At GCU Students’ Association, we’re deeply passionate about ensuring we do our part to enhance teaching quality at Glasgow Caledonian University.
As your Full-Time Officer team we sit on every student facing academic committee within the university as well as having our education committee called the Student Action Group for Engagement (S.A.G.E). Some of the committees I sit on in order to keep the student perspective at the forefront of decision making in GCU are the Academic Practice and Policy Committee (APPC), Learning and Teaching Sub Committee (LTSC), Enhancing the Student Experience (ETSE), and I also attend SAGE. These committees come together to pass policies, papers, and ideas that directly affect students’ academic experience here at GCU.
My remit also includes working with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) to develop the Enhancement Themes. The QAA are a national body funded by the Scottish Government to ensure that your education at higher education institutions (which universities are) is of a high standard. My role involves working nationally to represent GCU students in national meetings. Rachel, the Student President is also involved in the Enhancement Led Institution Review (ELIR) process which is an audit of the university, and the FTO team also engage with programme review and approvals at GCU!
As well as the Full-Time Officer team, our student representatives play an active role in enhancing teaching quality here at GCU. Our student representatives work to gather feedback from students regarding all aspects of the student experience, including their academic experiences which are affected by the quality of teaching. Class Representatives can feedback to staff issues their class may be facing or share what the class are enjoying at Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG) meetings. Our Department Representatives can link up with class reps within their departments to gather feedback to relay to the School Board meeting for their school.
By giving feedback to academic staff on their programmes or within their school, our representatives can influence teaching policies and procedures that will ultimately enrich teaching quality here at GCU.
The last way we develop teaching quality at GCU that I would like to draw your attention to is our Student-Led Teaching Awards. The Teaching Awards is GCU Students’ Association’s annual campaign to gather positive feedback about learning, teaching and support at GCU which can then be used by the University to further improve the learning experience. Through recognising great teaching, students can take part in the heightening of teaching quality across the university. You can now nominate a member of teaching or non-teaching staff for the awards here.
Our awards this year consist of:
Terrific Teaching
Fantastic Feedback
Creative Curriculum
Super Support (teaching staff)
Super Support (non-teaching staff)
Sensational Supervision & Support
Nominations close on April 11th 2019—give your great lecturers some recognition and play an active role in the enhancement of teaching quality at GCU!
Eilidh Fulton
VP SCEBE
