1. Postgraduate Engagement Case Study
University of Bristol Students Union
Check who’s in the room – Officers? SU staff? People not from SUs? Any postgraduate officers in the room?

2. What they’ve learnt about postgraduates
What they’ve done to improve their engagement with postgraduates
What might work for you?
Originally delivered at quality matters
No discussion of policy – no chapter B9, more wholistic
Disclaimer: we’re not experts (what’s worked and hasn’t worked), no magic bullets

3. What they have learnt?
About postgraduates and about PG representation?
Postgraduates
Some issues the same, some different
Distinct identity – identify with the profession, the course, as ‘postgraduates’
Identify with different parts of the University
Looking for a community and distinct spaces
Previous experience of HE – can complicate perceptions of SU and representation
Time pressures
Financial demands – part-time students, working etc..
Postgraduate Taught
Transient – only here for a year
Postgraduate Research
Highly personalised experience
Identify as professionals – a mix of staff and student issues
Supervisor is main relationship
Distinct experiences depending on faculty
Read through in fairly inaccessible way!
Undertook/commissioned post graduate qualitative research with PGR students using student researcher
These are things we’ve learnt through our research with postgraduates (qualitative research project with PGR students using a student researcher) and trial and error

4. What they have done? And what has worked?
Introduce a Postgraduate Education Officer
Establish a ‘Postgraduate Network’
Trialling a postgraduate forum
Series of postgraduate events
Lobbied University for PGR ‘hub’ – study space
Commission research into postgraduate research experience
Running campaigns on PG specific issues – postgraduates who teach
Following on from our research…

5. A Postgraduate Education Officer
Laura feels this is the single most important thing we’ve done for postgraduates
Called ‘Postgraduate Education Officer’ but in reality has become ‘Postgraduate Officer’ (complicated)
Responds to distinct identity and creates a clear point of contact
Ensures there is someone who is always thinking about postgraduates
If don’t have resource, use of PTO or similar?

6. The Postgraduate Network
- High engagement with postgrads (really successful)
First and foremost a social network but trialing it as a representative body – considering pathways to engagement – people come for a social and end up feeding back on their student experience
Takes some trial and error (our postgrads seem to like wine and cheese and film nights, others might like coffee shops etc.)
Resourced – need a good number of events etc..
Completely distinct from the SU

7. Lobbying for a PGR ‘Hub’
Unsuccessful – wanted to put in an example of stuff that hasn’t worked (Officers are still working on it!)
University’s rationale for saying no: then we’ll have to give everyone their own space
University funded PG Network ‘to bring PGR and PGT together’ but PGR don’t necessarily want this – interesting that uni has agenda to integrate whilst PGR don’t want this.

8. Research: PGR mapping project
Getting to know your students is really important, taught us stuff about postgrads, implementing new PGR system
Inappropriateness of course rep system for PGR
Call for pastoral support – lack of interest in being represented!

9. Postgraduate specific campaigns
Talk about issues postgrads care about and try and do things for postgrads – leads to engagement
Lead with issues!!
Pick a campaign a year
Campaigning on contracts for postgraduates who teach

10. Wine and cheese is not so bad – but it’s not enough in itself.
Lessons Learnt
From Bristol SU
Wine and cheese is not so bad – but it’s not enough in itself.
Make no assumptions
Distinct identity (distinct spaces, language, points of contact, issues)
It takes effort – there is no magic bullet

11. If you have further questions or want to know more
Contact: Dani Glazzard – Representation Manager
Laura Ho – Post Graduate Education Officer
Telephone: