1. Creating & Developing A* Academic Societies

2. Learning objectives

3. Identify data that can be used to make the case for the value of academic societies Understand what co-curricular and extra- curricular means and how this may be important Identify activities and ideas that can be used to develop academic societies Reflect on partnership and consider how this is relevant to their work

4. What are academic societies & why are they interesting?

5. What are academic societies? Different names in different unions: o ‘Academic societies’ o ‘Departmental societies’ o ‘Course societies’ o ‘Subject societies’ o ‘Co-curricular societies’

6. Why are academic societies interesting? Members linked by interest rather than activity = variety of activities (fun, academic, campaign/cause, developmental, social) Academic societies accessible to all Good place for union to start improving societies - Improve quality, improve number of societies, increased society membership, cross-union working

7. Why are academic societies interesting? Success in the Student Market: ‘…appetite is increasing for course-related societies’ Top two reasons for getting involved with course-based societies: To help with their course or study (29%) To get to know new friends better (17%)

10. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities ‘Curricular’ from ‘curriculum’ = “the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc.:” ‘Co-curricular’ = complementing the curriculum ‘Extra-curricular’ = outside of the curriculum

11. What should the main activity of an academic society be? Vote now! Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities

12. Does it matter to your to your SU to define co- and extra-curricular activities? Vote now! Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities

13. Ideas for activities

14. Cross-union working Academic reps system Sports - intramural teams Volunteering (course-based) Promote NSS/SLTAs

15. Activities for academic societies Having too much fun? Meaningful activity -high-quality networking -Skills development

16. Working with your institution

17. What is Partnership? Partnership is a way of working that looks to go beyond “student engagement” and to challenge the growing narrative of students as passive consumers. -Students and academics working together to make their education better – to be jointly responsible and jointly empowered to make changes. Read “A Manifesto for Partnership” on NUS Connect.

18. Working with your institution Partnership Practical ideas: -Institutional staff - associate members? -Institutional staff - invited to society events? -Society attend departmental open days -Structure for academic reps and societies

19. Next steps

20. Follow-up Questions Follow-up resources Contact rosie.hunnam@nus.org.uk (Lunch & Learn/ Student Opps. queries) bethan.payne@nus.org.uk (Higher Education knowledge) Next webinar Tuesday 19 th November, 12:30-13:30 ‘Breaking through Bureaucracy’ Suggestions for future webinars

21. Thank you for taking part!