Newman University to develop a Student Futures Manifesto in partnership with the Students’ Union
Newman University, in partnership with Newman Students’ Union, has committed to co-producing a Student Futures Manifesto, with an emphasis on student support and remediating any learning, skills or confidence gaps which have emerged over the pandemic.
In February 2022, the UPP Foundation, an independent charity working with universities and other higher education bodies, published their report entitled ‘A Student Futures Manifesto’. The report calls for universities to co-produce a Student Futures Manifesto, which contains actions and commitments to secure successful student futures.
The UPP Student Futures Commission has looked at ways in which the HE sector could work with students to recover from the pandemic, noting that despite innovations in teaching and learning the university experience during the past two years has accumulated to diminish the feeling of belonging that students experience.
Their report contains six core themes that contribute to the overall student experience, and successful graduate outcomes. Many of the themes are closely aligned to the mission and values of the learning community at Newman, and linked to on-going activities which Faculties and professional services are already working on.
Professor Richard Medcalf, Newman University Pro Vice-Chancellor, currently leading on the enhancement and improvement of the student experience, commented,
“Newman is well known as being a student-centred university, and we are proud of the pedagogy of partnership which typifies student life here. As we emerge from the past two years we are thinking and talking lots about what learning at university will be like post-pandemic, particularly for us with a clear focus on the complexities we see in our students lives as they return to campus. It feels inevitable that our learning community will find new ways of working and studying together. Our commitment to the co-creation of a new manifesto can be seen as a statement of intent that we will do more to further collaborate with our student body over the coming years.”
The manifesto will likely also include new approaches to collaboration with students, as well as a whole university approach to student experience, wellbeing and learning. Co-created with Newman Students’ Union, the manifesto will be representative of the needs of the Newman student body. President of Newman Students’ Union, Alex Reston, commented, “As we continue moving towards a post-pandemic world, we need to be accountable for providing Newman students with the best academic experience and the right tools for post university life.’
Find out more about the UPP Foundation and the Student Futures Commission.