Education Council

BY APRIL HTUN

The Education Council consists of representatives from all Faculty Societies, Guild Departments, and an elected committee. It is an upskilling platform used to address issues affecting students at local and national levels and collaborate on enhancing the student experience. FacSoc representatives are provided training, funding, and support so that they are able to give the students they represent a voice on educational issues.

This year, the Education Council focused on fighting the $70M restructure and helping the FacSocs mitigate the repercussions, whilst overseeing numerous projects that aimed to improve the student experience.

The Council has achieved several great feats this year; it had continued to implement and expand the Class Representative System to ensure students were granted leadership opportunities that allowed for localised change and organised an active student fightback campaign against the restructure. Ungraded passes for summer school exams and equitable timing of the second semester study break were secured, along with 24/7 Beazley Law Library access and a fresh, innovative LMS interface. The Council also collaborates with the Access Department to minimise barriers to education. Following last year’s trials, students still remain in a precarious learning environment where their studies could easily be disturbed by COVID-19. To combat this, the Education Council has been involved in creating examination and assessment contingency plans that serve to mitigate the disruptions of snap lockdowns.

It was amazing to see the level of student advocacy demonstrated by the FacSocs. With $60,000 in grant funding distributed amongst the thirteen societies, representatives organised innumerable initiatives that supported students throughout their academic endeavours whilst remaining connected to the campus community. Such events included study nights, careers panels and networking evenings, mental health and wellbeing workshops, and quiz nights to name several. A major, unfortunate issue we have experienced is students being stuck overseas due to COVID-19 restrictions. To overcome the dangers of social isolation and reduced sense of belonging, the FacSocs have pursued innovative virtual approaches to engage with the offshore student cohort. The Education Council had also connected the FacSocs to their relevant, newly formed Boards of Studies so that leaders could further their student representation.

Whilst 2021 has borne witness to the most historic university cuts, it has also seen incredible student advocacy, unity, and results. By retaining this perseverance, the Education Council can no doubt confront the continued attacks to higher education that are to be anticipated in the upcoming year.