That all students have the opportunity to feedback to module and course leaders via both course representatives and via less formal channels.
• The university will work to ensure that course teams and curriculum are stable, adapting to feedback when required.

Activities Inside and Outside the Curriculum that Builds Skills, Networks, and Communities:

The university and students’ union will provide students with the opportunity to:

• Develop the skills and confidence to build effective relationships with peers, academics and professionals.
• Engage in inclusive events and communities, both online and in person.
• Network with sector relevant professionals in and outside of their courses at multiple points in their time at Staffordshire.
• Network with peers on different courses.

A Clear Pathway Towards Graduate Outcomes:

The university will ensure students have:

• A curriculum that offers mapped to career pathways and the careers support to understand alternatives.
• Work practice and employability skills development in the curriculum.
• An inclusive programme of online and in person activities, events and opportunities that will provide the knowledge, skills and networks to progress into the desired graduate outcomes.

Student voice

This Student Voice research has been a collaborative effort between current University of Staffordshire students with the aim of benefiting present and future cohorts by strengthening the culture of co-production among students and aligning it with the university’s mission and objectives. The listed key actions are a part of the student futures manifesto designed to promote holistic student engagement and boost their sense of belonging in line with the core themes outlined by the Jisc survey. These actions have been presented to prospective students and received positive feedback on how they are likely to impact their academic journey.