Tuesday 25-11-2025 - 09:18

GCU Students’ Association Delegates Join National Discussions at the NUS Scotland Conference

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the NUS Scotland Conference alongside other student delegates from the GCU Students’ Association. The conference brought together student and student leaders from universities and colleges across Scotland for two days of thoughtful discussions, strategy building, and collective action.

Throughout the event, delegates engaged in a wide range of sessions focusing on major challenges and priorities within Scotland’s education sector. The topics we explored include
 

• Mental health and wellbeing
• Support for international students
• Cost of living challenges
• Housing and transportation
• Liberation, equity, and inclusion across campuses etc

These were not just surface-level conversations, each topic was approached through in-depth conversations and shared experiences from institutions across Scotland, in each session we tried to unpack the real challenges students face and consider how we, as representatives, can continue to push for meaningful change within our institutions thereby improving the student experience across Scotland.

Developing a Collective Campaign Strategy

A significant outcome of the conference was the development of a national campaign manifesto. Delegates worked together to identify the most pressing issues regarding the topics we explored and outlined clear priorities for lobbying MSPs and relevant government bodies in the months ahead.

With the upcoming Scottish election, voter engagement became a central point of discussion. The conference explored ways to encourage greater student participation through awareness campaigns, voter registration drives, and accessible political education. Ensuring that students feel empowered and informed remains a core focus of NUS Scotland’s work.

Sector-Wide Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

The conference also provided valuable opportunities for delegates to connect with student leaders from other universities and colleges. These networking sessions helped build a stronger understanding of how different institutions are responding to national challenges and allowed representatives to share best practices, collaborative ideas, and insights that can help enhance student life across Scotland.

Strengthening Student Voice Across Scotland

Overall, the NUS Scotland Conference served as an important space for student leaders to unite, reflect, and strategise on the collective issues affecting all students. The contributions from GCU’s delegates, alongside peers from across the sector, will help strengthen ongoing work within the Students’ Association and ensure that the student voice continues to shape decision-making at institutional and national levels.

We look forward to bringing the insights and ideas from this conference back to our GCU community, and continuing the work of ensuring every student’s voice contributes to shaping the future of higher education in Scotland.

You can get in touch with Chinaenyenwa (Vice President SHLS) at: VP.SHLS@gcustudents.co.uk