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Student Engagement: Shape your University

The University values student input and wants to hear from you. Find out how to give feedback and become involved in making changes to the student experience.

Why we value student engagement

The University of Bath encourages students to be active partners in their education, helping to create and develop their learning and teaching. A highly engaged student community helps to inform University strategy and enables us to continually improve and develop every aspect of your experience. Your feedback helps us to monitor and enhance what you learn, how you are taught and assessed and the services and facilities we provide to support you.

There are a number of ways that you can get involved, give feedback and make real positive changes to the student experience at Bath. Most changes that take place at Bath are a direct result of students working with staff to find solutions and make improvements.

Become an Academic Rep

Represent the student voice and make sure student concerns are heard by the University.


Academic Reps champion the student voice and represent their cohort's views on everything related to learning and teaching. Reps ensure that student concerns, views and opinions are heard and acted upon by the University and Students' Union (SU). By becoming an Academic Rep, you play a vital role in bringing about the changes you and other students want to see on your course.

First year Academic Reps are elected at the start of each academic year and the whole process, from nominations to the vote through to the training of Reps, is organised by The SU Bath. Academic Reps for returning students are elected in the preceding year.

Academic Reps are supported by The SU Bath, working in partnership with the Student Engagement Team in the Centre for Learning & Teaching, as well as Departments, Faculties and the School.

Email su-voice@bath.ac.uk for further information.

Attend Staff / Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs)

The main forum between staff and students.


SSLCs are the main forum for communication between staff and students within academic departments. Most of the work that will shape your course takes place in these meetings. At SSLCs, Academic Reps raise students’ concerns, views and opinions about learning and teaching, propose changes and improvements and help staff to further develop your course and department.

  • SSLCs are attended by Academic Reps and staff members
  • all departments have at least one SSLC to represent the interests of taught students
  • there are separate SSLCs for doctoral students
  • in many departments, Academic Reps chair the SSLC

Email su-sslc@bath.ac.uk for further information.

The QA48 Code of Practice explains how the University and The SU Bath support SSLCs.

Complete unit evaluations

Your opportunity to provide feedback about your curriculum.


Toward the end of each semester, the University asks all students to complete unit evaluations. This is an opportunity for you to provide anonymous feedback about the curriculum, teaching and assessment for each of your units. Your comments should be in line with the University’s Dignity & Respect Policy and Procedure. Unit evaluations help staff to further develop the different aspects of your course, but you can always voice your feedback anytime either directly to staff or through your Academic Rep.

Take part in annual student surveys

Give feedback about your experience at Bath.


Each year the University asks all students to provide feedback about their experiences at Bath. Surveys request feedback from students about a range of topics, such as education, support, wellbeing and climate action priorities. Certain surveys are open to certain groups of students:

  • Office for Students' (OfS) National Student Survey (NSS) for final year undergraduate students
  • internal Course-level survey for non-final year undergraduate students
  • Advance HE Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) for taught postgraduate students
  • Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) for doctoral students (this survey runs biennially)
  • internal Professional Doctoral Experience Survey (PDES) for professional doctoral students (this survey runs biennially)
  • Be Well survey for all students, focusing on mental health
  • Climate Action Survey for all students, focusing on University climate policies

Your feedback helps the University to continually develop and enhance what you learn, how you are taught and assessed and the services and facilities we provide to support you. By regularly checking and adapting to student feedback the University maintains the competitive value of your degree during your time studying and as you move into further study and employment.

All survey responses remain strictly confidential but your comments should be in line with the University’s Dignity & Respect Policy and Procedure.

Lead on a Student Change Project

Take the lead on a Student Change Project to improve or fill a gap in provision, and make some of the changes suggested in student feedback.


The Student Change Project Scheme is supported by both the University and The SU Bath. It provides undergraduate, postgraduate taught and doctoral students the opportunity to lead a change project related to one or more of the institution's strategic priorities.

Approval will be granted to projects related to the following themes:

  • assessment & feedback
  • blended Learning
  • accessibility of learning/assessment
  • student skills
  • digital skills
  • use of technology
  • developing a sense of community within departments, faculties and across discipline areas
  • decolonising the curriculum
  • research culture
  • climate emergency

Stand to be a Sabbatical Officer

Represent the student voice and make real change at the University.


You can stand for the role of Sabbatical Officer – or SU Officer – at any point during your undergraduate career. Becoming an SU Officer means directing your Students' Union and representing over 20,000 members of the university. There are six SU Officer roles elected each academic year:

  • Students' Union President
  • Education Officer
  • Sport Officer
  • Activities Officer
  • Community Officer
  • Postgraduate Officer

Find out who your current SU Officers are.

Contact us

If you have any questions about how to engage with the University, please contact us.