Press release - 19 April 2012 00:01

NUS WELCOMES OFFA GUIDANCE ON CONSULTING WITH STUDENTS’ UNIONS

The National Union of Students (NUS) today (Thursday) welcomed new guidance from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) which places a greater expectation on universities to consult with students’ unions before submitting accessing agreements.

NUS research shows that more than two-thirds of students’ unions were inadequately consulted, or not consulted at all, by universities about current access agreements.

In the new guidance OFFA make clear that proper consultation with unions is expected and they require a statement from institutions detailing the nature of their consultation as well as encouraging students’ unions to submit their own feedback direct to OFFA.

Liam Burns, NUS President, said:

“We welcome moves from OFFA to encourage further student involvement in deciding how a university supports vulnerable students and attracts students from underrepresented backgrounds.

“For too long universities have got away with cursory or non-existent consultation of the very students that Access Agreements are designed to help. NUS has been pushing for universities to be required to properly consult students and this is a recognition of the need for such requirements.

“Whilst this is a very positive step, in future universities must go further and give students sign off on plans for widening participation.”

ENDS

The guidance will be available from OFFA from midday today - http://www.offa.org.uk/publications/

NUS survey of students' union consultation on Access Agreements can be found here - http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/38531/OFFA-must-require-universities-to-consult-students-unions-on-access-agreements/

Topics

Education

Regions

England

NUS (National Union of Students) is a voluntary membership organisation which makes a real difference to the lives of students and its member students' unions.

We are a confederation of 600 students' unions, amounting to more than 95 per cent of all higher and further education unions in the UK. Through our member students' unions, we represent the interests of more than seven million students.

Contacts

Will Hoyles

Press contact NUS UK Press Officer will.hoyles@nus.org.uk 07866 695010

Alex Jones

Press contact Press and Public Affairs Manager alex.jones@nus.org.uk

Mike Heffron

Press contact NUS Scotland Campaigns and Communications Officer mike.heffron@nus-scotland.org.uk 07554 451941

Joni Alexander

Press contact NUS Wales Campaigns and Communications Officer joni.alexander@nus-wales.org.uk 07966 102363

Ian Williamson

Press contact NUS-USI (Northern Ireland) Policy and Public Affairs Officer ian.williamson@nistudents.org 028 9024 4641

NUS UK Switchboard

Press contact 0845 5210 262

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