Representation is about you
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Introduction
We’re evolving how we represent over 30,000 students to make sure all voices are heard, valued and acted upon. Whether it’s your studies, finances, housing or wellbeing, your input shapes our future. Did you know only 36%* of students felt represented by their elected Officers last year? We’re determined to change this.
What's Changing
Below are the major changes we are making to your student representation.
Localised Representation
More representation where it matters most—your course, your community, your society.
Why?
You trust those close to your experience to represent you better.
Localised Representation
More representation where it matters most—your course, your community, your society.
Why?
You trust those close to your experience to represent you better.
Student-owned Change
Real representation means leadership roles for students—paid, diverse and flexible.
Why?
You deserve to run and shape the services that matter to you.
Barrier-Free Opportunities
Say goodbye to traditional structures and hello to flexible roles and projects.
Why?
Because finances, time or traditional elections shouldn’t hold you back.
Representation Pilots
We’re rolling out pilot projects to explore new, more direct ways for students to feel represented and drive change.
Curriculum for Change Student Panels
Big decisions about your course are being made — and your voice is in the room
We’ve launched a brand-new way to get students directly involved in shaping the future of teaching as part of the University’s Curriculum for Change planning.
BMBS Medicine Local Representation
Representation that works around your placements, not the other way round
We know medical students have a unique university experience. Between full schedules and time on placement, it’s not always easy to get involved in student voice activities. That’s why we’re piloting new ways for BMBS students to have their say — no matter where you are.
How we’re making it happen
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December 2023
Our Trustee Board approved a review of our Officer-led student representation model following low voter turnout and a growing diverse student population.
Spring 2024
"What does representation mean to you? What exactly do you want to be represented on? Who do you trust most to represent you? What can we do differently? "
Over 1,900 students responded.
May 2024
We hosted a 2-day hackathon with 25 students to co-create ideas, themes and solutions to answer ‘how would you design representation to meet the diverse needs of 30,000 students?’
July 2024
We brought together all our research and hackathon co-created ideas and presented them to our Trustee Board. Together, we explored proposals to move away from the Officer-led representation model to invest in alternatives based on our three key goals – localised representation, student-owned change and barrier-free opportunities.
September 2024
In partnership with the University, we began working with several academic departments to pilot localised course-based representation models. Collaborators included BMBS Medicine; Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy and Anthropology (SPSPA); Mathematics and Statistics; the Doctoral College and two Degree Apprenticeship courses.
October 2024
We presented our work so far to the Guild Accountability Board to keep student leaders up to date on progress so far and expected outcomes. Our academic representation team worked hard with Officers and pilot Department Reps to better support and engage them.
November 2024
Working with our student-led Trustee Board, we’ve decided to keep the five officer roles for 2025-26 while scaling up new representation pilots. This gives us time to test, refine, and measure their impact before making big changes. From 2026-27 onwards, we’ll consider moving away from the Officer-led model—but only if it’s the right call for students.
January 2025
We worked with elected officers and student trustees to test fresh ways for students to feel represented and drive change directly. A series of pilot projects will roll out in terms two and three, such as Student Project Interns and Change Week, to explore new approaches to student representation.
To keep you updated, Hannah and Tharini—our new student representation content creators—will be sharing updates, showcasing impact, and giving you a front-row seat to how these pilots are making a difference. Keep an eye out for their work across our channels!
February 2025
We elected Student Officers for the 2025/26 academic year! A massive congratulations to our new student leaders, who are ready to champion change and make Exeter an even better place for students. We saw an incredible 3,043 students casting their votes over four days – a 9.7% turnout of the student body, contributing to 19,049 votes in total! Each vote helps amplify student voices, ensuring your concerns and ideas reach the University loud and clear.
2025 Onwards
We’re rolling out pilot projects to explore new, more direct ways for students to feel represented and drive change. Over the next few months, we’ll be testing, evaluating, and refining these initiatives, using real student experiences to shape what comes next.
These pilots will inform the future of representation at the Guild, helping us decide how best to use our resources—including whether we move away from officer-led representation to reinvest in alternative models that better serve students.
Alongside this, we’ll be keeping the Student Accountability Board updated, developing engagement and consultation plans, and making sure students remain at the heart of every decision.
Our trustee Board approved a review of our Officer-led student representation model following low voter turnout and a growing diverse student population.
We asked What does representation mean to you? What exactly do you want to be represented on? Who do you trust most to represent you? What can we do differently? Over 1,900 students responded.
We hosted a 2-day hackathon with 25 students to co-create ideas, themes and solutions to answer ‘how would you design representation to meet the diverse needs of 30,000 students?’
In partnership with the University, we began working with several academic departments to pilot localised course-based representation models. Collaborators included BMBS Medicine; Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy and Anthropology (SPSPA); Mathematics and Statistics; the Doctoral College and two Degree Apprenticeship courses.
We brought together all our research and hackathon co-created ideas and presented them to our Trustee Board. Together, we explored proposals to move away from the Officer-led representation model to invest in alternatives based on our three key goals – localised representation, student-owned change and barrier-free opportunities.
What you told us
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Feeling heard and seen
- 44%of students trust those with similar backgrounds
"Having my views heard by the university and seeing other students or people working for the Guild who have a similar background or experiences"
Your course comes first
- 36%of students trust their coursemates
"It forms a huge part of our lives and I think it is important we have a say in how it all works"
"Feeling like my needs are taken into consideration makes it easier for me to actually stay here and complete my course with less stress and challenges"
Representation matters
- 39%of students want more flexible opportunities to get involved.
"Feeling represented in university life is important because it fosters a sense of belonging, validates diverse identities and perspectives"
"International students might feel excluded in a foreign country and culture. Feeling represented at university can make us feel less alone and more included in the community"
Download the full student representation report here.
Get Involved
Feeling represented starts with you. Here’s how you can make a difference:
Contact Your Officers
Your Student Officers are elected by you each year, focusing on a specific remit to improve your student experience.
Become a Student Leader
From society committee members to academic reps; there are so many ways you can bring change and add skills to your CV.
Have Your Say
There’s no us without you. Ask for what you want, tell us what you need and watch us make it happen.
What is an academic rep?
Academic reps and Department Officers work with your course leaders and department to make positive changes to your academic experience, from supervision, teaching and assessment, to course administration, learning resources and personal career development.
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"[Feeling represented] means seeing aspects of my own identity, experiences, or perspectives reflected in society, media, or decision-making processes"