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I’m passionate about the student voice and believe in making meaningful change through proper student representation. Our student-staff liaison committees (SSLCs) provide a platform for students to give feedback on their experience, via our student reps. 

However, previously, reps in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences felt unsure about their roles. To address this, I implemented changes over the 2024-2025 academic year. Here are some strategies that might help you, too.

1. Give reps a clear, visible staff contact with the school

This year, I became the main point of contact for all programme reps within the school, overseeing their recruitment and training, and offering support via email or in person. I also attended all SSLC meetings to provide a supportive presence and observe the reps in action.

It’s worked well. I’ve had reps seek support for issues, and while it’s not ideal that we’ve had to address negative experiences, they knew who to contact for support and guidance, which is exactly what we wanted. Providing a main staff contact strengthens reps’ connection with the school and makes them feel supported and valued, which in turn leads to better feedback and an improved experience.

2. Provide school-based training

Schools run their SSLCs differently, and reps may have differing roles, so university-wide training can’t cover everything. School-based training can address this by tailoring the sessions to the school’s specific needs. The training also shows that we take the roles of a rep seriously, and we want them to be fully informed before starting.

This year, we ran one training session per semester. The first session prepared reps by covering:

• Role overview and responsibilities
• School-specific SSLC procedures
• Desired feedback from reps
• Feedback gathering techniques
• Scenarios
• Student support
• Goal setting

The scenario part of the session was well received. I gave them examples of issues that had come up at SSLCs before, and they discussed what they would do. For example:

• “I got a 35 on my assignment, and that’s not fair. I worked hard and did better than that.”
• “There are too many readings. They are pointless and a waste of my time.”

This helped reps prepare for feedback they might receive, determine whether it should go to an SSLC meeting, and decide how to relay it constructively. All credit for the scenario activity goes to student adviser Hayley Ross.

You can tailor the second session to the needs of reps and the school, taking into account the successes and lessons of the first semester. 

After a year of these training sessions, I’m aware of what worked well and what helped the reps undertake their roles effectively. I will be making adjustments based on student feedback and my own reflections, because there are always ways to improve.

• Resource collection: The key tenets of student support
• How immediate feedback motivates both students and educators
• Resource collection: Using data to support student success

3. Ensure reps understand their role and responsibilities

In the initial training, it’s crucial to clearly outline programme reps’ role and responsibilities. They can’t do their job effectively if they don’t know what to do!

During the training sessions, I outlined the school’s expectations and had reps discuss in groups what students, staff and they themselves expected from the role. For example, students might want their reps to be approachable and open-minded, staff want them to be organised and communicate well, and the reps might want to be responsible and team players.

This ensures the reps know exactly what their role is, what others expect from them and how they should conduct themselves in this role.

4. Provide opportunities to set goals and reflect on their development

While the role benefits the school, it’s also an opportunity for students to develop key skills. During the first training session, reps set three goals for the year or semester, which we reviewed in the second session. This helps them focus on what they want from the role and provides examples of , leadership, organisation and so on to help them in future job applications.

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This year, I’ve felt that there has been a better relationship between the reps and the school, and the feedback reps provide is thoughtful and constructive. The reps are also more engaged, and some have told me they’ve enjoyed the role, so that’s a win for me! There’s always room for improvement but these initiatives have provided a strong foundation that can be built on.

Mary Woolley is student development coordinator at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences.

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